Dina Katabi, Ph.D.
About Dina Katabi, Ph.D.
Dina Katabi is an independent director of Cyclerion Therapeutics (CYCN) since November 2023; she is age 53 as of the April 21, 2025 record date . She co-founded and serves as President of Emerald Innovations (digital health analytics), and is the Thuan and Nicole Pham Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT and Director of MIT’s Center for Wireless Networks and Mobile Computing . Her credentials include MacArthur Fellowship and memberships in the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Sciences, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences, with research expertise spanning wireless sensing, applied machine learning, and digital health .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyclerion Therapeutics, Inc. | Independent Director | Since Nov 2023 | Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Innovations | Co-founder and President | Current | Private company; digital health analytics |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Thuan & Nicole Pham Professor of EECS | Current | Advanced wireless sensing, applied ML |
| MIT Center for Wireless Networks & Mobile Computing | Director | Current | Research leadership |
| Professional Honors | MacArthur Fellow; Member NAE, NAS, AAAS | — | Scientific recognition and governance-relevant prestige |
Board Governance
- Independence: CYCN’s board affirmatively determined Drs. Hyman, Katabi, De Souza, and Mr. Higgins are independent under Nasdaq standards .
- Committee assignments: Katabi serves on the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member); Committee chairs: De Souza (Compensation), Higgins (Audit), Hyman (Nominating & Corporate Governance) .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the board met 6 times and acted by written consent 3 times; no director attended fewer than 75% of board/committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership: Independent Chairman (Dr. De Souza) separates chair and CEO roles, reinforcing independent oversight .
- Overboarding policy: Directors limited to ≤4 public boards; public-company CEOs to ≤2 total; board regularly reviews director commitments .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Year | Cash Fees | Committee Chair Fees | Meeting Fees | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,000 (one-time cash fee) | None disclosed for Katabi | None disclosed | CYCN prioritized equity over ongoing cash to conserve cash |
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Grant Date | Award Type | Shares | Vesting Schedule | Current Vesting Status (as of Apr 21, 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 30, 2023 | Restricted Common Stock (Director grant) | 20,000 | Initial partial vesting, remainder vests ratably over 42 months | 9,172 vested; 10,828 unvested; vest monthly through Jun 1, 2027 (service-based) |
- No performance-conditioned (PSU/TSR) director awards are disclosed; 2023 director equity grants are time-vested restricted stock .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Public/Private | Notes/Interlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed (other public company boards in past five years) | — | — | Katabi’s proxy biography lists no other public company directorships in the last five years |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technical leadership: Wireless sensing, applied machine learning, digital health; director of a major MIT research center .
- Recognitions: MacArthur Fellow; member of NAE, NAS, AAAS (signals high scientific and governance credibility) .
- Entrepreneurial operator: Co-founder/President of Emerald Innovations (health analytics) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership | 20,000 shares (restricted stock award) |
| Ownership % of Outstanding | <1% (asterisked in table) as of Apr 21, 2025 |
| Vested vs. Unvested | 9,172 vested; 10,828 unvested; remaining vests monthly through Jun 1, 2027, service-based |
| Anti-hedging Policy | Insider Trading Prevention Policy prohibits hedging transactions for directors and employees |
Insider Trades (Section 16 and Form 4 context)
| Period | Reported Transactions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 (proxy reporting period) | Not detailed for Katabi | Company states Section 16(a) compliance for 2024; late filings noted for other insiders (Graul, Hecht, Chicko), not Katabi |
Related-Party Transactions and Conflicts
- Related-party transactions disclosure lists March 2025 private placement purchases by directors Hecht and Higgins; no transactions involving Katabi are disclosed .
- Policy: Audit Committee reviews and approves related-person transactions; directors must recuse from items where they are related persons .
Compensation Committee Context (for governance quality)
- Composition: De Souza (Chair), Higgins (member); both independent .
- Consultant use: Compensation Committee does not currently retain a compensation consultant; has authority to engage advisors and regularly meets in executive session .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; governance-focused committee role (Nominating & Corporate Governance); solid attendance record across board; anti-hedging policy; independent chair structure .
- Alignment: Director equity is time-vested restricted stock with modest one-time cash fee in 2024, aligning with cash conservation and shareholder interests for a small-cap biotech .
- Conflicts/Red Flags: No related-party transactions involving Katabi disclosed; no overboarding concerns (no other public boards disclosed); no attendance red flags identified .
- Considerations: Short tenure (joined Nov 2023) means board track record at CYCN is still developing .