Albert D. Friesen holds a Ph.D. in protein chemistry from the University of Manitoba. He has been instrumental in the founding and development of several health industry companies, including ABI Biotechnology (now Apotex Fermentation), Canada's first profitable biotech company, and the Winnipeg Rh Institute, where he led the development of Canada's first biotech product, WinRho. Dr. Friesen has also played a key role in a number of regional and national organizations, including a founder and first Board of Director Chair of the Industrial Biotechnology Association of Canada (now BIOTECanada). He is President and founder of Genesys Venture Inc. (GVI), which provides the expertise for launching and managing emerging health and biotechnology ventures, including, Genesys Pharma Inc., Mantex (merged into Myogen), Miraculins, DiaMedica, Medicure and Marsala Biotech Inc.. He  serves as CEO and Chair of Medicure Inc.