As the founder and chief executive officer of Celgene Cellular Therapeutics, Dr. Hariri pioneered the use of human stem cells to treat a range of life-threatening diseases. In his career as an academic neurosurgeon and trauma specialist at Cornell University, biotechnology executive, military surgeon and aviator, and serial entrepreneur, he is most recognized for his discovery of pluripotent stem cells from placenta and as a member of the team that discovered tumor necrosis factor. Dr. Hariri was awarded the Thomas Alva Edison Award in 2007 for his discovery of placental stem cells and again in 2011 for engineering tissues and organs from stem cells. He has authored over 100 scientific articles and chapters and has over 80 issued and pending patents.
Dr. Hariri serves on numerous boards including MYOS Corporation and Provista Diagnostics, is a member of the Board of Visitors of The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Science and Technology Council of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, is a Trustee of the Liberty Science Center, and was appointed to the New Jersey Commission for Cancer Research by Governor Chris Christi.
A jet-rated, commercial pilot with thousands of hours of flight time in over 60 different military and civilian aircraft, Dr. Hariri also founded Jet-A Aviation and created the first competition-level, rocket-powered civilian airplane.
Dr. Hariri received his undergraduate degree from Columbia College, his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University, and his surgical training at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center.