In Austin, Texas, nanoTox has announced that C. Richard Piazza has joined the board of directors of its parent company Nano Risk Assessment Inc. Piazza is the founder and CEO of private equity firm La Jolla Capital Partners LLC and is established in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. His experience includes 37 years in healthcare, 16 years in pharmaceuticals and biotech and 21 years in regulated medical devices. Thirty-two years of his career were spent as CEO and in general management for both public and private companies directing turnarounds, takeovers and complex strategies to increase revenues, profitability and market share. Piazza formed La Jolla Capital Partners LLC in 2004 to help biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device companies secure venture capital funding. During his tenure with the company, he also served as interim chairman and CEO for biotechnology drug company Chemokine Therapeutics during a management transition period, preparing the company for its Phase II trials. Piazza also was president of Biolectron Inc., president and CEO of Radius Health System Services & Supplies, president of private startup Stimetics and CEO of Smith & Nephew Pharmaceuticals and VitaGen. In addition to nanoTox, Piazza serves on the boards of BioHouston, LipoNova, Zetiq Technologies, GynTec, Nexus Health Systems and Traumatec. He is an advisor to the MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Technology Transfer.