About Us
Above: Chief inventor and CEO, Dr. W. Andrew (Andy) Clark, PhD, RD, mixes a large beaker of experimental product in his university lab.
Our Story
This company began with one man's desire to help a friend.
Years ago, our founder, W. Andrew (Andy) Clark, Ph.D., RD, had a friend and coworker that suffered from recurring outbreaks of shingles that were very painful. This friend shared that using topical lavender oil on his lesions gave him significant, but very brief, relief from the pain. This got Andy’s attention, and the nutritional biochemist said,
"We can do better than that."
With a firm belief in nutrition-over-medication, Andy set forth to create a skin-healing gel using ingredients that he knew the body would use for repair.
As the gel reached its final stages, Andy sent out samples to friends and acquaintances to try, including his friend with shingles. The feedback was far better than expected. This same friend with shingles was amazed to see that instead of a few minutes of relief, he found several hours of it!
People began trying it not only on shingles, but also on cuts, burns, mosquito bites, blisters, eczema, and other skin irritations, and the astonishment only continued. Andy's fragrant "lavender gel" really helped.
Ever the proverbial lab rat, Andy spent the next decade researching and studying his concoction to see how it worked with the help of colleagues, his wife Linda, his "work son" Zack, and the occasional grad student. That work carries on today.
Then It Went to the Dogs
One day, while Andy was visiting his family vet, Dr. Karen Stone, he told her about this new lavender gel he had created. Hearing that it is made with natural ingredients, she asked if she could try some on the dogs that came into her practice.
With a background in human and animal nutrition, Andy knew that his gel was safe, so he obliged. Needless to say, the gel astonished again, showing potency against a host of skin issues in dogs. Dr. Stone famously said later,
"Dogs don't lie. It either works or it doesn't, and this does."
From Lavengel® to RadiQuell™
From the beginning, Lavengel® was to be of use for humans and animals -- even beyond dogs. We also wanted to do more than "gel" and have the flexibility to produce formulas with and without lavender oil.
So, after more than 4 years of planning, research, work, testing, re-work, manufacturing hurdles, laboratory messes, a cancer diagnosis, frustration, re-re-work, and much encouragement from family and friends, we decided to merge Lavengel® into what had been planned as the brand for human products: RadiQuell™.
RadiQuell's mission remains the same as it was with Lavengel®: improve skin health for everyone -- humans, canines, and beyond. We're excited to see how many different lives we can improve.
Use the buttons below to read the full Lavengel® / RadiQuell™ origin story, as told by Andy.
Our Mission
Our mission is to solve diverse dermatological problems and improve skin health for everyone -- humans, canines, and beyond.
Our Focus
To achieve this mission, we work to create products that are soothing, safe, stable, and biologically sound.
Our expertise lies in research-driven formulas that:
- Provide the right antioxidants and nutrients exactly where they are needed,
- Offer fast, powerful, and lasting ingredient absorption that penetrates deep into the skin,
- Create the ideal environment on and within the skin to support the body's natural healing process.
Meet the Team
W. Andrew "Andy" Clark, Ph.D, RD
Founder, Inventor, CEO
Andy's bio
W. Andrew (Andy) Clark, PhD, RD is Professor Emeritus and former Associate Dean of Research for the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences at East Tennessee State University (ETSU).
Dr. Clark received his B.S. in Animal Science from Colorado State University, M.S. in Animal Science and Agricultural Biochemistry from the University of Delaware, and his Ph.D in Nutrition from North Carolina State University (1980). He later received his certification as a Registered Dietician in 2005.
He has held academic positions at South Dakota State University (1980-1983) and ETSU (2002 - 2023). In between, he had an 18-year tenure at Eastman Chemical Company (1983-2001) with assignments in Research, Strategy, Technical Service, Sales and Marketing.
Dr. Clark is the co-inventor of AquADEKs for cystic fibrosis, developed during his time with Yasoo Health, Inc (2001-2003).
He first began his research on Lavengel® in 2011, and he received a U.S. patent for it 2021 shortly after Lavengel® was launched as a company in May 2020.
Dr. Clark is currently the Chief Executive Officer and Lead Researcher for AOX Biopharma, LLC, a company which he co-founded. AOX Biopharma, LLC, is the parent company of Lavengel® and RadiQuell®.
Zack Wright
Co-Founder, Lead Designer, "Swiss Army Knife"
Zack's bio
A meticulous one-man design studio and wearer of many hats (literally and metaphorically), Zack handles all the design, web, copywriting, customer support, order fulfillment / management, and whatever else needs doing. He aids in planning, marketing, social media, and choosing which classic rock playlist to listen to while he and Andy work in the lab.
Because of his many tasks, Zack often refers to himself as the CBO: Chief Bottleneck Officer.
Zack received his first B.S. in Business Administration from Tusculum University (2013) in Tusculum, Tennessee. He later received a second B.S. in Digital Media from East Tennessee State University in 2018. Around this time, he met Dr. Clark and decided to join the team that launched Lavengel® in May 2020.
