Our Team
Executive Director
Dr. Victoria Fox is the co-founder, President and Executive Director of Pathways to Stem Cell Science. She is a faculty course instructor with Cal State Channel Islands and CEO of the stem cell consultation company PluriCORE LLC. Formally an Assistant Professor of Research and Stem Cell Core Director at the University of Southern California, Dr. Fox has significant experience providing research support and hands-on training with human stem cells to students of all levels from Pre-K to tenured professors. Dr. Fox has trained upwards of 1000 individuals at USC and Pathways to Stem Cell Science and participated in scientific projects ranging from disease modeling to basic discovery. She oversees all aspects of the organization from day-to-day operations and fundraising to curriculum development and teaching.
GEORGE TSENG
Instructional Lab Specialist and Laboratory Manager
Mr. George Tseng is an instructional laboratory specialist and Laboratory Manager with Pathways to Stem Cell Science. Formally Mr. Tseng was a research associate at City of Hope’s Department of Cancer Biology studying the effects of androgens in the pathogenesis of prostrate cancer. Mr. Tseng is a graduate of the highly regarded biotechnology and CIRM Bridges to Stem Cell Research programs at Pasadena City College. Formerly a research intern at USC, his work focused on developing industrial methods for deriving and characterizing induced pluripotent stem cells. Mr. Tesng is an incredibly gifted scientist who plays an important role in overseeing the laboratory, teaching students and completing contract research projects.
DR. MICKEY PENTECOST (PHD)
Course Instructor
Dr. Pentecost is founding CEO of the stem cell therapeutics company, Diadam Bioengineering and the former program director of Pathways to Stem Cell Science. He is a cell biologist with practical expertise in molecular genetics, biochemistry, proteomics, cell biology, microscopy, bacteriology, virology, bioprocessing & biomanufacturing, and data science. He received a B.S. in engineering from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in NYC. While earning his Ph.D. from Stanford University School of Medicine, and pursuing his postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA, he pioneered new research methodologies and made significant discoveries in the mechanisms of microbial infections. In academia, he taught undergraduate and graduate level courses. In industry, as Principal Scientist and then Director of R&D at Cell Care Therapeutics, he contributed to the development of a novel stem cell-derived biologic before founding his own company.
DR. WOYTEK BARTKOWSKY (PHD)
Course Instructor
Dr. Bartkowski is co-founder of Diadem Biotherapeutics, an emerging biotherapeutics company that aims to develop stem cell therapies for autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. He earned his PhD from the department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at UCLA where he continued to work as a post doctoral scholar on lentiviral-based gene therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. After academia he worked as a technical adviser for the intellectual property law firm Kleinberg & Lerner LLP, where he applied his scientific expertise towards prosecuting biotechnology and pharmacology patent applications. Dr. Bartkowski also has a strong passion for teaching and has worked as an adjunct professor at Los Angeles Valley College and John Tyler Community College in Richmond VA.
