Bernard A. Harris, Jr., MD, MBA, FACP

Dr. Harris is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Vesalius Ventures, Inc., a venture capital accelerator, that invest in early-stage companies in Medical Informatics and Technology (Telemedicine). 

A veteran astronaut for over fifteen years, he has logged more than 438 hours and traveled over 7.2 million miles in space.  Dr. Harris was at NASA for ten years, where he conducted research in musculoskeletal physiology and disuse osteoporosis.  Later, as Head of the Exercise Countermeasure Project, he conducted clinical investigations of space adaptation and developed in-flight medical devices to extend Astronaut stays in space, which involved the use of telemetry.  

Dr. Harris led a special venture capital forum during ATA’s mid year meeting in 2004 and has been an award sponsor and active participant in several ATA annual meetings.

He holds several faculty appointments including, Associate Professor in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch and Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine. Additionally, he is the author and co-author of numerous scientific publications.  Dr. Harris is also the founder and president of the Harris Foundation, which supports math and science education and crime prevention programs for America’s youth. 

Dr. Harris earned 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 (MBA) from the University of Houston 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 and trained as a Flight Surgeon at the Aerospace School of Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base. He is also a licensed private pilot and certified scuba diver.