Anthony Opipari

Dr. Anthony Opipari is a physician-scientist known for his recent work on the interface between clinical medicine, basic research, and drug development. He co-founded the former First Wave Bio and served as the company’s Chief Medical Officer until its acquisition by AzurRx BioPharma (now First Wave BioPharma). Previously, Dr. Opipari was a member of the faculty of the University of Michigan Medical School, in the Division of Gynecological Oncology, until he retired from active faculty and was awarded emeritus status in 2019. His NIH-funded research at the University of Michigan resulted in the discovery of novel drug targets and associated novel therapeutic mechanisms of action that formed the basis for multiple biotechnology spinouts, including Lycera Corp., which he co-founded. Dr. Opipari also co-founded and directed translational medicine at IFM Therapeutics, a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies that modulate novel targets in the innate immune system to treat inflammatory diseases and cancer. Dr. Opipari earned a medical degree and a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Michigan.