Palo Alto, California
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Advanced Clinical Training in General Dentistry
(2007 - 2010)
2020
Boutique Venture Partners is a venture capital firm that specializes in early-stage investments in healthcare and life sciences. We focus on early-stage companies that are (i) developing novel approaches/platforms with solid IP, (ii) founded by authentic entrepreneurs with deep domain expertise, and (iii) having large growth potential while demonstrating societal impact. For more information, please visit www.boutiquevc.com Early Stage Portfolio Companies: Zeda: Boutique was the First Institutional Investor (VC) in the Seed & Series A Lead Investor miRecule: Seed Investor Mesentech: Pre-seed Investor Mitra Chem: Series A Investor Surge Care: First Check & Pre-seed Co-Lead Delfina Care: Seed Investor Fluid AI: Seed Investor Smartlens: Seed Investor Frontier Bio: Pre-seed Investor Handl Health: Seed Investor QMENTA: Seed Investor Cura Fi: Pre-seed Investor Esteam AI: Pre-seed Investor Filtricine: Seed Lead Investor Docbot: Seed Investor (Acquired) Selective Opportunities: Genalyte: Lead Investor of Series C with Verily Life Sciences
2020
- Seed Investor - Series A Primary Lead Investor
2020
2020
- Seed Investor
2023
2023
- Lead Investor of Series C Expansion with Verily Life Sciences
2022 - 2024
2022 - 2024
- First Check & Pre-seed Co-lead
2014 - 2020
2019 - 2020
Dr. El Assal transitioned out of Stanford to form the Boutique Venture Partners, an early-stage venture capital fund that focuses on healthcare and life sciences.
2016 - 2019
The Canary Center for Early Cancer Detection at Stanford University School of Medicine is a world-class facility hosting interdisciplinary research programs and forming direct translational research into clinical trials and practice. At the Canary Center, Dr. El Assal has developed a bio-inspired approach for preservation of natural killer cells for cancer immunotherapy (published in Advanced Science, 2019). In addition, he developed an innovative method to culture human Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infected B cells in 3-D using a microwell array system (published in Scientific Reports, 2016).
2014 - 2016
Dr. El Assal moved from Harvard to Stanford to take a further step in optimizing his bio-inspired cryo-printing approach for cell vitrification and evaluating his work in vivo by utilizing molecular and radiographic imaging. Currently, he is achieving this aim by investigating the radiolabelled cells such as red blood cells (RBCs) and natural killer (NK) cells subsequent to vitrification.
2016 - 2016
2016 - 2016
Stanford Ignite, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Learning the process of converting innovative ideas into viable businesses.
2011 - 2014
2011 - 2014
Postdoctoral Research Fellow [October 2012-April 2014] After completing his research training, Dr. El Assal was offered a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship position (with an H-1B working visa) at the Bio-Acoustic MEMS in Medicine Laboratories, Harvard-MIT Health Science and Technologies Division (HST), Brigham and Woman’s Hospital (BWH), Harvard Medical School. During his research fellowship, he expanded his research work to develop innovative solutions targeting broad clinical problems. His efforts leveraged his expertise in nano-scale droplet technology to manipulate blood cells for biopreservation with high efficiency, functionality, and low toxicity. He developed an innovative methodology based on the integration of bio-inspired cryoprotectants in a nanoliter vitrification platform to preserve blood cells. He has published this novel work in the Advanced Materials journal, which is one of the most respected and significant scientific journals in materials (ranked 2nd with Impact Factor 29.4). Research Scholar [April 2011 to October 2012] Rami’s research training integrated multiple areas in biomedical research including regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, cell bio-printing, cryopreservation, 3D micro-fabrication culturing systems, microfluidics, and biomaterials. The interdisciplinary expertise and advanced technical resources available at Harvard provided him with the ideal setting for high-impact projects, which he believes will help him to participate someday in advancing the national and international welfare systems. - Dr. El Assal won the Best Scientific Poster Category at the Harvard-Center of Nano-scale Systems (CNS), Harvard University; - Mentor for the Student Success Job Program (SSJP) at BWH; - Mentor for Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); - His students received prestigious awards (e.g., the Harvard Faculty Scholarship & the Gates Millennium Scholarship).
2010 - 2011
Dr. El Assal was working as a Clinical Instructor at the Department of General Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Ajman University of Science and Technology, Ajman, UAE, from September 2010 to March 2011. This position was offered by the Dean (Prof. Salem Abu Fanas) based on his outstanding performance in the internship and advanced training programs. He supervised over 100 pre-doctoral dental students during the general dentistry and periodontics clinical sessions. His responsibility included supervising the students during the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment (nonsurgical, surgical or related procedures) of diseases, disorders and/or conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and/or the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. This experience further matured a fervent interest in teaching.
2007 - 2010
[September 2008 to August 2010] Dr. El Assal was convinced during his study that handing over of information alone was not nearly as useful as mastery of a set of clinical skills. It was with these sentiments that he enrolled Advanced Training Program in General Dentistry for two years (2008-2010), which leads to a Membership of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons- Ireland (MFDRCSI), with the objective of refining his theoretical and practical skills. The program involved comprehensive learning courses and general professional advanced training that are structured to examine those who wish to qualify for specialist training. He has also cleared the Part I of the MFDRCSI examination.
2007 - 2008
[September 2007-August 2008] Having received his credentials (Doctor in Dental Surgery, DDS) in the summer of 2007, Rami enrolled in an internship program in General Dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)-approved training center at AUST to enhance his clinical skills. He has undergone a complete one-year rotatory internship in all dental speciality clinics including Periodontics, Endodontics, Pedodontics, Orthodontics, Prosthodontics, Dental Public Health, and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology/Radiology/Surgery.