Bernard A. Harris, Jr., MD, MBA, FACP
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner
Vesalius Ventures, Houston, Texas

Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. is currently Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Vesalius Ventures, Inc., a venture capital firm that invests in early to mid-stage Healthcare technologies and companies. As CEO, he is responsible for managing a portfolio of private assets of early and mid- stage venture investments and operating companies. Prior to Vesalius Ventures, Harris worked with Vanguard Ventures, a $500 million early-stage venture capital firm focused in life sciences, information technology and telecommunications.  He led the company's emerging VC accelerator in telemedicine for 6 years.

He is President of the Harris Foundation, a non-profit that focuses on education, health and wealth initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Houston, a Master of Medical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston Clear Lake and a Doctorate of Medicine from Texas Tech University School of Medicine. He completed a Residency in Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, a National Research Council Fellowship in Endocrinology at the NASA Ames Research Center. 
Harris is a veteran Astronaut and was a Mission Specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1993 and Payload Commander on Space Shuttle Discovery in 1995; becoming the "First African American to walk in Space".