Our Vision

In 2012, Drs. Lake and Grys discovered a common interest in seeking better diagnostic tools for valley fever. They were able to fuse their expertise of basic science and clinical diagnostics to establish a track record of funding that led to multiple publications and patents.

 

Dr. Lake has worked in the Valley Fever area for over 20 years primarily exploring the peculiar immunology of the disease (i.e., when antibody titers are increasing, patients are usually getting sicker, and dendritic cell reversal of Coccidioidal anergy). Dr. Grys is board-certified in Clinical Microbiology and has nearly 20 years of experience in the field. He is a director of the hospital laboratory at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

 

Co-founders Lake and Grys boast a history of effective collaboration, securing support from entities such as the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission, NIH, and FDA. These collaborations aimed at developing enhanced diagnostics for Valley Fever laid the groundwork for the establishment of Cactus Bio.

Adding to the team's expertise, Dr. Francisca Grill joined Cactus Bio in August 2023. Bringing industry experience and serving as co-PI with Dr. Lake on a Phase I Small Business and Innovative Research NIH grant, Dr. Grill's background includes prior employment at IDEXX, a multinational veterinary diagnostics company. Her experience in the diagnostic testing laboratory at IDEXX provided valuable insights into the challenges associated with Valley Fever diagnostics.