Fusion IP (AIM: FIP), the university commercialisation company that turns university research into business, is pleased to note that Riccardo Pigliucci has joined MedaPhor, as their new Chairman.

Riccardo has over 30 years experience of running and guiding private and publicly listed high technology companies.  He has a wide range of experience in sales, marketing, operations, financing, acquisitions and public offerings within the medical sector.  He is a former President, COO, and Board Member of Perkin-Elmer Corp and CEO of Life Sciences International plc.  He was CEO of Discovery Partners International and led this company through a successful IPO.  He was a director of Visual Sonic and was heavily involved in their acquisition by Sonosite, the market leading ultrasound-imaging company. Most recently, Riccardo was the lead director on the Board of Dionex, a public company recently purchased by Thermo Fisher for more than $2B. 

MedaPhor's lead product, ScanTrainer, is a virtual reality based 'real feel' ultrasound-training simulator that enables trainees, of any level, to literally 'feel' what they see on the computer screen in order to develop the complex mix of cognitive skills and eye-hand movement coordination required to learn all the key ultrasound scanning skills. The simulator uses real patient scans, within an educationally driven training programme, to teach all the core and advanced skills, but without the need for an ultrasound machine or a patient and with considerably reduced direct supervision by an expert.

The company, which recently completed a £1m funding round, has established sales in the UK, Europe, Australia and the US and is expanding both its sales team and product range.

Fusion has a 39% shareholding in MedaPhor.

Riccardo Pigliucci, new Chairman of MedaPhor said

"MedaPhor has come a long way in its relatively short history. It's world-class ultrasound simulator system places it at the forefront of the growing medical simulation market and this is a very exciting time to be joining the company. It has rapidly built an impressive client list in the UK and with its US expansion gathering force, I am looking forward to helping the team drive this expansion into the US."

David Baynes, CEO of Fusion, said

"This is a key appointment for MedaPhor and demonstrates just how far the company has progressed in the last three years. Development of the US market is an important part of the company's projected development and having a US based chairman, of Riccardo's undoubted pedigree, is a major coup for the company. We look forward to working with Riccardo and the MedaPhor management team as they grow the company into a global ultrasound training business."

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