Michael has held numerous positions within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry including President and CEO of Marina Biotech; Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, Sirna Therapeutics; Chief Business Officer, Entelos Inc.; and Senior Product Manager, International Strategic Marketing, Bayer, Ag. He has led the financing efforts for a publicly traded company as well as having sourced, negotiated, and closed over fifty collaboration and licensing transactions. Michael is a former U.S. Army officer who served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Among his military decorations are the Bronze Star Medal and Defense Meritorious Service Medal. He holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a M.S. in physiology and biophysics from Georgetown University.