Lacey, WA – July 1, 2005 – Unigen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading research and development facility and supplier of proprietary, biologically active plant-derived ingredients to the natural products and pharmaceutical industries, has announced the hiring of two additional Ph.D. Scientists.

Alexandre (Sasha) Nesterov, Ph.D., is a cell biologist and expert in receptor research, with extensive experience in the research of trafficking and turnover of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors.  Among his responsibilities at Unigen as a Scientist in the Discovery and Screening Department, Dr. Nesterov will work to develop an enhanced high-throughput cell-based screening system for new product development.  His expertise in cell biology and biochemistry will further strengthen the company’s efforts in the discovery of novel natural ingredients. 

Prior to joining Unigen, Dr. Nesterov worked as a Scientist at Celltech R&D Inc., a biotechnology company located in Bothell, Washington, where he helped discover new targets for antibody-mediated therapies for inflammation and cancer.  Dr. Nesterov’s vast experience includes having worked as a Research Scientist at the Institute of Cytology, St. Petersburg, on the compartmentalization of EGF-mediated signal transduction, and as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of California at San Diego specializing in the structure-function of the EGF receptor.   He also worked as a Research Instructor at the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado in Boulder developing therapies for prostate and kidney cancer. 

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in protein biochemistry from St. Petersburg State University in Russia and a Ph.D. in cell biology from the Institute of Cytology at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Also joining Unigen as a Quality Control Scientist is Mijeong Jeong, Ph.D.  Dr. Jeong received her Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Michigan Technological University (MTU), MI.  She earned a Master of Science degree in analytical chemistry from MTU and from Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea, and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Kookmin University.  Dr. Jeong spent several years at MTU as a Research Scientist and Post Doctoral Researcher.  She has published eight papers in a variety of scientific journals and has presented at six conferences. 

Dr. Jeong has many years of experience involving state-of-the-art analytical technologies, including High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC,) Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatrography/Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS).  Her strong background will play an important role in the development and validation of analytical methods.  She will also serve as a technical lead in the area of analytical testing of raw materials and final products, data processing and documentation in compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations.

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About Unigen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Unigen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (www.UnigenPharma.com) is a leading natural products research and development company and proprietary ingredients supplier.  The company is dedicated to the discovery of botanically derived therapeutic compounds that address consumer health needs and help improve the quality of human life.  Its research and discovery process includes extensive work at both the human cell and gene level.  Unigen and sister company Aloecorp, Inc. each focus on identifying and studying the unique ingredients of medicinal botanicals (Aloecorp’s focus is on Aloe vera) and then formulating proprietary raw materials for use in cosmeceutical, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products.   

Regan Miles, Executive Vice President
Unigen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
360-486-8200
ReganMiles@earthlink.net