Who We Are
Established in 2019, BioCentriq is a full-service, New Jersey-based CDMO for cell and gene therapy, focusing on all stages of process development and clinical manufacturing.
With over 90 scientists, engineers, analysts, and manufacturing specialists, we have the quality systems and infrastructure required to support the release of both autologous and allogeneic drug products.
BioCentriq also specializes in viral vector process development and manufacturing with expertise in a variety of cell and vector types.
Our Team
BioCentriq is led by a seasoned team of committed and passionate professionals. Learn more about this dynamic team who will help bring your therapy from the bench to patients worldwide.
Our Leadership

Haro Hartounian, Ph.D.
Haro Hartounian is the Founder, President, and CEO of BioCentriq, a revenue-generating Cell and Gene Therapy Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization. He engineered the launch of BioCentriq, the only facility of its kind in Newark, NJ and the first such center on a university campus anywhere in the United States. He also led the creation of NJIT’s new Professional Master’s Degree Program in Cell and Gene Therapy Sciences.
Dr. Hartounian provided strong leadership to drive an aggressive growth and profitability strategy for BioCentriq’s business and provided the necessary direction and dynamic leadership to R&D, manufacturing, business development, regulatory and compliance, and operations. He developed an approach that enables BioCentriq to forge client relationships that move beyond the traditional service outsourcing model into true end-to-end collaborations. Dr. Hartounian grew the organization by recruiting top-notch scientists, engineers, and professionals whose expertise aligned with BioCentriq’s goals. He assembled a world class technical advisory board of external experts who provide insights into BioCentriq’s strategic initiatives.
Dr. Hartounian has nearly 30 years of experience in the biotechnology industry working for large and mid-size biopharmaceutical companies, including DuPont, Monsanto, SkyePharma, and Vyteris. He has built several companies and has a proven track record of delivering unprecedented performance and growth. He played an instrumental role in two FDA-approved product launches—DepoCyt and DepoMorphine—and served as the chief executive officer and board member of two public and two private biopharmaceutical companies. He also founded three biopharmaceutical companies: MicroIslet, Protagenic Therapeutics, and DiaVacs.
Haro’s past roles include securing funding, manufacturing, product and process development, business development and alliance management, strategic planning, and partnering transactions. Specific product lines and indications have included cell therapy, diabetes, CNS disorders, oncology, women’s health, pain management, and drug delivery. Dr. Hartounian is an adjunct associate professor of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University and earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware.

David Smith, Ph.D.
With 15+ years of experience in the field of regenerative medicine, David’s proven expertise and background in engineering have led to a history of success in advancing cell therapy product manufacturing. His skills and experience include design of experiments, quality-by-design, R&D, data analysis, strong leadership, and cross-functional oversight, among many others. In his role at BioCentriq, he leads MS&T, Process Development, and Analytical Method Development.
As the former Vice President of Technical Operations at Ori Biotech, David led the execution of the technical strategy for Ori’s first innovative technology play in cell therapy manufacturing. He was charged with ensuring the approach remained relevant to industry needs as it matured, requiring a multi-pronged approach to gather information, identify industry needs, align to viable solutions, build a cross-functional team, and support adoption. David’s other prior roles include serving as Director of Research and Development at Minaris Regenerative Medicine.
David has his Ph.D. in Regenerative Medicine from Loughborough University, and he has sat on numerous committees, including chair of ARM’s Science and Technology committee, sitting on ARM’s Cell Therapy Advisory, ISCT Commercialization Committee, ISCT Product and Process Development Subcommittee, ISO Biotechnology Committee, ASME Biotechnology Advisory Panel, PDA Cell and Gene Therapy Committee, and more.

Brian Hanifin
Brian Hanifin has extensive experience in internal company plants and contract manufacturing organization management with a successful track record as a proven pharmaceutical executive. He possesses in-depth knowledge and experience in executing plant start up, plant closures, operation integrations, operational transformations, lean production systems, organizational restructuring, change management, and quality remediations with full P&L responsibility. Now BioCentriq’s Interim COO, Brian was formerly the President & CEO of HaniPharm, LLC, where he served as an independent operations senior advisor and process-driven expert and provided plans for remediation and organizational strategy. Prior to that, he was SVP, Global Chief Operations Officer at Minaris Regenerative Medicine, where he was responsible for overseeing global organizational transformation, facility designs and build outs, the implementation of information systems, and the performance of transcontinental teams. Brian also served as the Vice President of Operations for North America at Hitachi Chemical Advanced Therapeutics Solutions, VP of External Supply – Americas at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and more. He has his Bachelor of Science in Human Resources from Marist College.

Jackie Panter
Jackie Veivia-Panter has 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and cell therapy industry and brings her expertise in quality management to BioCentriq as the Chief Quality and Compliance Officer. Her skills include designing and delivering effective and compliant solutions, processes, and organizational models. Throughout her career, Jackie has managed site quality and R&D quality, and has held global roles in training, regulatory intelligence, and matrix organization management. As the former Vice President, Global Head of Quality at Minaris Regenerative Medicine, which included Europe, Asia, and North America, she was responsible for the oversight of all quality-related functions, such as Quality Systems, Quality Control, Regulatory, and Quality Site Heads. She was also charged with creating and implementing a global quality strategy. Prior to that, she was the Senior Director of Global Quality Systems and Compliance at Legend Biotech, where she developed and deployed a global GxP quality system and compliance strategy consisting of policy, process, SOP development, and electronic system implementation. Her other roles include Director of Global Quality Systems Compliance at Celgene; Quality Director at AbbVie/Abbott, Chicago, IL; and QA Director at BlisTech Corporation and Pfizer. Jackie has her BS in Medical Technology from Marquette University and an Executive MBA from NJIT. She is a board member of PDA RAQAB (Regulatory Affairs and Quality Advisory Board) and former board member of GMP Training and Education Association and ISPE – Clinical Trial Materials Subcommittee, where she participated in writing the Clinical Trial Materials handbook.

Amy Lamperti
Amy has more than 25 years of experience working with B2B services companies to help them build and grow their businesses. She has worked with several start-ups and non-profits to help them develop their brands, define their sales and marketing strategies, and execute a pragmatic plan designed to achieve sustainable growth. She led the creation of the BioCentriq name and brand. Currently, Amy is responsible for all commercial activities including business development, marketing, and alliances & partnerships. She also leads the development and delivery of the company’s workforce development programs and manages the program management office. Prior to joining BioCentriq she worked for the New Jersey Innovation Institute, founded two companies of her own, and held leadership positions at Gartner, Inc., TM Forum, The Ad Council and Mercury Digital.

Henry Han
Henry Han brings 15+ years of experience to his role as Director of Finance at BioCentriq. He previously served as the Financial and Accounting Team Leader at Ubcare Co. Ltd., which was acquired by GC for $200 million in 2020 and was charged with performing PMI work, such as finance, accounting, IPR, and legal. He headed fund management and cash flow planning and successfully established an e-accounting system to secure stable fund execution and a management process that optimized accounting evidence. Prior to that, Henry was the Finance Team Manager at Green Cross Holdings Corporation, where he was charged with issuing corporate bonds in the public offering bond market, which reached $100 million in 2019. He also managed funds and conducted budget planning, performed governance managing, and managed KPIs. Henry has also previously held the position of Finance Team Assistant Manager at Byuck San Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Chung-Ang University Seoul, Korea.

Alex Klarer
Alex Klarer has a background in Chemical Engineering focused on bioprocessing and process engineering. He has held roles at Genentech and Hitachi, where he led the translational process development for a range of cell therapies and ex-vivo gene therapies, including T-cell immunotherapies, stem cell therapies, and MSC mediated immunoregulation. Alex also has experience developing novel technologies and applications to address gaps in manufacturing capabilities. He looks forward to continuing to partner with groundbreaking regenerative medicine companies and helping their therapies reach patients.

Gina Choi
Gina Choi brings 14+ years of experience in human resources and managing all general affairs for small to mid-sized companies to her role as Head of HR at BioCentriq. She was previously the Human Resources Business Partner for Line Friends Inc., where she managed all HR activity for two offices and stores in New York and California. Prior to that, she was the Human Resources Manager at CJ TMI Manufacturing America and Grand Supercenter Inc. (H Mart). She has experience managing thousands of employees across multiple states while overseeing the full cycle of each position, developing employee handbooks and compensation structure, and providing HR guidance to management level for coaching, counseling, disciplinary actions, and more. She’s managed commercial insurance, workers’ compensation, health insurance, and 401(k) plans. Gina has her Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering with a specialization in Systems Analysis from Columbia University of Paraguay. She is also ServSafe Certified and OSHA 30HR Certified. Gina speaks three languages: English, Korean, and Spanish.
Our Staff

Balazs Csoka
Balazs Csoka brings more than 15 years of experience to BioCentriq, where he combines his knowledge of cGMP and quality disciplines, his extensive experience in bio analytical assays, and his in-depth scientific knowledge in the characterization of immune cells using various bioanalytical techniques to manage projects while ensuring quality. Previously the QA for QC Lab Oversight at Legend Biotech, he’s also served as the senior supervisor at Bristol Meyers Squibb CTDO, an Associate Research Scientist at Columbia University, and a Postdoctoral Scientist at Rutgers University’s Center for Immunity. Balazs has successfully lead quality projects in facilitating the commercialization of 3 CAR-T cell therapies (ide-cel, lisocel, and cilta-cel), provided QA oversight of method validation and method transfer for cilta-cel, established a Centralized Critical Reagent Qualification Lab in supporting clinical and commercial QC testing of ide-cel and liso-cel, and provided QA oversight of qualification and validation of a Lentiviral Vector (LVV) manufacturing facility for supporting commercial manufacturing of cilta-cel. He has a Master of Science in Molecular Biology (Biochemistry) and a Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine from the University of Debrecen.

Chathuranga De Silva, Ph.D.
Dr. De Silva completed his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University, specializing in polymer-based drug delivery systems. He later co-founded a startup company to commercialize work in this area. Dr. De Silva has over 8 years of experience in research & development and has published several peer-reviewed journal articles on his work in specialty polymers. Prior to joining BioCentriq, Dr. De Silva worked in chemical distribution at BrenntagNorth America and Consulted for Academic Venture Exchange. In his current role, Dr. De Silva leads the Business Development function for BioCentriq.

Elzbieta Bartnicka
Elzbieta has worked in manufacturing roles for more than 20 years. She has held roles in product development, device manufacturing, and more for companies such as Becton Dickinson, Vyteris, Guardian, and Ivers Lee. Her experience includes working in electrochemistry laboratories, where she was responsible for lab clean up, maintenance, and calibration; mastering a variety of lab equipment; performing electrochemistry tests and experimentation; and manufacturing FDA-approved products. At BioCentriq, she applies her decades of experience to the operations team, ensuring smooth and proper processes for each project.

Erikson Calcano
Erikson Calcano brings specialized experience to the BioCentriq team after serving as a Manufacturing Associate for CAR-T at Bristol Meyers Squibb, where he manufactured human blood derived cell therapies per SOPs in a controlled cGMP cleanroom environment through cell culture and performed aseptic manipulations in an ISO5/Grade A and ISO7/Grade B environment to minimize contamination. He’s adept at performing personnel and environmental monitoring, sterility testing, and sample aliquoting for PBMC Isolation and Drug Product Harvest. Fully qualified in culture initiation and transduction process, Erikson is also qualified in the Sample Management and Environmental Management roles of CELabs to assist in the movement and collection of sterility samples and creation of CELabs plans. With teaching experience in university labs, Erikson earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biology from Seton Hall University.

Gabriella Ciasullo
Gabriella has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Villanova University, where she worked on the optimization of gene and cell therapies and conducted biotechnology research in the lab of Dr. Jacob Elmer. This hands-on experience in a biotechnology research lab is where she gleaned techniques for the transfection and analysis of plasmid DNA into various cell lines. Her focus was on performing research to optimize gene and cell therapies using non-viral vectors. She has also worked in the lab of Ames Corporation and is a member of the Society of Women Engineers as well as the National Society of Professional Engineers. As an Associate Engineer for Gene Therapy at BioCentriq, she has experience using a variety of equipment for upstream and downstream processing, scale-up, and optimization for cell and gene therapy products. She’s skilled in data analysis, client interface, and technical writing, and along with her primary role in process development, she has demonstrated experience in cGMP manufacturing environments and documentation.

Halima Mezhoud
Halima Mezhoud brings multiple years of experience as a microbiologist in academia and the pharmaceutical regulated environment to the BioCentriq team. She previously served as a QC Microbiologist II for Teva Pharmaceuticals, where she collaborated with site departments to ensure all microbiological sampling (water, EM, swabbing, raw materials, etc.) was performed according to schedules. She also shipped samples to external microbiology testing labs; ensured EM media was qualified and approved for use: pH, Sterility, growth promotion; performed Environmental Monitoring and water testing: bioburdens, coliforms, Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Burkholderia cepacia; and monitored the receipt of test results from external testing facilities for all sample types. Prior to that, she was a QC Microbiologist II at AbbVie, a Lab Researcher at Infinity BiologiX (IBX), and a lecturer at Rutgers University for the department of Biochemistry and Microbiology. Halima holds her bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Bejaia.

Hana Ioannidis, Ph.D.
Dr. Ioannidis completed her B.S. in Chemistry at Beijing Normal University and her Ph.D. in Chemistry at NJIT, with a focus on protein engineering by directed evolution. Before working at BioCentriq, she served as the associate director of microbiology at TAXIS Pharmaceuticals, where she commissioned a new R&D facility and transferred its biology division from an academic setting into a successful industrial operation. She more recently worked as associate director of sales and marketing for ACS Scientific.

James Schluter
James Schluter brings 20+ years of experience in the manufacturing and R&D sectors of the pharmaceutical industry to his role as Head of IT at BioCentriq. James has an outstanding track record of implementing validated and cost-effective systems in a regulated environment, and has overseen resource management, project management, application development, infrastructure, client services/desktop support issues, and process automation. Formerly the Senior Director of IT Infrastructure & Operations at Accord Therapeutics, Inc., James provided strategic direction to and operational oversight over Acorda’s infrastructure, networking, operations, and manufacturing teams while building, developing, and leading teams to promote optimal communication and teamwork, thereby improving the support process. Prior to that, he was the Associate Director of MFG and R&D Systems at Purdue Frederick Co. Inc./Purdue Pharma L.P., where he served as an IT liaison between manufacturing and R&D executive management to ensure business and IT initiatives were aligned. In each of his roles, James has been charged with handling the financial responsibilities for multiple location’s operational and IT capital project budgets. James earned his BS in Information Technology from Ramapo College and his MSIS from Stevens Institute of Technology. He was a Recipient of the Q3 2012 Purdue IT Outstanding Achievement Award and a Recipient of the Annual 2012 Purdue IT Outstanding Achievement Award. He holds multiple professional affiliations, including with ISPE (Industrial Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers), PMI (Project Management Institute), New Jersey Planning Officials, Stevens Institute Alumni, and the Delta Mu Delta National Honor Society.

Jason Chou
With ten years of experience, Jason Chou is an experienced bioengineer with demonstrated success in solving problems through software and process development and data analytics. Prior to joining BioCentriq, Jason held similar roles at Genetech, Bayer, and more. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering from the University of California San Diego.

Jean Han
Jean Han comes to BioCentriq as a Senior Research Associate after working as a QC Analytical Associate at Minaris Regenerative Medicine, where she lead and collaborated on client projects; worked closely with clients on tech transfers; assisted in QC method developments, such as protocols and reports; and executed test methods and procedures and equipment and method qualification/validation. She also ensured compliance with applicable SOPs and GDP (Good documentation practices) as well as cGMP/GCTP requirements and investigated OOS (Out of specification), OOT (Out of trend) and/or non-conforming test results. Jean earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Rowan University.

Jeremy Pecoraro
Jeremy Pecoraro brings more than 20 years of technical experience to his role at BioCentriq as Equipment Engineer. Formerly a Senior Calibration/Metrology Specialist at Integra LifeSciences, he oversaw and supported all approved vendor activities for calibration and certification for all cGMP and non cGMP areas, including manufacturing, QC, and R&D. As a subject matter expert, he supported the review of all calibration and certification documents to identify and initiate Out of Tolerance (OOT) and Non-Compliance (NC) investigations as needed. He also supported all SOPs relating to calibration and certification for all equipment and instruments. Prior to that, his roles included Field Calibration Technician at ENV Services, Calibration Technician at Roche Molecular Systems, and Revenue and Billing Analyst at Labcorp. His vast technical knowledge includes IQ/OQ, validation, autoclaves, RPM speed, pH/conductivity, sealers, AC & DC electronic, PLC systems, Freezers, centrifuges, and more. Jeremy earned his Electronics Engineering Degree from DeVry College of Technology.

Judit Hortobágyi, PMP
Judit Hortobágyi, PMP, brings years of experience in project management, procurement, and service management to her role as Project Manager at BioCentriq. She previously served as the Project Manager/Site PMO Manager for Novartis, where she led and managed T-Charge, a next generation CAR-T platform. She also led the set up of Novartis’ Morris Plains facility for the clinical launch of YTB323 and PHE885. She oversaw supply chain logistics to ensure the successful and timely delivery of needed materials; designed and standardized project-related governance processes; led the overall execution of multiple technical projects regarding initiation, budgeting, scheduling, monitoring, and closure according to GMP, safety, and environmental requirements; and more. She holds multiple certifications, including the Project Management Institute’s PMP certification and the BioPharma Institute’s GMP Professional Certification & GMP for Microbiology and Contamination Control Professional Certification. Judit earned her Associate of Applied Science in Business Management from Union County College and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Thomas Edison State University, and she is a member of the Project Management Institute.
Our Story
Discover how BioCentriq got its start as the first-ever CDMO located on a university campus—and how we came to be acquired by a company with a major footprint across healthcare sectors.
- 2016
- NJII creates biopharma division.
- 2017
- Biopharma division delivers training programs to big pharma.
- 2018
- NJIT agrees to fund the construction of a GMP manufacturing facility for C> on their Newark campus.
- 2019
- MARCH - Pall Corporation invests $3.5M to support creation of a new manufacturing center.
- NOVEMBER - Pilot plant opens in South Brunswick, NJ.
- 2020
- FEBRUARY - NIIMBL provides grant to support development of NIIMBL Center of Excellence.
- MAY - NJII announces the emerging CDMO will be named BioCentriq.
- OCTOBER - BioCentriq opens its Newark, NJ based GMP manufacturing facility.
- 2021
- MARCH - BioCentriq announces partnership with Kytopen.
- AUGUST - McKinsey launches the first ever Digital Capability Center focused on Life Sciences and operated by BioCentriq.
- OCTOBER - Terumo and BioCentriq announce collaboration centered on automation of cell therapy manufacturing.
- 2022
- MAY - GC acquires BioCentriq from NJII for $73 million.
- OCTOBER - BioCentriq cuts ribbon on additional GMP facility in South Brunswick, NJ.
- 2022
- OCTOBER - BioCentriq cuts ribbon on additional GMP facility in South Brunswick, NJ.
- MAY - GC acquires BioCentriq from NJII for $73 million.
- 2021
- OCTOBER - Terumo and BioCentriq announce collaboration centered on automation of cell therapy manufacturing.
- AUGUST - McKinsey launches the first ever Digital Capability Center focused on Life Sciences and operated by BioCentriq.
- MARCH - BioCentriq announces partnership with Kytopen.
- 2020
- OCTOBER - BioCentriq opens its Newark, NJ based GMP manufacturing facility.
- MAY - NJII announces the emerging CDMO will be named BioCentriq.
- FEBRUARY - NIIMBL provides grant to support development of NIIMBL Center of Excellence.
- 2019
- NOVEMBER - Pilot plant opens in South Brunswick, NJ.
- MARCH - Pall Corporation invests $3.5M to support creation of a new manufacturing center.
- 2018
- NJIT agrees to fund the construction of a GMP manufacturing facility for C> on their Newark campus.
- 2017
- Biopharma division delivers training programs to big pharma.
- 2016
- NJII creates biopharma division.