About Us

About us

We understand what it feels like to be waiting for an organ.

In 1968, Georges Gaston Lopez received a life-prolonging kidney transplant. Years later, his son, Georges Antoine Lopez, founded the Institut Georges Lopez (IGL), a company dedicated to the preservation of donor organs. Today, Alexandre Lopez PhD, the grandson of Georges Gaston Lopez, leads the CAIR-IGL group.

We know the hope and uncertainty of waiting for a transplant and envision a world where no one suffers or dies from a transplantation-curable disease.

Our values

The compass that guides our work

Patient Focus

Transplant patients are at the heart of every decision we make.

Quality First

We rigorously test our technologies to ensure safety and performance.

Continuous Innovation

We evolve our products through ongoing research and clinical insight.

Ethics, Integrity & Responsibility

We act with knowledge, honesty, transparency, and purpose.

Shared Commitment

Our team is united by values, trust, and a drive to improve transplant care.

Our goals

Make every donation count.

Our objectives:

Expand access to transplantation by increasing the availability of viable donor organs
Empower clinical teams with high-quality, high-performance preservation technologies
Increase the availability of viable organs for transplantation, thereby broadening access to transplantation for patients with chronic disease

Get to know us

Leadership

François Michelon

General Manager

François leads Waters Medical Systems, the North American division of the IGL-CAIR Group, a global leader in organ transplant preservation technologies and solutions. He brings over 25 years of experience driving innovation, commercial growth, and operational excellence across startups, private equity, and Fortune 50 healthcare companies. Prior to joining Waters, François served as CEO of ENDRA Life Sciences where he led the company from concept to clinical stage and completed a Nasdaq IPO. Earlier in his career he held leadership roles at GE Healthcare, Smith+Nephew, and Biomet. François holds a Six Sigma Black Belt certification, a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago, and an M.B.A. from Carnegie Mellon University.

Ashley Banks

Operations Manager

Ashley leads Waters Medical Systems’ day-to-day operations, overseeing purchasing, accounting, order processing, equipment repair, and customer service. She brings over 20 years of experience in finance and operations, primarily within the medical device industry. Prior to her current role, Ashley served as Accounting and Purchasing Manager, where she managed inventory, vendor relations, compliance, and customer service activities. She plays a key role in maintaining facility operations and supporting quality system compliance. Ashley also champions continuous improvement initiatives, driving efficiency, safety, and product quality across the organization. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration with a focus in Accounting from the Minnesota School of Business.

Mark Stevens

Sales Director

Mark leads sales for Waters Medical Systems across North America, overseeing both the field sales team and the clinical support team. With over 25 years of experience in medical technology sales, he is dedicated to building lasting partnerships with transplant centers and organ procurement organizations to support the adoption and effective use of Waters’ organ preservation technologies. Before joining Waters, Mark held commercial leadership roles at G&H Photonics and Optos (a Nikon company), where he led US and international teams in the life sciences and ophthalmology sectors. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.