RESTEM Group is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a groundbreaking adult stem cell therapy platform with one Phase 2/3I and one Phase 1 clinical trials currently underway, and an additional one Phase 2 trial set to commence. We have successfully completed three Phase 1 clinical trials. Through Restem-L, our proprietary Umbilical Lining Stem Cells (ULSC) platform, RESTEM’s therapies have the potential to become best-in- class treatments for the underserved autoimmune community. RESTEM is strategically positioned to bring this innovative treatment to market.
RESTEM’s activated natural killer (aNK) cells program is designed to combat age-related diseases by targeting and reversing cellular senescence. Cellular senescence is a hallmark of aging and involves the arrest of cell division, which contributes to chronic inflammation, tissue dysfunction, and the progression of various age-associated disorders.
Dr. Rafael Gonzalez is a distinguished stem cell expert with over 20 years of experience researching and developing novel therapeutics that have shaped the foundations of Restem Group’s innovative platforms. With a Ph.D. in Biology at the department of Anatomy and Neurobiology from the University of California, Irvine, his work has focused on the immune system’s interactions following spinal cord injuries, providing the groundwork for his advancements in regenerative medicine and translational therapeutics.
Dr. Gonzalez has pioneered groundbreaking stem cell therapies for various diseases and trauma conditions, overseeing multiple investigational new drug (IND) applications utilizing patented stem cell technologies. His expertise extends to immune-based therapies, including those involving natural killer (NK) cells, and his extensive portfolio of scientific publications highlights his leadership in the field. As a cornerstone of Restem Group’s mission, his innovations continue to drive advancements in cell-based therapeutics. He also serves as a scientific advisor for numerous globally recognized organizations, further shaping the regenerative medicine sector.
An esteemed educator, Dr. Gonzalez shares his knowledge globally through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. His lectures on age-related disorders, the immune system, and cell-based therapies have earned him international recognition. Widely respected for his comprehensive understanding of regenerative medicine, Dr. Gonzalez remains dedicated to making advanced therapeutics accessible, enabling healthier and more fulfilling lives for individuals worldwide.
Brian Pla’s entrepreneurial journey spans finance, regenerative medicine, and biocosmetics, showcasing his ability to innovate and lead across industries. Beginning his career in the financial sector with TradeStation Securities and Gain Capital, he co-founded a foreign currency trading firm before pivoting to the medical field. Inspired by his personal experience with cell-based therapies, Mr. Pla applied his affinity for pioneering technology and pivoted into the field of regenerative medicine. In 2017, he founded Gentera Centers for Precision Medicine and Plastic Surgery, assembling a team of experts to deliver science-backed, personalized treatments which focus on identifying the source of conditions and incorporating cell-based therapies to help the body regenerate to a younger, healthier state
Pla’s vision extended to the launch of Eternus Biosciences in collaboration with TheBioBox, resulting in the creation of JuveXO, an exosome product gaining global recognition among physicians and expanding into the retail cosmetic market. As President of Congela Biocosmetics, Pla continues to drive innovation in regenerative hair and skin care solutions, blending advances in biocosmetics with cutting-edge cell-based therapies.
Motivated by his own health journey, Pla remains passionate about preventive medicine and personalized care. Mr. Pla leads teams across multiple countries focused on advanced cellular therapies and precision medicine. His leadership and dedication to advancing regenerative medicine and biocosmetics position him as a visionary in blending health and beauty for transformative results.
Dr. Keith L. March, MD, PhD, FACC, is a distinguished leader in regenerative medicine and Chief Medical Officer at Restem Group. With over 190 published manuscripts and more than 60 worldwide patents, Dr. March has a remarkable track record of innovation and discovery. He invented the Closer, a suture-mediated closure device that revolutionized post-catheterization recovery, benefiting over 11 million patients globally. His pioneering work established the paracrine factors secreted by stem cells, known as the secretome, as potent anti-ischemic and anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Dr. March’s research is advancing cell-based secretomes to enhance heart transplant logistics and address critical medical needs such as dry eye disease.
Recognized as a leading expert in adult stem cell research, particularly involving adipose-derived stem cells, Dr. March has held prominent roles, including Chair of the NIH Data and Safety Monitoring Board for cell and gene therapy trials and investigator in the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network. He has spearheaded over 30 FDA-authorized trials, including pivotal studies through Restem, testing stem cell therapies for COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases. Since joining Restem as Chief Medical Officer in 2024, Dr. March has been instrumental in advancing Restem’s portfolio of groundbreaking therapies targeting autoimmune and degenerative diseases.
Beyond his clinical and research contributions, Dr. March has served as President of the International Federation of Adipose Therapeutics and Science (IFATS) and continues to advocate for public awareness and collaboration in the field of adult stem cells. As the Director of the University of Florida’s Center for Regenerative Medicine and Professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, he remains dedicated to driving innovation in regenerative medicine and improving patient outcomes worldwide.
Nelson Cabatuan, CPA is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in finance and operations, specializing in the life sciences sector and public accounting. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Nelson brings a wealth of expertise in strategic planning, fundraising, financial planning and analysis, accounting, operations, investor relations and corporate communications. His previous experience includes being a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Lexaria Bioscience Inc., where he leads finance and operations, corporate communications and investor relations contributing significantly to the company’s strategic direction and day-to-day operations. At Rain Oncology he has played a pivotal role in driving key fundraising activities, including a successful IPO of the company. He was also central to the commercial launch preparation of milademetan for an oncology indication. At Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Nelson oversaw accounting, financial planning, SEC reporting, and Treasury functions. He also played a leading role in over a billion of fundraising efforts and collaboration agreements, as well as navigating the company through its commercial launch of TAVALISSE® for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia.
Earlier in his career, Nelson held senior audit and advisory roles at Grant Thornton LLP and Ernst & Young, where he led high-stakes audits and transaction advisory services for global clients across various industries. Nelson is a recognized leader with deep expertise in managing cross-functional teams, developing financial strategies, and supporting commercial launches in the biotech industry.
Dr. Eppler is a seasoned expert in clinical and regulatory compliance, with over 20 years of experience in the medical device, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. She earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a B.S. in Zoology from the University of Florida, where her research provided a strong foundation in the biological sciences. Her work included investigating the role of taurine in aging, the effects of chronic ethanol consumption on brain chemistry, and the impact of substances such as ethanol and cocaine on key neurotransmitter systems.
Throughout her career, Dr. Eppler has excelled in building and leading robust quality and regulatory frameworks. At Ology Bioservices, Inc. (formerly Nanotherapeutics, Inc.), she designed and implemented a comprehensive Quality Assurance and Compliance program from the ground up, earning ISO 9001 certification and ensuring successful audits by the FDA and other regulatory bodies. Her leadership in regulatory affairs included overseeing 510(k), IND, NDA, and BLA applications, as well as Drug Master Files, ensuring compliance with complex regulatory requirements while supporting the development of innovative therapeutics and medical devices.
Dr. Eppler’s expertise extends to managing clinical trials and providing end-to-end regulatory support, including document review, strategic guidance, and authoring Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) sections using eCTD templates. Her deep understanding of regulatory landscapes and her ability to deliver high-quality compliance solutions have established her as a trusted leader in advancing clinical and regulatory excellence.
Dr. Sackstein received his M.D. and Ph.D from Harvard Medical school. He has also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Murcia (Spain) for “improving the efficacy and safety of cell-based therapies, thereby enabling curative-intent treatments for a wide range of disabling and life-threatening diseases.” Presently, Dr. Sackstein is the Senior Vice-President for Global Health Affairs at Florida International University in Miami, FL. He is a Professor Emeritus at the Harvard Medical School, where he continues to serve as the Director of the Harvard Career Development Program in Translational Glycobiology. He also is on the clinical active staff at the Massachusetts General Hospital, the Brigham & Women’s Hospital, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (all in Boson, MA). In addition, he is on the Scientific Advisory boards of the Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine/Center for Regenerative Medicine (Lund, Sweden), of the Jose Carreras Research Institute (Barcelona, Spain), of the Instituto Carlos III Spanish Network for Regenerative Therapeutics (Madrid, Spain), and of the Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL; Barcelona, Spain). Dr. Sackstein’s clinical expertise is bone marrow transplantation, and he is widely recognized for his contributions to cell-based therapeutics. His scientific research efforts have defined the molecular processes that regulate the movement of cells in blood flow into different tissues throughout the body, and clinical applications of his research findings have led to improved outcomes for patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation, and for patients suffering from a variety of illnesses including cancer, autoimmune conditions, and osteoporosis. He is very well published in the cell therapeutics sector.
An internationally renowned expert in the application of both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, multiple myeloma and other lymphoproliferative diseases, Guenther Koehne, M.D., Ph.D., serves as deputy director and chief of Stem Cell Transplantation, Hematologic Oncology and Benign Hematology at Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida.
Prior to joining the Institute in 2017, he was a leading physician in adult bone marrow transplantation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and an Associate Professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Koehne is recognized for his work in adoptive immunotherapeutic approaches with antigen-specific, donor-derived T lymphocytes to treat viral complications following allogeneic transplants and the development of novel treatments for high-risk multiple myeloma, minimal residual disease of leukemia and relapsed disease post-allogeneic stem cell transplantation. A physician-scientist, Dr. Koehne has led the development and growth of the Institute’s outpatient and inpatient blood and bone marrow transplant program and is involved in numerous groundbreaking clinical trials.
Dr. Koehne is Board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. He received his medical degree and Ph.D. from Medical University of Hamburg, Germany, where he also trained as a resident in internal medicine. He completed an additional internal medicine residency at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. His extensive training also includes a medical oncology/hematology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a research fellowship in the Immunology Program at the Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation Service. Dr. Koehne is a member of the American Society of Hematology, American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
He champions the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and has served as Chairman of the Light the Night Walk, the organization’s largest fundraiser.
Robert S. Negrin, MD is a Professor of Medicine and former Chief of the Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation at Stanford University from 2000-2020. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and MD from Harvard University. He trained in medicine and hematology at Stanford University and joined the faculty in 1990. His research work has focused on cellular immunology in particular developing a more fundamental understanding of complex biological reactions such as graft versus host and graft vs tumor reactions in animal models and in the clinic. He has authored over 265 original papers, 40 book chapters and a book. He has received a number of awards including the Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientist Award and is a member of the Association of American Physicians. He was previously the President of the International Society of Cellular Therapy and the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. He served as an Associate Editor of the journal Blood and is the founding editor of Blood Advances. He is the Vice President of the American Society of Hematology with successive terms of President Elect in 2025 and President in 2026.
