Founders
Founders
Our founders are researchers and entrepreneurs who believe that great science shouldn’t wait. Together, they’re building a model that helps turn ambitious ideas into fundable ideas.
Silas Davidson
Silas leads company direction, strategic growth, and investment attraction. He oversees projects and clients and manages the Control Group Studio application cycle, guiding teams from selection through early development and positioning them for funding and scale.
At the Hillman Cancer Center, Silas studied malignant hematopoiesis and Down syndrome–associated leukemia, building on prior clinical research with Duke University and the CDC evaluating vaccine effectiveness. He was the youngest recipient of the $50,000 Pitt.INC translational research prize, supporting his work on therapeutic strategies for tauopathies like CTE.
Gavin Schmidt
Gavin oversees operational execution across the organization. He leads Control Group’s strategic partnerships with venture capital firms and regional accelerators, and provides insight and connectivity to the Tepper School of Business ecosystem.
At Carnegie Mellon, Gavin is a biomedical researcher and entrepreneur developing medical devices through a $42M ARPA-H initiative. He previously led a multi-year cancer research study published in Endocrine-Related Cancer and graduated in the top 1% of his class. He is now pursuing an MBA at CMU’s Tepper School.
Justin Jaworski
Justin leads the company’s financial strategy, budgeting, and compliance, overseeing capital management and long-term financial planning, ensuring the organization is positioned for sustainable growth and responsible scaling.
At Accelion, Justin serves as President, leading a national sales organization generating over $20M in annual revenue. He has driven multi-year growth through market expansion, operational scaling, and executive team development, with direct responsibility for financial performance and strategic execution. His experience building revenue-driven organizations brings disciplined financial leadership and operational rigor to Control Group.
Faculty
Our faculty serve as senior scientific advisors, providing expert review beyond the internal team. They refine scientific approaches, advise on hypothesis development, and offer guidance on experimental rigor and direction. Faculty also provide high-level input on regulatory, funding, and operational strategy, helping ensure projects meet professional research standards.
Faculty
Eric Lechman
Eric Lechman, Ph.D, serves as Control Group’s principal scientific advisor, providing senior oversight and guidance across the company’s research portfolio. He advises on scientific strategy, experimental rigor, and hypothesis development, helping ensure projects meet professional research and compliance standards as they advance from concept to funded study.
Dr. Lechman is a stem cell biologist and cancer researcher whose work focuses on the molecular and epigenetic drivers of leukemia. His research on leukemic stem cells and microRNA regulation has been widely recognized by the Leukemia Research Foundation, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and the Stanley M. Marks Blood Cancer Research Fund.
Partners
Partners
Our Partners are business- and science-literate operators embedded within leading research universities. They source clients with high-potential, commercializable tech through their academic networks and lead early market research, commercialization strategy, and grant positioning, tapping into Control Group resources.