Mike Ward has more than 20 years of life sciences-dedicated investment banking, venture capital and private equity experience. Before joining BioNano Genomics, Mike was at Lurie Investment Fund where he was responsible for managing the life sciences venture capital and private equity investments of the Lurie family. Mike guided senior executive management teams of Lurie’s life sciences portfolio companies in conducting business and corporate development, clinical and regulatory strategy, commercialization planning, intellectual property management, M&A and financings. During his tenure, Mike also served on the boards of a number of life sciences portfolio companies on behalf of Lurie. Prior to joining Lurie Investment Fund in 2009, Mike gained more than 15 years of investment banking experience at Leerink Partners, Credit Suisse, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, BMO and Vector Securities. During his career in investment banking, Mike executed more than 80 life sciences mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, strategic alliances, private placements, IPOs and follow-on public offerings. In his more than two decades of experience serving and fostering life sciences companies, Mike focused predominantly on medical technology, tools, diagnostics and biopharmaceutical markets. Mike received, with summa cum laude distinction, a B.S. degree in finance from the University of Illinois.