Medical Advisors

Arnold S. Leonard, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Leonard is a retired surgeon who focused on general, thoracic, and pediatric surgery (1955-2004). He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota. An endowed chair, The Arnold S. Leonard, M.D., Ph.D. Chair in Pediatric Surgery, was recently created at the University of Minnesota in his honor and it is the single greatest recognition the University can bestow upon an individual. The University of Minnesota has also awarded Dr. Leonard the Owen H. Wangensteen Distinguished Professor teaching award. Dr Leonard's work is internationally recognized: he has given over 60 national and international talks, and has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications.

During his distinguished career, Dr Leonard was an innovator who paved the way for others. For example, he conducted the first thorascopic surgical procedure at the University of Minnesota, breaking into the minimally invasive surgery arena and leading the way to the development of advanced laparoscopic and thoracoscopic techniques. He developed several medical devices including a novel long-term central venous access catheter that is the most popular long term central catheter used today in the United States for the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents in cancer patients. He developed a method to expose the spine from an anterior approach — a technique that has revolutionized the treatment of scoliosis. And he developed a novel method to correct chest deformities; Pectus Excavatum and Pectus Carinatum. He has performed over 1500 of such repairs and is considered to be one of the world's experts in the treatment of such deformities. Surgical protocols that he developed concerning the treatment of children with cystic fibrosis are now employed nationwide.

Dr Leonard's research laboratory at the university focuses on genetic engineering for boosting the immune system and the laboratory has received two awards from American College of Surgeons and the Watson Award from the University of Minnesota for innovative approaches in boosting the immune system. Dr. Leonard and researchers in his laboratory identified the ability of botanic oils to enhance the immune system and this research is a key element in the Company's patent portfolio. Dr. Leonard has earned all of his degrees from the University of Minnesota including Bachelor of Arts (1952), Bachelor of Science (1953), M.D. (1955), and Ph.D. (1963).

Daniel Saltzman, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr Saltzman is the Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota, where he also holds the Arnold S. Leonard M.D. Ph.D. Chair in Pediatric Surgery. He is a practicing pediatric surgeon at University of Minnesota Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In addition to practicing medicine, Dr. Saltzman is actively involved in medical research. He, along with Dr. Leonard, runs the bioengineering lab at the University of Minnesota Surgery Department. He has authored numerous publications and presentations, and has won several prestigious awards including the American Surgical Association Foundation Fellowship Award. His research is focused on the use of attenuated salmonella vectors for the delivery of Interleukin-2 to unresectable tumors. This is a new and innovative cancer treatment modality, for which he has submitted an application to the FDA to begin the first phase of human clinical trials.

Dr. Saltzman has a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology, Ph.D. in surgical sciences, and his M.D. degree from the University of Minnesota.

Paul B. Addis, Ph.D.

Dr. Addis is professor emeritus, University of Minnesota. His academic appointments included Food Science and Technology, and Nutrition and Dietetics. Professor Addis received his B. S. and Ph. D. degrees in agricultural science and food science, respectively from Washington State University and Purdue University. After joining the faculty of the University of Minnesota he was awarded numerous leaves and sabbaticals including studies at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, University of California, Davis; University of California, San Diego; and the University of Washington, Department of Biochemistry, working with Ed Fisher, subsequently a Nobel Laureate for Medicine. He has published numerous original research papers on lipid oxidation, antioxidants, and human health and nutrition. He has several patents on cellulose and its conversion into a soluble fiber. Professor Addis has recently completed a book entitled "The Health Benefits of Ribose" which was published in 2007.

Liangli (Lucy) Yu, Ph.D.

Dr. Yu is Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, and her focus is food chemistry and enzymology, nutraceuticals and functional foods, and food analysis. At the present time, she is studying the oxidative stability of various cold pressed botanic oils at the university. Dr. Yu is also currently a consultant to Kellogg's Company in Battle Creek, Michigan. She began her work at the University of Maryland in 2003 and, prior to that time, she was Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University focusing then, too, on food chemistry, nutraceuticals, and food analysis from 1999 to 2003. She served in various graduate capacities at the University of Iowa and Purdue University from 1994 to 1999 and received her Ph.D. in food science/food chemistry from Purdue in 1999. Dr. Yu served as Principal Research Scientist and Director of R&D Center, Nantong Jissic Cosmetic Company Limited in China from 1993 through 1994 and as a faculty member of the Department of Organic Chemistry at China Pharmaceutical University from 1984 to 1993. She has numerous patents and has written many articles that have been published throughout the world.

For more about Dr. Yu, see the University of Maryland, Science & Technology press release, Functional Food Research Wins Yu Young Scientist Award.