James D. Laur, JD, is Chief Intellectual Property Officer and heads up Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures reporting to the health system’s chief financial officer. In addition, Mr. Laur is the Managing Director of Cedars-Sinai Health Ventures, the institution’s venture fund. Mr. Laur’s primary responsibilities are focused on innovation, technology transfer, venture investment, and international business activities. He drives new business development and investment opportunities involving innovation and technology-related activities at Cedars-Sinai and its global partners. Mr. Laur was the co-founder of the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator+ Program and serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Coronet Ventures (Singapore & the Netherlands) in addition to board positions on other portfolio companies of Cedars-Sinai.

Mr. Laur began his career at Cedars-Sinai in 1991 in the Legal Affairs Department. He was deputy general counsel and served as lead counsel for the Cedars-Sinai Research Institute and the enterprise information technology department. Since 1994, Mr. Laur has played a leadership role in the Cedars-Sinai Technology Transfer Office, which has earned over $150 million in royalty income from its licensing program over the past 5 years. In addition to managing the institution’s intellectual property portfolio, Mr. Laur has been instrumental in structuring numerous spin-off companies based on early-stage technologies from research laboratories at Cedars-Sinai and its international partners. Among the better known of these companies are Prometheus Biosciences (acquired by Merck in 2023 for $10.8B), Santarus, Gemelli Biotech, Gravidas Diagnostics, and Evida Biosciences (f/k/a Prometheus Laboratories).

Mr. Laur is a frequent speaker at local and international meetings on intellectual property issues, technology ventures, innovation development and commercialization best practices. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees, with honors, from UCLA in political science and philosophy. He earned his doctorate of law degree, cum laude, from the Boston College Law School.

Dr. Nirdesh K. Gupta, PhD, is the Managing Partner of the Cedars-Sinai Intellectual Property Company (CSIP), where he leads the strategic growth of Cedars-Sinai’s intellectual property, venture creation, and investment initiatives. Dr. Gupta’s work focuses on translating breakthrough research into real-world healthcare solutions by building companies, commercializing technologies, and forging partnerships across academia, industry, and the venture ecosystem.

Since joining Cedars-Sinai in 2012, Dr. Gupta has helped shape one of the leading institutional venture and technology platforms in healthcare, spanning programs such as the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator+, Coronet Ventures, and multiple venture-building and diagnostics initiatives. During this time, CSIP’s teams have executed more than 100 licenses, launched over 60 technologies, and achieved multiple successful exits across a portfolio of more than 20 companies and 1,200 patents, generating over $1 billion to support Cedars-Sinai’s research and patient-care mission.

Dr. Gupta also serves on the boards of several healthcare and life-science companies and is deeply committed to advancing innovation that strengthens healthcare systems and improves lives.

Omar Perez leads business development and strategic alliances for Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures, supporting the nation’s premier health tech accelerator, Cedars-Sinai Accelerator+. In this role, he forges partnerships with health systems, startups, and investors to expand the reach and impact of Accelerator+ alumni. His mission is clear: to identify and elevate transformative technologies that can redefine care delivery at Cedars-Sinai and beyond.

Omar connects healthcare organizations with Accelerator+ and Tech Ventures alumni companies, driving their commercialization and go-to-market strategies. He advises founders as they navigate complex health systems and scale their solutions, while also playing a key role in candidate evaluation for department.

With more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, Omar has held senior leadership roles at Cedars-Sinai, UCLA Health, USC Care Medical Group, and several revenue cycle startups. His decade-plus tenure at Cedars-Sinai includes pivotal roles in physician reimbursement services, quality management, and operations. He has led multidisciplinary teams across financial, clinical, and administrative functions—consistently driving innovation and performance.

A frequent speaker at leading innovation panels, industry forums, and national healthcare conferences, Omar is recognized for his insight into emerging technologies and market strategy.

Originally from South Texas’s “Hub City,” Omar earned his B.A. in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin and has called Los Angeles home for over 36 years. A proud Longhorn and devoted Angeleno, he balances global impact with local roots—sharing his home with his cat and sidekick, Frida.

With deep expertise, strong partnerships, and a keen eye for disruptive innovation, Omar Perez is a catalyst for Cedars-Sinai’s mission: advancing patient care locally and globally by engaging the frontier of healthcare.

Kinshuk Kocher is an Investment Principal at Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures (CSTV), where he leads investments for early-stage med tech, bio tech, and digital health startups. He also spearheaded the evolution of the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator into Accelerator+, where he continues to drive startup selection.

An operator-turned-investor, Kinshuk co-founded Caredose, a health-tech startup focused on solving medicine non-adherence in chronic patients that managed over a million medicine doses before its successful acquisition. His professional foundation includes strategy consulting at McKinsey & Company and a tenure at GSK, where he was instrumental in launching a digital health incubator. He joined Cedars Sinai to bring a diverse, multi-stakeholder view to invest in first-in-class, best-in-class, breakthrough solutions that can shape the future of healthcare globally.

Kinshuk believes in paying it forward. You will often find him judging startup pitch competitions or sharing insights at various conferences & events. He finds inspiration in the space between what we know today and what is yet to be discovered, using that vision to redefine the standards of patient care. Kinshuk holds an MBA from the University of Oxford, UK and a BA (Hons.) Economics from the University of Delhi, India.

Janny Hsu is the Program Manager of Cedars-Sinai Accelerator+, where she oversees multiple accelerator programs and has supported 30+ startups. She manages daily operations, curriculum design, and program logistics, serving as a strategic partner to founders by assessing business, clinical, and technical needs and connecting them with tailored expertise, educational resources, and health system support to drive measurable progress. Janny is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and is passionate about helping startups navigate the complexities of a large U.S. health system.

Janny’s career at Cedars-Sinai spans multiple departments. Before joining Accelerator+, she led Global Alliances initiatives, developing a network of over 70 strategic partners across 10 countries. Earlier in her career, she led process improvement projects across several nursing departments, enhancing operational efficiency and patient care.

Janny holds a degree in Sociology and Administration from the University of California, Riverside.

Jeremy Roseman is a Project Manager at the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator, where hedrives collaboration between the Accelerator’s health-tech startups and thebroader Cedars-Sinai Health System. In his role, he supports startups in implementingand operationalizing their solutions, refining their market positioning, andaligning strategies with their long-term vision.

Previously, Jeremy served as SpecialAssistant to three Speakers of the California State Assembly. In this capacity,he advised Assembly Members and their offices on strategic communications,public outreach, and key legislative priorities.

Jeremy holds a Bachelor of Arts inGeography from UCLA, with minors in Global Studies and Human Complex Systems. He also earned an MBA from the Rotterdam School of Management.

Megan Morris has recently joined the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator+ team as the Growth and Strategy Lead, bringing with her over a decade of executive leadership experience at the intersection of healthcare and technology. Known for driving global strategy, operational excellence, and digital innovation, Megan blends deep clinical insight with technical acumen to deliver scalable, person-centered solutions.

Prior to joining Cedars-Sinai, Megan held multiple senior leadership roles at Amazon, where she led high-impact programs focused on healthcare delivery, enterprise system deployments, and global program management. Her work supported initiatives affecting hundreds of thousands of associates worldwide and generated multimillion-dollar efficiencies across operations and technology platforms.

Megan's career also includes leadership roles in both hospital operations and payer administration. She served as Director of Claims and Care Management at Blue Shield and as Manager of Surgery Clinics at Keck Hospital of USC, where she led efforts in clinical care coordination, payment integrity, and revenue cycle optimization.

Megan holds dual master’s degrees in Business Administration and Health Administration, reflecting her commitment to integrating strategy, technology, and clinical operations to improve healthcare outcomes at scale.

Howard Reese is an Administrative Assistant at Cedars-Sinai with over four years of experience supporting both the Accelerator Program and the Technology Ventures department. With a combined healthcare and administrative background, he brings more than 10 years of experience working within the healthcare field.

In his current role, he provides comprehensive administrative and operational support for innovation-focused initiatives, including assisting with Demo Days, multiple intensive program weeks, and a variety of healthcare conferences and events. He has worked closely with cross-functional teams, startups, clinicians, and leadership to ensure programs run efficiently and successfully.

His background in healthcare administration allows me to navigate fast-paced, high-impact environments while maintaining attention to detail, organization, and clear communication. He is passionate about supporting innovation in healthcare and contributing to initiatives that advance technology, collaboration, and patient-centered solutions.

Michael Adame is the Program Coordinator for accelerator+, supporting the planning and execution of events and special projects that connect healthcare, innovation, and entrepreneurship. His work includes managing conference and event logistics from concept through execution, cross-functional coordination, and overseeing accelerator+ social media and digital presence.

With nearly five years at Cedars-Sinai, Michael has collaborated across multiple departments within the organization’s innovation and intellectual property ecosystem. He has primarily supported Global Alliances through international delegation visits, conferences, and strategic events that strengthen relationships with partners around the world.

Michael brings a detail-oriented, people-first approach to his work, with a strong passion for community-building and advancing healthcare innovation.