Dr. Maria Mirotsou is a drug development professional with extensive expertise in R&D, highthroughput drug screening, translational science, and IND-enabling studies, with a particular focus on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Prior to joining Bitterroot, she held several leadership positions at organizations such as Astellas, Capricor Therapeutics, and Cenix BioScience. Recently, Dr. Mirotsou served as the Executive Director of Discovery Biology for Merck Research Laboratories, where she was responsible for research and early development in microvascular diseases and oversaw the development and implementation of strategic plans. Before joining the industry, she spent nearly a decade as an academic researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Duke University, leading cardiovascular genomics and regenerative medicine research. Dr. Mirotsou has published over 25 scientific papers in peerreviewed journals and received numerous grants and patents. She earned a B.Sc. in Biology from Aristotle University, an M.Sc. in Medical Genetics and Immunology from Brunel University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from University College London.