Management Team

Anthony Bellezza, PhD - President and CEO. Dr. Bellezza has spent much of his career studying the mechanical properties of the eye, especially in response to changes in intraocular pressure. His research experience includes studies that quantify the biomechanical properties of the optic nerve head in glaucoma, the design of imaging systems to produce three-dimensional reconstructions of the optic nerve head, and the use of materials testing systems to characterize the properties of soft tissue. He is an author on over one dozen publications relating to ocular biomechanics, including one paper that was awarded Best Basic Science Paper in Glaucoma by The Association of International Glaucoma Societies in 2004. Prior to Third Eye Diagnostics, Dr. Bellezza was a Senior Engineer at Exponent, Inc., where he was a consultant in the Biomechanics Practice. He was also a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Ophthalmology at the Louisiana State Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Bellezza holds academic appointments as a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University, and as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Engineering at Widener University. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University, and his B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Economics from Duke University.

William Lai, PhD - CTO. Dr. Lai has experience with a variety of diagnostic medical devices from intellectual property, regulatory compliance, and product development perspectives. Dr. Lai has conducted research in the biocompatibility of biomaterials used in dental and orthopedic applications at the Center for Bioactive Materials and Tissue Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. His research experience includes the development of animal implantation models, trace chemical analysis protocols, and cell culture experiments. Prior to joining Third Eye Diagnostics, Dr. Lai was a Senior Engineer at Exponent, Inc. where his expertise was in biomechanical computational modeling and human injury biomechanics. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Bioengineering from The University of Pennsylvania, and his B.S. in Bioengineering from The University of California at Berkley.

Vinod Vijayakumar, D.Phil. - COO. Dr. Vijayakumar has experience with a variety of medical device and biomedical technologies from operations management, business development, product development, research, and clinical development perspectives. Previously, Dr. Vijayakumar was the Director of Technology Assessment with Aqumen Biopharmaceuticals, a Japanese ophthalmic therapeutics start-up firm, a Senior Engineer at Exponent, Inc. where he was a consultant in the Biomechanics Practice, and a Research Engineer with Cambridge Filter Korea in Seoul, Korea. He received his Doctorate in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oxford, and his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University.

Investors

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania links early-stage technology firms and established manufacturers with funding, people, technology, universities and other resources to help them prosper. Our mission is to boost the economy of our region with new and retained jobs, new technology companies, and established manufacturers that are more competitive. We provide early-stage technology firms and established manufacturers with funding, networking opportunities, and technical and business expertise. The program has been recognized and modeled nationally and internationally.Serving a 21-county area, the BFTP/NEP headquarters is located on the campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem and has regional offices in Lewisburg, Reading and Wilkes-Barre. Ben Franklin Technology Partners is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and is funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation is a one-stop resource and the single point of contact for companies looking for help with their relocation or Lehigh Valley business expansion plans. As part of our mission to ensure the success and growth of the region’s economy, we are committed to helping national businesses find a home here while providing services to companies already located in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and throughout Lehigh and Northampton counties.