Wyncote, Pennsylvania, United States
Career drug-hunter with experience in pharma and biotech, with a focus on utilization of an array of tools including genetics, genomics, epidemiology, high-throughput screening, and new technologies to identify and validate the best pharmaceutical drug targets and develop chemical leads for development as candidate drugs. Have worked across all pipeline stages, with most recent role being oversight of the entire legacy-Cerevel early pipeline and directly managing the Genetics, Target ID and Validation, In Vitro Pharmacology, and In Vivo Biology groups while at AbbVie. 25 years experience in biotech and big pharma, 5 years in academia, previously on faculty at Harvard Medical School. Experience in drug target and biomarker discovery. Specialties: Molecular biology, neuroscience, genetics/genomics, statistical analysis, high-throughput screening.
Consulting on multiple areas within Pharmaceutical Pipeline Development and Management including: - Target identification and validation - Lead identification - Lead optimization - Translational biology and Biomarkers identification Focus on Scientific Areas including but not limited to: - Genetics and genomics - Neuroscience - Epidemiology - Proteomics
Directly responsible for the early pipeline at the legacy-Cerevel site including program entry and progression. Managed the Target ID and Validation, In Vitro Pharmacology, and In Vivo Biology groups. Work closely with Medicinal Chemistry, Safety, and DMPK for Lead Identification and Lead Optimization for all programs.
Directed target identification, validation, and program entry into Cerevel pipeline. Member of the CSO Leadership team, was responsible for the development of the Cerevel early pipeline, with ultimate decision rights on target selection and pipeline entry. Led both lab-based and in-silico genetics teams of PhD level scientists who performed all translational genetics work in target identification across all areas of neuroscience. Target selection was based on human data including genetics, epidemiology, and clinical trials. Guided assessment, adoption, and application of new technologies such as the use of Artificial Intelligence for compound design and CRISPR for target ID and validation. Led application of genetics across the Cerevel pipeline through clinical trials.
Responsible for genetics across the entire Cerevel pipeline, from target identification and validation to genetic plans and analyses in clinical trials.
Head of the group at Merck responsible for genetic target discovery and validation efforts for the neuroscience therapeutic areas. Lead collaborations in multiple areas (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, Pain, etc) working to identify disease causal variants in druggable genes. Act as the Merck representative to the ADNI and PPMI genetic core teams, and interact heavily with Merck Pharmacogenetics group. Led multiple Merck genetic collaborations, including - Whole genome sequencing of ALS cases and controls - Mega-GWAS of ALS - First GWAS of Dementia with Lewy bodies - Whole exome sequencing of Parkinson disease (clinical trials and target ID efforts) - RNAseq of postmortem brain tissue (100s of cases of various neurodegenerative disease and controls)
Head of the genetics group within Informatics and Analysis, Exploratory and Translation Sciences. Group consists of 10 PhD level statistical or diseased-based geneticists. Oversee collaborations with Beijing Genomics Institute, approve pharmacogenetic plans for clinical trials. Oversee work for genetic-based target discovery projects.