Meet Our Team

A passionate team of innovators driving nanobubble technology from research to real-world solutions.

Leadership Team

Michael J. Haag, MS, MBA

Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer

Expert in tech transfer and medical startups with 25+ years of experience, leading commercialization and venture development.

Michael J. Haag, MS, MBA

Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer

Michael Haag is a leader in technology transfer, innovation management, and startup creation with over 25 years of experience. From 2013 to June 2023, he was Executive Director of Technology Management at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), leading the Technology Transfer Office which commercialized innovations from $400 million in annual research.

During his time at CWRU, Michael led the relaunch of Case Technology Ventures (CTV), later renamed The Spartan Fund, serving as its Managing Director. Under his leadership, the Spartan Fund Catalyst Program launched to support CWRU's entrepreneurial community. This work resulted in over 80 startups, 10 acquisitions, and 3 corporations exiting through IPOs, with exit values exceeding $325 million.

In 2023, Michael founded TherExel LLC, a technology commercialization consulting firm. He has built a strong industry network, including investors, entrepreneurs, and key stakeholders, to drive innovation and partnerships. Michael holds an M.S. in biology from CWRU, an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix, and a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from John Carroll University.

Agata A. Exner, Ph.D.

Co-founder, Inventor

Director of the CWRU Center for Imaging Research and an internationally recognized pioneer in molecular imaging and nanomedicine.

Agata A. Exner, Ph.D.

Co-founder, Inventor

Dr. Agata Exner is Director of the CWRU Center for Imaging Research. She is the Henry Willson Payne Professor, Vice Chair for Basic Research in Radiology, and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Exner is an internationally recognized leader in molecular imaging (the visualization of biological processes in living organisms) and theranostics (the integration of diagnostics and therapy). Her research centers on the intersection of nanomedicine (the use of nanoscale materials in medicine) and biomedical ultrasound (the use of sound waves for diagnosis or therapy) to develop novel technologies for molecular imaging and image-guided drug delivery.

Her research group pioneered long-circulating, ultrasound-responsive targeted nanobubbles. Nanobubbles are tiny, gas-filled spheres engineered to circulate in the bloodstream for long periods. They can be designed to target cancer cells, making them useful for early disease diagnosis and for interventions triggered by ultrasound imaging or therapy. The NIH has continuously funded her research for over 20 years. Dr. Exner is a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and a Distinguished Investigator of the Academy of Radiology Research.

James P. Basilion, Ph.D.

Co-founder, Inventor

Professor of Radiology & BME at CWRU with over 30 years of translational research expertise in molecular oncology.

James P. Basilion, Ph.D.

Co-founder, Inventor

Dr. James Basilion is a tenured Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering at CWRU, where he co-directs the Cancer Imaging Program at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. Heavily involved in institutional leadership, he previously served as Vice Chair for Basic Research in Radiology and Director of the Case Center for Imaging Research.

His research is highly translational. He founded four biotech companies focused on fluorescence-guided cancer surgery, published over 100 papers, and holds more than 50 patents. Active in prominent industry groups, he participates in the World Molecular Imaging Society and the Radiological Society of North America. He is a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors and a Fellow of both the World Molecular Imaging Society and the National Foundation for Cancer Research.

Advisory Team

Bruno Nahar, M.D.

Advisor, Associate Professor of Urologic Oncology & Endowed Chair

Pioneer in prostate cancer focal therapy and expert in advanced urologic cancer care at the Desai Sethi Urology Institute.

Bruno Nahar, M.D.

Advisor, Associate Professor of Urologic Oncology & Endowed Chair

Dr. Bruno Nahar is an Associate Professor of Urologic Oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Desai Sethi Urology Institute, where he holds the Eric and Elizabeth Feder Endowed Chair. Internationally trained, he earned his M.D. in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, completed residencies in General Surgery and Urology, and obtained his Board Certification. He also completed a two-year fellowship in Urologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

A recognized pioneer in Focal Therapy (which targets and destroys tumors while sparing healthy tissue) and High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU, a non-invasive method using focused sound waves to destroy tumors) for prostate cancer, Dr. Nahar’s clinical research advances targeted, minimally invasive treatments for malignant conditions of the prostate, kidney, and bladder. He is a prolific author in urologic oncology literature and serves as a trusted reviewer for major academic journals in the field.

Hui Zhu, MD, ScD

Advisor, Clinical Professor of Urology & Chief of Urology Section

Expert in urologic oncology research and translational engineering with a focus on advanced prostate cancer diagnostics and optimizing health care utilization patterns.

Hui Zhu, MD, ScD

Advisor, Clinical Professor of Urology & Chief of Urology Section

Dr. Hui Zhu is an accomplished urologist and researcher with a strong background in urologic oncology and translational engineering. He holds an Sc.D. in Radiological Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.D. from Duke University School of Medicine. After a urology residency at Washington University Medical Center, he completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He currently serves as Chief of Urology at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Staff Physician at Cleveland Clinic Foundation’s Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, and Clinical Professor at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. Zhu dedicated his research career to optimizing health care utilization and patient outcomes. His clinical work focuses on improving screenings and reducing unnecessary prostate cancer treatments to minimize patient side effects. Collaborating with biomedical engineers, he advances clinical staging and preserves healthy tissue using optical coherence tomography (OCT, a high-resolution optical imaging technique) probes. As Chief Medical Officer for a federal commercialization grant, he has led the development of targeted agents that significantly enhance prostate cancer diagnosis and management.

Meet Our Team

Leadership Team

Michael J. Haag, MS, MBA

Agata A. Exner, Ph.D.

James P. Basilion, Ph.D.

Advisory Team

Bruno Nahar, M.D.

Hui Zhu, MD, ScD

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VTinfo@visanotheranostics.com