My teenage years were ravaged by severe autoimmune disease. In that era, the burdens of treatment for Crohn’s disease rivaled the misery of the affliction.

My illness brought searing stomach pain, fatigue, and fistulas. The steroids my physician prescribed caused breakouts of cystic acne all over my body as well as exhausting bouts of hyperactivity, manic mood swings, and a serious case of moon face.

Hopelessly trapped between symptoms and side effects, I would have jumped at the chance to participate in a clinical trial. Instead, faced with an impossible choice of excruciating pain vs. mania, lethargy, and disfigurement, I opted for an eight-hour surgical intervention. 

Forty-six years later, I’m still managing my autoimmune disease, but I’m also a CEO of a biotech company focused on d

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