Steve Opal, a leading figure in critical care medicine and infectious diseases, was a valued and integral advisor to BioAegis from its inception until his retirement. Sadly he passed in August 2024. His contributions to our program were immeasurable, and we deeply valued his unwavering support, expertise, and responsiveness. Always committed to advancing our work, Steve consistently offered invaluable guidance.

Steven Opal most recently was Professor of Medicine in the Infectious Disease Division at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Chief, Infectious Disease Division at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island. Dr. Opal’s interests, which spanned over 3 decades were in the field of septic shock research, endotoxin, cytokines, molecular signaling pathways, microbial mediators, microbial genetics, and antibiotic resistance. The pathophysiology of septic shock was his primary laboratory interest, including the early events that occur in the host-pathogen interaction with systemic infection. Clinical trial design, implementation and analysis from Phase I to Phase III trials was a primary clinical research focus.

Dr. Opal was a member of several professional societies including the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the International Cytokine Society, the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the International Endotoxin and Innate Immunity Society. He served as chair of the International Sepsis Forum. Steve published more than 200 peer-reviewed research articles and edited several academic research journals as well as three textbooks on infectious diseases, endotoxin-mediated diseases and septic shock.

Dr. Opal’s received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a medical degree from Albany Medical School. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, and was a fellow in infectious diseases at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.