Dr. Ala Santos is a seasoned leader in healthcare innovation with nearly two decades of global experience in researching and commercializing new solutions in diagnostics, therapeutics, medical devices, and med-tech. Her expertise encompasses rapid and point-of-care tests, as well as areas of cancer, cardiac, and infectious diseases care. Recently, Dr. Santos has also been focusing on sustainability in healthcare, specifically implementing sustainable angles in new medical/diagnostic product development and sustainable hospital operations.
In the last years, Dr. Santos led the New Technology Development team at Abbott Laboratories, where she developed a diagnostic platform for blood-borne pathogens screening. In her current role as CEO of the Polonium Foundation, Dr. Santos connects highly skilled Polish expats in science, policy, and subject matter expertise. In addition to her R&I leadership in a Fortune 500 company and non-profit executive roles, for over a decade Dr. Santos has been providing consulting services to startups and investment opportunity assessments for venture capital companies and individual investors. With her multilingual skills and passion for travel, Dr. Santos has a broad international impact and exposure.
Dr. Santos holds a B.Sc. from Robert Gordon University, Scotland, and M.Sc and Engineering degrees from Lodz University of Technology, Poland. Her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Chicago was supported by an American Heart Association Fellowship, where she developed novel cancer metastatic blockers and cardiomyopathies diagnostics. Dr. Santos also held the presidency of Women In Bio (WIB) Chicago, where she currently serves as the Advisory Board Chair.