# Ngoc Thai

> Ngoc L. Thai, MD, PhD is a transplant surgeon turned biotech founder who built one of the world's largest pancreas programs before chasing a hunch from a cup of his uncle's tea. As founder, co-CEO and CMO of Pittsburgh-based Imagine Pharma, he is developing IMG-1, a polypeptide first isolated from a Vietnamese tea plant, into therapies that coax insulin-producing islet cells to multiply and regenerate. The company raised a $32.5M Series A in October 2023 to advance IMG-1 across oral delivery, therapeutics, and regenerative medicine platforms aimed at type 1 diabetes, wound healing, and other underserved conditions.

- **Role:** Founder, Co-CEO and Chief Medical Officer at Imagine Pharma
- **Organizations:** Imagine Pharma, Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny General Hospital, UPMC, Holy Name Medical Center
- **From:** Vietnam
- **Nationality:** American (Vietnamese-born)
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science, Cornell University, MD/PhD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
- **Known for:** Built UPMC's pancreas program into one of the largest in the world by 2006, Founded the liver transplant program at Allegheny General Hospital, Served as Chair of Surgery at Allegheny Health Network across nine hospitals and 150 surgeons

## Career timeline

- **2004** — Completed transplant surgery fellowship training, mentored by Thomas E. Starzl and John J. Fung
- **2006** — Rebuilt the pancreas program at UPMC into the largest in that institution's history and one of the largest in the world
- **2007** — Moved to Allegheny General Hospital, founding its liver transplant program and rebuilding its kidney and pancreas programs
- **2016** — Appointed Chair of Surgery at Allegheny Health Network, overseeing nine hospitals and 150 surgeons; founded Imagine Pharma
- **2023** — Imagine Pharma closed a $32.5M Series A to advance the IMG-1 polypeptide

## Achievements

- Built UPMC's pancreas program into one of the largest in the world by 2006
- Founded the liver transplant program at Allegheny General Hospital
- Served as Chair of Surgery at Allegheny Health Network across nine hospitals and 150 surgeons
- Discovered and isolated the IMG-1 polypeptide from a Vietnamese tea plant
- Founded Imagine Pharma and raised a $32.5M Series A in 2023

## Latest updates

- **2023-10** — Imagine Pharma secured a $32.5M Series A to continue development of the IMG-1 polypeptide and associated programs.

## Links

- Website: https://imaginepharma.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ngoc-thai-20748346

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ngoc-thai
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-10