Speakers and presenters at the 2009 World Stem Cell Summit included some of the brightest and most influential thought leaders in the global stem cell and regenerative medicine community:
Grant Albrecht
Since being diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis in 1996, Grant has become a determined patient advocate. While awaiting the fruition of stem cell research, Grant has pursued countless avenues of treatment from the traditional to the alternative, and inspired others to chart their own course to recovery. A highly sought after speech writer and communications coach, Grant has worked with Americans for Cures, and on advancing the Prop 71 initiative; he has also spoken to many educational and community groups in his impassioned effort to raise awareness and promote a greater understanding of stem cells and their vast potential.
Chris Alder
In addition to managing the prosecution & enforcement of Osiris’s patent estate, Chris was part of the core deal team that secured a $1.4B ex-US license to Genzyme of Osiris’s pioneering stem cell technologies. From 2001-2008, Mr. Alder served as Patent Counsel representing Panacos Pharmaceuticals & Pfizer (including lineage companies Pharmacia & G.D. Searle) where he supported multiple commercial products including Celebrex (R), Bextra (R) & Inspra (R). Mr. Alder earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Marshall University & his law degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
David L. Amrani, Ph.D., FAHA
David is currently senior director and responsible for R&D in the Cellular Therapies/Regenerative Medicine Business, Baxter Healthcare. David received his, BA in Biology/Chemistry (1969) and MA, Molecular Biology (1973) from Hunter College of CUNY, and Ph.D. in biology/biochemistry from St. John’s University/SUNY Downstate Medical in 1980. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the New York Blood Center from late 1979-1981in Hematology and cell biology, assistant professor of Medicine at U of Wisconsin Medical School from 1981-1986, associate professor at the Medical School and U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1987-1990, and full professor at both institutions until 1997. He remains affiliated with U of Wisconsin as an adjunct Full Professor.
Ellen Arnold
Ellen Arnold joined Arnold Public Affairs in 2002. She represents non-profit entities before the Texas Legislature, assisting clients with their goals to pass legislation, obtain state appropriations, and influence or impact potential legislation affecting their organizations. Since 2003 Ellen has represented Texans for Advancement of Medical Research (TAMR), a grassroots organization of scientists, physicians, ethicists, leading health groups and individuals who support biomedical research in regenerative medicine for the sole purpose of curing diseases and alleviating suffering. In every legislative session since 2003 TAMR has prevented efforts to ban regenerative medical research in Texas.
Emmanuel Baetge, Ph.D.
Dr. Emmanuel E. Baetge, Ph.D., is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Novocell formed by the merger of CyThera and BresaGen Inc. in 2004. He was recruited to CyThera as Chief Scientific Officer in 2001 to head its then emerging human embryonic stem cell program. Prior to joining CyThera, Dr. Baetge held the position of Chief Scientific Officer at Modex Therapeutics Ltd from 1997-2001, in Lausanne, Switzerland, which developed on of the first autologous adult stem cell products for the treatment of chronic skin ulcers. Before Modex, Dr. Baetge held management positions at CytoTherapeutics from 1992-1997 and at Bristol-Myers Squibb from 1987-1992. He holds a Ph.D. in molecular neurobiology from Cornell University and completed postdoctoral work at Cornell University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Baetge has published extensively in the field of cell therapy and has produced a number of cell technology patents.
Josh Basile
In 2004, Josh Basile broke his neck in a beach accident. In his pursuit to regain independence, Josh’s search led him to regenerative medicine. Josh believes that stem cell research has the potential to improve his life and the lives of millions. As an advocate and leader within the SSSCR, he passionately works to break down the current barriers restricting research, which will ultimately allow the future of medicine to be unleashed on the world. Josh plans to graduate in 2010 with a degree in Communication at the UMD College Park and will be applying to law school this October.
Steven R. Bauer, Ph.D.
Steven R. Bauer, Ph.D., is the Chief of the Cellular and Tissue Therapy Branch(CTTB), Division of Cellular and Gene Therapies (DCGT) in the Office of Cellular, Tissue, and Gene Therapies (OCTGT) at the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As the Chief of CTTB, Dr. Bauer supervises CBER scientific staff engaged in review of cell-based biological therapies, policy development in emerging areas of cellular therapies, and research relevant to their use in clinical trials. His current research focuses on mesenchymal stem cell biology and stromal cell-hematopoietic cell interactions that influence development of lymphocytes. Dr. Bauer received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland in 1986. His thesis work was done at the National Cancer Institute on the topic of oncogene dysregulation in mouse tumors of B lymphocyte origin. From 1986 though 1991 Dr. Bauer was a scientific member of the Basel Institute for Immunology in Basel, Switzerland where he continued work on B-cell transformation and worked on the role of the surrogate light chains in early B-cell development. In 1991, Dr. Bauer joined the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Division of Cellular and Gene Therapies.
Stephen B. Baylin, M.D.
For the last 20 years, Dr. Stephen Baylin has studied the role of epigenetic gene silencing in the initiation and progression of human cancer. He and his colleagues have fostered the concept that DNA hypermethylation of gene promoters, and associated transcriptional silencing, can serve as an alternative to mutations for producing loss of tumor suppressor gene function. They have described some of the classic genes involved, invented approaches to randomly screen the cancer genome for such genes and to demonstrate their functional role in cancer progression, helped begin unravel the molecular mechanisms responsible for the initiation and maintenance of the gene silencing, and worked to utilize all of their findings for translational purposes. Dr. Baylin has authored or co-authored over 350 full-length publications on the above and other areas of cancer biology. Dr. Baylin is currently Deputy Director, Professor of Oncology and Medicine, Chief of the Cancer Biology Division and Director for Research, of The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. He has been a member of committees of the American Cancer Society and of NIH, and his honors include a Research Career Development Award from NIH, the Edwin Astwood Lectureship of the Endocrine Society, the 2003Jack Shultz Memorial Lecture in Genetics, Fox Chase Cancer Center, The 2004 National Investigator of the Year Award from the NCI SPORE program, the Jack Gibson Visiting Professorship, University of Hong Kong Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, The 2004 2nd Annual Sydney E. Salmon Lectureship in Translational Research, Arizona Cancer Center, the 2005 Shubitz Cancer Research Prize from the University of Chicago, and he currently holds the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Chair in Cancer Research at Johns Hopkins. Recipient of the 2007 Woodward Visiting Professor, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 2008 Raffaele Tecce Memorial Lecture, Trento, Italy, 2008 The David Workman Memorial Award (jointly with Peter A. Jones, Ph.D.) Samuel Waxman Foundation and the 2009 Kirk A. Landon-AACR Prize for Basic Cancer Research, also shared with Peter A. Jones, PhD.
Wesley D. Blakeslee, J.D.
Wesley Blakeslee is Executive Director of Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer. He was formerly an Associate General Counsel at The Johns Hopkins University where he practiced intellectual property and complex business law. Wes holds an Engineering Degree (with Honors) from Penn State University, and a law Degree (Order of the Coif), from the University of Maryland School of Law and is a Certified Licensing Professional. Wes began his professional career as an engineer and systems analyst with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, where, among other things, he designed and wrote real time operating systems for spacecraft testing and post-launch control, and managed a programming group. After Law School, Wes entered private practice, was a partner in a small regional firm, and in 1983 Wes formed his own practice in Westminster, Maryland, USA. From 1983 to 1989, while in private practice, Wes also served as Director of Computer Development at the University of Maryland Law School, where he also taught Computer Law. In February 1999, Wes became Associate General Counsel at The Johns Hopkins University. Wes also served for many years as a Director of a National bank. Wes is frequently a featured speaker at national, state and local conferences, and on behalf of bar associations and numerous conference organizations. Wes has been cited as a national authority on intellectual property issues in the Chronicle of Higher Education, and other publications.
Angela Brodie, Ph.D.
Angela Brodie received her Ph.D. from the University of Manchester, UK. In 1961 she was awarded an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at Clark University and the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology in Massachusetts. She remained there as Staff and Senior Scientist until 1979. She is currently Professor of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in the School of Medicine and the University of Maryland Greenbaum Cancer Center. Dr. Brodie’s laboratory developed the first selective aromatase (estrogen synthesis) inhibitors for breast cancer treatment. She is currently interested in understanding the mechanisms of drug resistance and sensitivity focusing on cancer stem cells.
Lee Buckler, BEd, LLB
Lee is a business consultant in the cell therapy and regenerative medicine industry. He has been an executive in the sector for 9+ years. Prior to launching his own consulting firm, Lee worked for 2 years with Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC in various business development, marketing and communications roles. Lee was Executive Director of the International Society for Cellular Therapy from 2000 to 2006 and before that served a 3-year sentence as a commercial attorney. Lee founded Cell Therapy News and more recently created CellTherapyBlog.com where he is Chief Blogger. Lee serves on the Editorial Board of the journals BioProcess International and Regenerative Medicine. Lee is Chair of ISCT’s Cell Therapy Commercialization Committee, founder and administrator of the LinkedIn Cell Therapy Industry Group, and active proponent and user of social networking and web 2.0 platforms. Lee is also an advisor to Cambridge Health Institute. He is now the principle consultant of the Cell Therapy Group, a consultancy providing a variety of business development, sales, marketing, communications, market analysis/research, and project management services to companies in the cell therapy and regenerative medicine space.
Timothy Caulfield, LLM, FRSC
Timothy Caulfield is a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health and Research Director of the Health Law Institute, University of Alberta. In 2001 he received a Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy. He is a Senior Health Scholar with the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and the Principal Investigator on several large interdisciplinary projects, including an initiative on the regulation of genomic technologies (Genome Canada) and one analyzing the international research environment (Stem Cell Network). He is a member of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Linzhao Cheng, Ph.D.
Linzhao Cheng, Ph.D., is currently an Associate Professor in the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM). Dr. Cheng received BS from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 1985 and PhD from JHUSOM in 1991. Since then, he has been working on stem cell research and applications in NIH, biotech industry and Johns Hopkins University. His research in the past 15 years has been focusing on human stem cells, especially on self-renewal and pluripotency mechanisms, blood cell formation, and blood disease models. Dr. Cheng has published > 50 papers and reviews on stem cell research. See more details of his publications on http://www.hopkins-ice.org/stem/int/cheng.html
Srujana Cherukuri, Ph.D.
Srujana Cherukuri obtained Ph.D in Regulatory Biology from Cleveland State University/The Lerner Research Institute of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation where she studied the Role of Ferroxidases in Iron Homeostasis and Erythropoiesis. Currently Srujana Cherukuri is working as a visiting Postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Bustin, NCI, NIH where she is studying the role of chromatin architectural proteins in development and cellular differentiation. She recently accepted a Research Associate position in Dr. Curt Civin lab at the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine, Baltimore.
Zhikai Chi, M.D., Ph.D. Candidate
Dr. Chi received his M.D. at the Peking Union Medical College at Beijing, China. After the medical training, he joined the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where he is now a graduate student with Professor Valina L. Dawson of the Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs in the Institute of Cell Engineering. His research is focused on exploring mechanisms to prevent damage and restore function in stroke.
Kenneth R. Chien, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Kenneth Chien is an internationally recognized biologist specializing in cardiovascular science, as well as a pioneer in developing new therapeutic strategies to prevent the onset and progression of heart failure. Since July 2005, Ken has returned to Boston as Scientific Director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and Professor of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School. He is a member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, where he leads the university-wide Cardiovascular Stem Cell Biology Program. Upon his return to the Harvard community, he was awarded the distinction of the first endowed chair of the Charles Addison & Elizabeth Ann Sanders Professor of Medicine. Prior to his MGH/HMS appointments, Ken directed the Institute for Molecular Medicine at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). He is a professor emeritus at UCSD, and continues his appointment as an adjunct professor of The Salk Institute. A graduate of Harvard University, Dr. Chien went on to earn his MD and PhD from Temple University in Pennsylvania. After completing his internship, residency, and cardiology fellowship training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, he joined the faculty of the UCSD Departments of Medicine and Cardiology and the Center for Molecular Genetics. Subsequently, Dr. Chien became the Director of the UCSD Institute of Molecular Medicine and directed the joint UCSD-Salk Institute National Institutes of Health Molecular Medicine Training Program. Given his longstanding interest in training physician-scientists, he has served as an advisor/panel member of several private biomedical foundations, including the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Wellcome Trust. He also has served as a senior consultant and board member to several biotechnology and large pharmas over the past decade, fostering collaborative ties between academia and the private sector. His most recent accomplishments include the establishment of a new Institute of Molecular Medicine at Peking University, currently the premier site for cardiovascular science and medicine in China. He has received several awards for his work, including the Pasarow Foundation Award and the Walter B. Cannon Award of the American Physiological Society.
Hani S. Chohan, M.B.A.
Hani Chohan is Program Leader for GE Healthcare’s Cellular Discovery Tools. He leads the strategy for developing new stem cell-based drug discovery tools and is building an Early Toxicity portfolio, a key area of interest to GE Healthcare’s pharma clients. Previously, Hani was the Strategic Marketing Director for the Advanced Systems team responsible for setting the business unit strategy along with leadership of the “Pharma Biotech Initiative” to focus on Pharma/Biotech needs for the wider Life Sciences division in conjunction with GE Healthcare. Hani is a graduate of GE’s Experienced Commercial Leadership Program, and has worked across the GE Healthcare business, in areas ranging from Maternal Infant Care, Diagnostic Imaging, Healthcare Services and Clinical Systems. Prior to GE, Hani worked as worldwide product marketing manager for Lenovo International (formerly IBM) “Think” branded offerings. He served as the small business specialist for a university-based technology incubator and as an associate for an early-stage life sciences and IT venture capital firm. Hani has worked in product development and marketing capacities for both early and growth stage firms. Hani is a graduate of the executive MBA program at Duke University and has completed a BS in Biochemistry, BA in Chemistry and MS in Management with concentrations in IT and eCommerce from North Carolina State University.
Ju Lan Chun
Ju Lan Chun got her master degree at Konkuk University in South Korea. Since last July 2007, She has been a graduate student in Animal Sciences department for PhD degree at University of Illinois at Urbana and Champaign. She is working with Dr. Suzanne E. Berry in Veterinary Bioscience department at University of Illinois at Urbana and Champaign. Dr. Berry’s lab is interested in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Aorta derived multipotent adult stem cell which is named to mesoangioblast.
Jose B. Cibelli, DVM., Ph.D.
Dr. Cibelli currently holds the position of Professor of Animal Biotechnology at Michigan State University. He heads the Cellular Reprogramming Laboratory in the Departments of Animal Science and Physiology. From October 1999 until December 2002 he was the vice president for research of Advanced Cell Technology, a stem cell company in Worcester, Massachusetts. At present Dr Cibelli basic scientific interest is centered in understanding the connection between nuclear transfer and stem cells. And in a broader scope, applying isogenic human stem cells promptly and safely in the treatment of disease. Dr. Cibelli is one of the pioneers in the area of cloning with transgenic somatic cells for the production of animals and embryonic stem cells. Dr. Cibelli together with his colleagues, were responsible for the generation of the world’s first transgenic cloned calves, the first embryonic stem cells by nuclear transfer and the first embryonic stem cells by parthenogenesis in primates. This was followed by publications in Science, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Medicine, PNAS and JAMA. He has testified about nuclear transfer and stem cells in public forums sponsored by the US Food and Drug administration, the USA National Academy of Sciences, Canadian House of Commons, the USA Department of Agriculture and the United Nations Commission for Human Rights. Dr Cibelli also serves as the Associate Scientific Director of the ‘Program for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine of Andalucia’, Seville, Spain; the ‘International committee of the International Stem Cell Research Society’, and the ‘Scientific and Medical Accountability Standards Working Group’ of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
Curt Civin, M.D.
Curt I. Civin, M.D., is a professor of pediatrics, associate dean for research and founding director of the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Civin, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist, is best known for his 1984 discovery of a method for isolating stem cells from the other cells in the blood, for which he won 1999 National Inventor of the Year Award. He has devoted his research to studying stem cells in relationship to cancer, and to advocating for the field of stem cell science. Dr. Civin graduated cum laude from Harvard Medical School, and completed his training at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Boston.
Sabrina Cohen
Sabrina Cohen, stem cell research advocate and C5 quadriplegic, founded the Sabrina Cohen Foundation for Stem Cells Research (SCF) in 2006 to establish an organization that becomes a leader in the fight against disease. SCF is managed and operated as an Organization for Cures, dedicated to funding research approaches that accelerate the discovery, development, and delivery of therapeutics; aggressively focused on advanced stages of stem cell research that support all areas of disease. SCF is committed to building a strong network of individuals and partnerships to effectively impact public awareness, as education is key to ultimately funding the biggest breakthroughs of our time. SCF is based in Miami Beach, Florida. For more info, please visit www.sabrinacohenfoundation.org.
Alan Colman, Ph.D.
Alan Colman MA. PhD is currently Executive Director of the Singapore Stem Cell Consortium and Principal Investigator at the A*STAR Institute of Medical Biology, in Singapore. He is also Professor of Regenerative Medicine at King’s College, University of London, UK. His current main research interests concern basic research into stem cells (particularly induced pluripotent stem cells) and the translation of that research into the clinic). As CSO of PPL Therapeutics from 1987-2002, he participated in the cloning of Dolly (with the Roslin Institute) as well as cloned knock out sheep and pigs.
Kristin Comella
Kristin Comella. Ms. Comella was appointed as Bioheart’s Vice President of R&D and Corporate Development in December 2008. Ms. Comella joined Bioheart in September 2004 and has played a major role in managing the product development, manufacturing and quality systems. Ms. Comella has over ten years of cell culturing experience including managing the stem cell laboratory at Tulane University’s Center for Gene Therapy. Ms. Comella also developed stem cell therapies for osteoarthritis at Osiris Therapeutics. Ms. Comella holds an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of South Florida.
Amy Comstock Rick, J.D.
Amy Comstock Rick is the President of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, a broad and diverse pro stem cell advocacy coalition, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Parkinson’s Action Network, a national public policy and advocacy organization. Prior to her position, Ms. Rick served as the Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics from 2000-2003. Before her appointment to the Office of Government Ethics, Ms. Rick was Associate Counsel to the President in the White House Counsel’s Office. Ms. Rick began her federal service as an attorney at the U.S. Department of Education in 1988; she ended her tenure there in 1998 as Assistant General Counsel for Ethics. Ms. Rick began her professional career at the law firm of Beveridge & Diamond. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bard College and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan.
Aidan Courtney
Aidan Courtney is CEO of Roslin Cells Ltd – which specialises in the production of clinical grade human stem cell lines. He has over fifteen years experience of working with the scientific founders of early stage technology companies and managing all aspects of a new company’s development. Aidan is a member of the Advisory Board of the Scottish Stem Cell Network and the Advisory Committee of the BIAs Regenerative Medicine Industry Group. He is also a visiting fellow at the SCRIPT Research Centre within the School of Law at the University of Edinburgh.
Natividad Cuende, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D.
Dr. Natividad Cuende is the Executive Director of the Andalusian Initiative on Advanced Therapies promoted by the Regional Government of Andalusia, in Spain. Its main objectives are the development and translation into new therapies of the results obtained in the three Andalusian research programmes on: cell therapy and regenerative medicine, clinical genetics and genomic medicine, and nanomedicine. This organization acts as an agency for planning the use of governmental resources, striving to incorporate all the involved stakeholders, to develop activities related to generation, diffusion and application of new knowledge, and knowledge transfer. It facilitates cooperative research and sponsors non-commercial clinical trials with advanced therapies.
Chi V. Dang, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Chi V. Dang is Professor and Vice Dean for Research of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is appointed in the Departments of Medicine, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Oncology, and Pathology. He is the inaugural recipient of the Johns Hopkins Family Professorship in Oncology Research and oversees the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering. After receiving his Ph.D. in chemistry from Georgetown University and M.D. from Johns Hopkins, he served as an intern and resident on the Osler Medical Service at Johns Hopkins Hospital and completed his hematology-oncology fellowship at UCSF. He was past president of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and is member of the Institute of Medicine, National Academies. His research focuses on the function of the MYC oncogene and its role in cancer metabolism, stem cell and tumor biology.
Valina Dawson, Ph.D.
Dr. Dawson received her B.S. at the University of California at Davis and her Ph.D. at the University of Utah. She joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1994 where she is now a Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience and Physiology and Director of the Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs in the Institute of Cell Engineering. Her research is focused on exploring mechanisms to prevent damage and restore function in Parkinson’s disease and stroke, resulting in over 270 publications. She is recognized by the ISI as one of the top 100 cited Neuroscientists in the last decade.
Mark Ellinger, J.D.
Mark Ellinger is a Managing Principal at Fish & Richardson P.C., an international intellectual property law firm. He focuses his practice on patent prosecution, opinions, due diligence investigations, licensing, and counseling in the medical biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology, diagnostic, pharmaceutical, and medical science fields. In addition to his law firm practice, he is the author of 19 scientific publications, is a Faculty Member for the Patent Resources Group course, “Pharma & Biotech Strategies for Patent Prosecution, Hatch-Waxman, Litigation and Licensing,” and is a frequent lecturer on biotechnology and patent law. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Developmental Biology and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Jennifer Elisseeff, Ph.D.
Dr. Elisseeff received a bachelors degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a PhD in Medical Engineering from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. After doctoral studies, Dr. Elisseeff was a Fellow at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences Pharmacology Research Associate Program. In 2001, Dr. Elisseeff became an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Her laboratory, comprising surgeons, fellows, doctoral, masters and undergraduate students, develops new biomaterials, studies adult and embryonic stem cells, and designs new technologies for regenerative medicine. In 2004, Elisseeff cofounded Cartilix, Inc., a startup that is translating adhesive and biomaterial technologies for treating orthopedic disease. Dr. Elisseeff is now an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopedic Surgery at Johns Hopkins and directs the Cell and Tissue Engineering Program in Biomedical Engineering. She serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Bausch and Lomb, Kythera Biopharmaceutical, and Cellular Bioengineering Inc. Dr. Elisseeff has received awards including the Carnegie Mellon Young Alumni Award, Arthritis Investigator Award from the Arthritis Foundation, Yasuda Award from the Society of Physical Regulation in Medicine and Biology, and was named by Technology Review magazine as a top innovator under 35 in 2002 and top 10 technologies to change the future. In 2008, Dr. Elisseeff was elected a fellow in the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and a Young Global Leader in the World Economic Forum. She has published over 90 articles, book chapters and patent applications and given over 100 national and international invited lectures.
Alan I. Faden, M.D.
Alan I. Faden M.D. directs the Center for Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiolgy Research (STAR) and the National Study Center for Trauma and EMS at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Previously he was Professor of Neuroscience, Neurology, and Pharmacology at Georgetown University Medical Center, where he served as Dean of Research and Director of the Institute for Cognitive and Computational Sciences. Dr. Faden has published 300+ peer-reviewed publications in areas related to shock, cell death and CNS injury. He is Editor-in-Chief of Neurotherapeutics, and served as President of the National Neurotrauma Society, San Francisco Neurological Society, and American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics.
Timo Faltus
Timo Faltus studied biology and law at the University of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Today, Timo Faltus is in the Translational Center for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Leipzig (TRM Leipzig) and in the law school at the University of Halle (department of public law) in Germany. His legal research is focused on questions how to advance European and German stem cell and tissue engineering law. He wants to help to develop a reliable regulatory framework for this research area taking into account the great therapeutic potential of stem cells and tissue engineering.
Elizabeth Fenjves, Ph.D.
Dr. Elizabeth Fenjves received her Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology at the State University of New York in Stony Brook. In 1998 she was recruited by the Diabetes Research Institute in Miami, Florida to become the Director of Gene Therapy. Ten years later in she left research to become the director of the Office of Technology Transfer where she manages the intellectual property portfolio for the University of Miami. In this capacity, Dr. Fenjves is intimately involved with cutting edge scientific innovation. Her enthusiasm for translating products from bench to bedside have brought potential therapies to advanced clinical trials.
John Fisher, Ph.D.
Dr. John P. Fisher, Associate Professor in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering of the University of Maryland, was educated Johns Hopkins University (B.S., 1995), University of Cincinnati (M.S., 1998), and Rice University (Ph.D., 2003). Dr. Fisher’s laboratory develops strategies for engineering bone, cartilage, and skeletal muscle. Dr. Fisher has received a NSF CAREER Award (2005), Arthritis Foundation Investigator Award (2006), UMD Invention of the Year Award (2006), NSF REU Site Award (2007), and Outstanding Graduate Alumnus Award from the Department of Bioengineering at Rice University (2007). Dr. Fisher is currently the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Tissue Engineering, Part B: Reviews.
Jeannie Fontana, M.D., Ph.D.
As a patient advocate, Dr. Fontana focuses primarily on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (“ALS”). Her interests in ALS -or Lou Gehrig’s- began when her mother was diagnosed in the late 90’s. Dr. Fontana immersed herself in the study of ALS, and has devoted her scientific and medical training to improving the lives of those suffering from the dread disease. As a board member of the LA chapter of the ALS Association, Dr Fontana spearheaded the opening of a comprehensive medical clinic for ALS patients and their families at Los Angeles’ Cedars Sinai Hospital. While serving on the Board of Trustee of the National ALS Association she participated in many ALS related policies at both the Federal and State levels resulting in the passage of 6 new ALS amendments, the latest including a national ALS registry. She joined the Board of Trustees of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in 2003, where her particular focus has been on ALS research and stem cell programs. In 2005, Dr. Fontana was appointed Executive Director, Patient Advocacy, Burnham Institute for Medical Research, in which capacity she serves as an alternate for Dr. John Reed on the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (ICOC) of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the governing body charged with implementing California’s Proposition 71. Recently, Dr Fontana has been directing her own stem cell research project, using somatic cell nuclear transfer to create the first ever human model of ALS.
Alan D. Friedman, M.D.
Dr. Friedman completed his pediatric residency at Boston Children’s Hospital and his fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. In 1989 he then joined the faculty of the pediatric oncology division at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Friedman is involved in patient care and also has a laboratory focused on the transcriptional regulation of normal and malignant hematopoiesis.
John D. Gearhart, Ph.D.
John D. Gearhart, Ph.D., is the James W. Effron University Professor, a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor and Director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology and Obstetrics and Gynecology in the School of Medicine and Professor of Animal Biology in the School of Veterinary Medicine. He is Adjunct Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Gearhart is a developmental geneticist and his research over the past several decades has been directed at an understanding the molecular and cellular basis of human embryonic development. Dr. Gearhart is a leader in the development and use of human reproductive technologies, embryo and germ cell manipulations and in the genetic engineering of cells. In 1998, Dr. Gearhart and his research team at Johns Hopkins published the first report on the derivation of pluripotent stem cells from germ cells of the human embryo. Dr. Gearhart was a founding member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research and serves on a number of advisory boards and committees of foundations, institutes and professional societies involved in stem cell research and ethics and has been active in education, outreach and public policy issues of stem cell science.
Dan Gincel, Ph.D.
Dr. Dan Gincel is the Director of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund at the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), quasi State agency charged with fiduciary and administrative responsibilities of the MSCRF. Dr. Gincel represents Maryland on the Inter-State Alliance on Stem Cell Research (IASCR), an organization that fosters effective inter-state collaboration by assisting states in developing stem cell research programs. He has over 12 years of extensive experience that spans various areas in biochemistry, cell biology and stem cell research. Before joining TEDCO, Dr. Gincel completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, researching glutamate transporters and neurological diseases.
Robert A. Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D.
Robert A. Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D., is Senior Vice President, Scientific Affairs, for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, where he is responsible for guiding national and international research programs and strengthening JDRF’s relationships with global institutions including the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Goldstein received his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University, his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, his Ph.D. from George Washington University, and his MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Dr. Goldstein has participated in National Academy of Sciences workshops on embryonic stem cell research and served on the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine’s advisory committees. He has represented JDRF at the International Stem Cell Forum since its inception in 2003.
Raphael Gorodetsky, Ph.D.
Professor Raphael Gorodetsky, Ph.D., is the Head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology & Radiobiology at Hadassah Hebrew-University- Medical Center; affiliated to the Hebrew University Medical School. Specialties include cell-matrix interaction for innovative regenerative medicine, cancer research and radiobiology. Prof. Gorodetsky is a co-founder and Chief Scientist of HAPTO Biotech, focusing on the development of fibrin based technologies for tissue regeneration. Had his BSc MSc. and PhD in Biophysics, Neurobiology and Cancer research at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and post-doc at Experimental Radiation Oncology at UCLA Medical Center with special emphasis on effects on normal tissues exposed to radiation; author of more than 85 peer-reviewed articles and chapters in books as well as a dozen of international patents in different areas of biotechnology.
Duncan Graham, Ph.D.
Duncan Graham is a professor of chemistry and director of the centre for molecular nanometrology at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. His interests are in using chemistry to produce nanosensors that respond or trigger specific biological species or events. He is currently Deputy Director of WestCHEM (the joint chemical sciences research school of Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities), Director of Research Admissions and Head of Research for Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde. He has been awarded numerous awards for his research including the RSCs SAC Silver medal and Corday Morgan prize and was elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He is also a cofounder and director of D3 Technologies Ltd.
Paul Grayson
Paul Grayson, president and CEO of Fate Therapeutics, leads an experienced team interrogating adult stem cell biology and applying induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to develop small molecule and biologic Stem Cell Modulators (SCM). The Company’s lead SCM, FT1050, is in Phase 1b clinical trial for hematopoietic reconstitution. In addition, Fate and Stemgent formed CATALYST, a collaborative program to provide members first access to the most advanced iPSC technologies for drug discovery and development. Previously, Grayson was managing director of Sanderling Ventures, a founding management team member of Aurora Biosciences and the founding chairman, CEO and president of Senomyx.
James C. Greenwood
James C. Greenwood is President and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), which represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in more than 30 nations. BIO members research and develop innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the annual BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry. Before joining BIO in 2005, Mr. Greenwood represented Pennsylvania’s Eighth District in the U.S. House of Representatives for twelve years. Prior to his election to Congress, he served twelve years in the Pennsylvania state legislature.
Sarah Haecker, Ph.D.
Dr. Sarah Haecker is an independent business strategist for the Regenerative Medicine Industry. She has more than 16 years of senior-level management experience combining technical and business knowledge with emphasis in strategy, business development, licensing, opportunity assessment, market analysis and partnering early to late stage technologies in the private and public sectors. Her current client list ranges from big pharma to emerging ReGEN and stem cell based companies, investment banking and venture to academia. She has both published and spoken to a world-wide audience broadly in the area of progressive, innovative stem cell science and specifically on business modelling in the ReGEN Industry With postdoctoral training in the School of Medicine and Gene Therapy Program at the University of Pennsylvania, she has a broad technical knowledge base in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, stem cell biology and application, gene and cell therapy, translational research, and clinic applications. Dr. Haecker has authored numerous articles in both the scientific as well as the business literature. She holds a doctorate degree in molecular biology and bioethics from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin. She has continued education in the MBA program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
Erica Haimes, Ph.D.
Erica Haimes is Professor of Sociology at Newcastle University in the UK. She was Founding Executive Director of the PEALS (Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences) Research Centre where she is now Professorial Fellow. She has researched extensively into various aspects of the socio-ethical issues raised by recent developments in the life sciences, with a particular focus on reproductive and genetic technologies, and on the provision of human tissue for research. She is currently leading research on two major projects: first, a Wellcome-Trust funded study of potential donors' experiences of being asked to provide 'spare' fresh embryos for human embryonic stem cell research (a UK-based study, with existing and developing replications across Europe, North America and Australasia) (Haimes and Taylor, 2009); second, a Medical Research Council-funded study of the world's first 'egg sharing for research' scheme, in which IVF patients are offered reduced fees for providing eggs for somatic cell nuclear transfer research. Professor Haimes has served on various ethics and policy advisory boards across the world. These currently include membership of the Ethics and Governance Council of UKBiobank and membership of the Ethics and Policy Committee of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
Ann Hardy, Ph.D.
Dr. Ann Hardy is an Extramural Human Research Protections Officer in NIH’s Office of Extramural Research. Prior to joining OER, Dr. Hardy spent 7 years as a Scientific Review Officer at the Center for Scientific Review where she established the Biostatistical Methods and Research Design study section. Dr. Hardy has a master’s degree in microbiology and a doctoral degree in epidemiology, both from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health. Upon completion of her doctoral training, Dr. Hardy spent five years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working on AIDS surveillance and epidemiology, first as an Epidemic Intelligence Officer and then as a staff epidemiologist. She then spent 12 years at the National Center for Health Statistics as an analyst and as the Associate Director for Science for the National Health Interview Survey. Dr. Hardy’s areas of expertise include health survey and epidemiological methods and infectious disease epidemiology.
Joshua M. Hare, M.D., FACC, FAHA
Dr. Hare is the Louis Lemberg Professor and Director of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Hare is the founding director of the Miller School of Medicine’s Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, an Institute devoted to the new field of regenerative medicine. The Institute houses more than 10 independent research groups devoted to basic scientific and translational work in the field of stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine. Dr. Hare is a pioneer in the field of stem cell therapeutics for human heart disease, and conducted a first-in-man study of allogeneic bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat patients with heart damage due to myocardial infarction. Dr. Hare’s work is supported by a Specialized Center for Cell Therapeutics award from the National Institutes of Health, which supports ongoing clinical trials in cardiac regenerative medicine. At the University of Miami there are now several active clinical studies of stem cell therapy for patients with heart failure and heart attack, and these trials include catheter delivery and surgical approaches to administer cellular therapy. Under Dr. Hare’s leadership, ISCI has active programs in cancer biology, cardiology, neonatology, skin diseases, bone diseases, and a program devoted to the ethics of stem cell therapy. Before joining the University of Miami, Dr. Hare was Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Cardiac Transplant and Heart Failure program at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He received his medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1988. He subsequently served an internship, residency and fellowship in Internal Medicine at The Johns Hopkins Hospital (1991) followed by a fellowship in Cardiovascular Medicine at The Brigham and Women’s Hospital (1994). While at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Hare had an extensive track-record of translational research, performing studies in both experimental systems and in humans with congestive heart failure and diseases of heart muscle, with an emphasis on the biology of nitric oxide, oxidative stress, and stem cells. He has published over 175 original research articles, editorials, review articles, and book chapters and is the recipient of five grants from the National Institutes of Health. He has directed multiple clinical trials, including an international Phase II/III study of oxypurinol, a new drug for heart failure, as well at a multicenter Phase I study of MSCs for heart attack patients. At Hopkins, Dr. Hare was also an investigator in the Donald W. Reynold’s Center for Translational Research and directed the Cardiovascular section of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering (ICE), where he spearheaded the application of new stem-cell based therapies to patients with diseases of the heart.
Robert J. Hariri, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Hariri previously served as an Associate Professor of Surgery at Cornell University Medical College. Dr. Hariri transitioned his career from academic medicine to industry while being actively involved in Life Sciences and Biotechnology Venture Capital. Prior to joining Celgene Corporation, Dr. Hariri was Founder, Chairman and Chief Science Officer of Anthrogenesis Corp./LIFEBANK, Inc., a privately held biomedical technology and service corporation involved in umbilical-cord-blood banking and its supporting technology platform. Celgene acquired Anthrogenesis Corp./LIFEBANK, Inc. in 2003. Prior to founding Anthrogenesis/LIFEBANK, Dr. Hariri was Co-Founder, Vice-Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer of Neurodynamics, Inc., a privately held medical-device and technology corporation. Dr. Hariri is currently on the Board of Directors at ImmuneRegen Biosciences, Semorex Corporation, National Emergency Medical Response Agency, and Archon XPrize in Genomics (Scientific Advisory Board). Dr. Hariri was admitted to undergraduate studies at Columbia University in 1976 and completed a 2-2 program at both the School of Engineering and Applied Science and College in 1980. Dr. Hariri went on to Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences in 1982 and obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees in 1987.
Elizabeth Hart-Wells, Ph.D.
Dr. Hart-Wells is the Executive Director of UMB’s Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property group, which is responsible for all commercialization activities of UMB-owned intellectual property. Libby is the intellectual propety manager for the Middle Atlantic Regional Centers of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases (MARCE). Prior to coming to UMB, Libby was awarded a AAAS Congressional Science Fellow, sponsored by the American Chemical Society, and served as professional legislative staff for then-Congressman Sherrod Brown. Libby also was a research associate at Tthe National Academies serving as staff to the Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy. Libby is registered with the United States Patent & Trademark Office as a patent agent and worked at Fulbright & Jaworski on patent prosecution matters in the biotechnology and chemical arts. Libby started her career as an analytical chemist in the private sector working for at Sigma Chemical Co. and, later, at Aronex Pharmaceuticals. and holds a Ph.D in Bio-Organic Chemistry from Rice University and a B.S. in chemistry from Indiana University.
Margaret Conn Himelfarb, M.P.H.
Margaret Conn Himelfarb, MPH is widely recognized for her research advocacy. She founded the coalition Maryland Families for Stem Cell Research and led the statewide grassroots campaign for stem cell research funding. Margaret serves on the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee. She also sits on the Institutional Review Board and several advisory boards for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. A founder, past chair, and the first Honorary Life Member of the Maryland Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Margaret has reviewed research grants for JDRF for over 15 years, and is a member of the Foundation’s International Board of Chancellors. Her advocacy efforts include spearheading the successful national campaign for a Diabetes Awareness postage stamp.
John Hunt, D.Sc., Ph.D.
Professor John A. Hunt (D.Sc. Ph.D.) Head of the Division of Clinical Engineering (U.K. Centre for Tissue Engineering (UKCTE)), he has been in this field of research for the last 20 years, over 100 peer reviewed publications, and Associate Editor for Biomaterials, Subject Editor for Biomaterials in “Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science”. Research focuses on the assessment of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of biocompatibility and tissue engineering, addressing the key areas of primary cell sourcing, controlling cell function and phenotype by substrate interactions, angiogenesis and inflammation.
Tim Hunter
Mr. Hunter is the Director of Reimbursement for MCRA, LLC, a consulting firm that works with emerging and established companies to commercialize musculoskeletal and related technologies. He has 12 years of experience helping biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and device companies understand the complex and constantly changing world of healthcare coverage and reimbursement. Prior to joining MCRA, Mr. Hunter worked for Ortho Biotech, L.P., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, where he was charged with understanding how federal Medicare and Medicaid policy changes impacted the company's portfolio of products, its customers, and patient access. While at Johnson & Johnson, Mr. Hunter also provided strategic coverage and reimbursement direction for oncologic technologies in development and analyzed technologies for possible licensing and acquisition. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Mr. Hunter worked as a consultant with Covance Health Economics and Outcomes Services, where he led client companies through the intricacies of Medicare and Medicaid coverage, and worked with them to facilitate private health insurance coverage, new product development, and product commercialization. Mr. Hunter also has held positions within the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Mr. Hunter holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and History and a Masters degree in Public Administration, with an emphasis in Health Care Management, from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
Rosario M. Isasi, J.D., M.P.H.
osario Isasi is currently a Research Associate at the Centre of Genomics and Policy, Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Human Genetics at McGill University. Her research interests intersect public health, ethics, law and science. She has particular expertise in the area of comparative law and international governance issues surrounding regenerative medicine and stem cell research. She has published in Science, Human Reproduction, Cell Stem Cell, Stem Cell Research, AJLM, JLME among other journals. Closely related to her academic work is her role as a policy adviser to government, professional and international bodies, such as the United Nations, where she played an active role in the adoption of the UN Declaration on Human Cloning. Most recently, she has contributed to the Bioethics Education Project of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Rosario Isasi is the Academic Secretary of the International Stem Cell Forum Ethics Working Party and a member of the Hinxton Group, an international Consortium on Stem Cells, Ethics and Law. She is also a member of the Legal and Human Rights Advisory Board of the Genetics Policy Institute; and member of the advisory board of Global Lawyers and Physicians, a transnational professional association of lawyers and physicians working together to promote human rights and health. She holds her J.D. from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, where she practiced corporate and health law. She received her Masters of Public Health from Boston University, USA.
Alan L. Jakimo, M.B.A., J.D.
Alan L. Jakimo, a partner in the New York office of Sidley Austin LLP, focuses on transactions involving the development, use, transfer, and financing of technology primarily in the life science and information science industries. His assignments encompass a broad range of transactions involving financial institutions and operating enterprises along the spectrum from start-up to seasoned in venues around the globe. He serves as a Special Professor of Law at Hofstra University, where he teaches a course on the impact of law on the pathway that drugs, biologics, medical devices, and advanced therapeutic products follow from discovery to commercialization. Mr. Jakimo also serves on the Legal Advisory Board of Genetics Policy Institute, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of helping to guide policy-making in stem cell research and regenerative medicine.
Richard J. Jones, M.D.
Richard J. Jones, M.D. is Professor of Oncology, Medicine, and Pathobiology, Director of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Program, and co-Director of Hematologic Malignancies at Johns Hopkins University. His major area of interest is normal and malignant stem cell biology, especially the translation of promising findings from the laboratory to the clinic to improve the treatment of malignant and non-malignant blood disorders. He has authored over 200 articles and book chapters on transplantation biology, hematologic malignancies, and hematopoiesis. Dr. Jones is a past Stohlman Memorial Scholar of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Timothy J. Kamp, M.D., Ph.D., FACC
Timothy Kamp’s research focuses on the generation of human heart cells from pluripotent stem cells. Work in Kamp’s lab demonstrated that human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells can effectively form the three major types of heart muscle cells with characteristic electrical properties. His laboratory uses the stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to advance understanding of heart disease and to promote cardioregenerative medicine applications.
Jeffrey S. Karan
Mr. Karan is passionate about Regenerative Medicine and is a frequent speaker regarding the business of launching significant, sustainable RM companies. Prior to joining Proteus, Jeff Karan was the Founder and Managing Partner of Woodside Capital Partners (“WCP”), a boutique investment bank headquartered in Silicon Valley. Mr. Karan has over 25 years of investment banking and corporate advisory experience, including 12 years at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. During his time in New York, Mr. Karan participated in the execution of over $5 billion of debt and equity financings, and merger and acquisition transactions, as well as a wide range of other debt, equity and hybrid security offerings. Mr. Karan brings a unique perspective regarding the aggregation of assets (including IP), capital raising, partnership negotiation, and exit strategy that are integral to the life cycle of emerging, high-growth companies.
John L. Kellermann, III
John Kellermann was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1992 at the age of 38. The disease progressed to the point where doctors recommended surgery called Deep Brain Stimulation, in which electrodes are implanted to produce electrical impulses to the brain to attempt to relieve the symptoms. Since then, John has spent the majority of his time in a volunteer capacity within the Parkinson’s advocacy community, providing support for other Parkinson’s patients and their families. He was the leading voice of advocacy for Maryland Families for Stem Cell Research, during passage of The Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006. In 2006, he was appointed to the Maryland Stem Cell Research commission. His next challenge is advocating for patients with pancreatic cancer, a disease with which he was diagnosed in February, 2009. John and his wife Marye live in Towson, MD. They have 3 grown children. “Parkinson’s disease has robbed me of my middle age, says Kellermann, but the hope for a cure thru stem cell therapy keeps alive my dream of dancing at my daughters’ weddings. I am grateful for the work done by the attendees of the World Stem Cell Summit in this science that has the potential to help millions of people like me.”
Peter D. Kiernan
Peter Kiernan is a leader in investment banking, philanthropy, media and new ventures. On Wall Street, he completed tens of billions of dollars in transactions, developing close relationships with major companies, CEO’s and wealthy individuals, while a senior partner at Goldman Sachs. He currently serves as Chairman of four corporate boards and three charitable boards. He is Chairman of Robin Hood Foundation, Co-Chairman of World T.E.A.M. Sports, a founding Board Member of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation and of Denise Rich’s G&P Foundation. He is also on the Board of Williams College. For ten years he served in numerous capacities including Chairman of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Westchester.
Robert Klein, J.D.
Robert Klein’s commitment to advancing medical research originated with his son’s diagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes in 2001. Bob served as the author and campaign chairman of California’s Proposition 71, the $6 billion “California Stem Cell Research and Cures” ballot initiative. Bob serves as the Chairman of the governing board of the California stem cell research funding agency, the CA Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), established by Proposition 71. Time Magazine honored Bob as one of the “World’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year” for 2005. Soon after, Scientific American named Bob one of “The Scientific American 50” as a leader shaping the future of science.
Irina Kolosova, Ph.D.
Dr. Irina Kolosova is a Research Associate in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD). Dr. Kolosova graduated from Moscow state University (Russia) and completed a post-doctoral training at the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD). Since 2000 she has been continuously working on molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of pulmonary pathological conditions such as acute lung injury, fibrosis and hypoxia. In particular, she has an interest in the role of bone marrow stem cells in the lung remodeling during pulmonary hypertension.
Mitra Lavasani, Ph.D.
Dr. Lavasani is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. She received her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology at San Jose State University and her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh under the mentorship of Dr. Johnny Huard. At the Stem Cell Research Center (SCRC), her multidisciplinary research explores the use of muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs) transplantation to enhance axonal/glial regeneration and provide functional recovery to peripheral nervous system (PNS) injuries in murine experimental models. Her proposed stem cell-based therapy concept is based upon the ability of transplanted stem cells to transform into specific tissue cell types or to participate in the recovery process by reducing axonal degeneration and scar formation, while promoting myelination. Her models evaluate the potential for MDSCs to adopt a Schwann cell (PNS supporting cell) phenotype in vitro and in vivo, and examine their plasticity in response to environmental cues to support nerve fiber regeneration and re-myelination. Dr. Lavasani is also working on characterizing the adult MDSCs in aging models of ERCC1-XPF progeroid mice. Her goal is to use wild type MDSCs-transplantation to delay or ameliorate the pathologies associated with aging. She aims to determine the mechanisms by which MDSCs extend lifespan in the Ercc1 mutant mice models. She has won multiple awards, including the New Investigator Recognition Award (NIRA) at 53rd Annual ORS Meeting (2007); first place in the Scientific Retreat Poster Contest for Cellular Therapies at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine (2007); Chancellor’s Outstanding Student, University of Pittsburgh (2006); New Investigator Recognition Award (NIRA) Candidate at the 51st Annual ORS Meeting (2005); and Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards, University of Pittsburgh, Bioengineering Department (2005).
Jane Lebkowski, Ph.D.
Jane Lebkowski joined Geron Corporation in 1998 and is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Regenerative Medicine Division. Dr. Lebkowski heads Geron’s human embryonic stem cell program, and is responsible for all research, preclinical development, product development, manufacturing, and clinical development activities. Prior to Geron, Dr. Lebkowski was Vice President of Research and Development at Applied Immune Sciences. Following the acquisition of Applied Immune Sciences by Rhone Poulenc Rorer (RPR, currently Sanofi-Aventis), Dr. Lebkowski remained at RPR as Vice President of Discovery Research. During Dr. Lebkowski’s tenure at RPR, she coordinated preclinical investigations of gene therapy approaches for treatment of cancer, cardiovascular disease and nervous system disorders, and directed vector formulations and delivery development. Dr. Lebkowski received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Princeton University in 1982, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Department of Genetics, Stanford University in 1986. Dr Lebkowski has published over 70 peer reviewed papers and has 12 issued U.S. patents. Dr. Lebkowski serves as the co-chair of the Industrial Committee of the International Society for Stem Cell Research and serves on the editorial boards of several scientific publications.
Alan J. Lewis, Ph.D.
Alan J. Lewis, Ph.D., joined the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2009. Previously Dr. Lewis served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Novocell, Inc. since February 2006. Prior to Novocell, Dr. Lewis served as CEO and Director of Signal Pharmaceuticals before its acquisition in 2000 by Celgene, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule drugs for cancer and immunological diseases. He then served as President of the Signal Research Division at Celgene. Dr. Lewis previously held the position of Vice President of Research at Wyeth-Ayerst, where he spent 15 years leading research efforts in diabetes, CNS, cardiovascular, inflammatory, allergy, and bone metabolism diseases. Dr. Lewis currently serves as a Director of BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc., Cytochroma, Inc., Biotica and the Scottish Stem Cell Network. Dr. Lewis received a B.Sc. in Physiology and Biochemistry from Southampton University, Southampton, Hampshire, U.K., a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Wales, Cardiff, U.K. and completed his postdoctoral training at Yale University. He is also an Honorary Fellow and Chair of the Life Sciences Department at the University of Wales in Swansea, U.K.
Jeanne Loring, Ph.D.
Jeanne Loring is Professor of Developmental Neurobiology and founding Director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute. Dr. Loring has held research and management positions at biotechnology companies including Hana Biologics, GenPharm International, Molecular Dynamics, and Incyte Genomics, and was most recently the Co-Director of one of the country’s first NIH-funded Stem Cell Centers, at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Loring served as chair of the Clinical Neuroscience review committee of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Co-Chair of the NIH Neuroscience Blue Print and NIH Regenerative Medicine Road Map Workshops, and serves as Co-Chair for the Regulatory and Ethics Board for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She is a member of the Society for Neuroscience, Society for Developmental Biology, ASCB, ISSCR, American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, and the International Stem Cell Initiative, a multinational group that is establishing scientific standards for human pluripotent stem cell research.
S. Peter Ludwig, J.D.
S. Peter Ludwig focuses his practice on patent and technology matters for early stage technology companies, academic institutions, and small public companies. Specializing in counseling, litigation and complex patent prosecution, he has represented clients on patent matters in: Biotechnology (stem cell therapeutics, vaccines, high throughput screening systems, pharmacogenomic testing, gene therapy, therapeutic antibodies, and retroviral vectors, cytokines); Pharmaceuticals (neuroleptic drugs, antimetabolites, natural pharmaceuticals, drug delivery systems, ACE Inhibitors, anti-viral agents, anti-tumor agents, wound healing accelerators); Medical devices (catheters, Dialysis Cartridges, Continuous positive airway pressure machines, artificial joints, prophylactics, Plasma Sterilization Devices, Endoscopic Instruments; Intrauterine Devices, and surgical rubber gloves); and Industrial Chemistry (Photopolymers, Aluminum processing, Food Packaging materials, Paper Bleaching and Pulping, Light Emitting Diodes, and Continuous Anodizing Machines).
Drew Lyall
Drew Lyall joined the Stem Cell Network shortly after it was founded in 2001, and he is the full-time manager of the Network. For four years prior to joining the SCN, Drew was the Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary for two start-up companies in Ottawa, one focused on the use of transgenic technologies for the production of therapeutic proteins, and the other a software company. Prior to that, he spent ten years with Coopers & Lybrand specializing in business planning, strategic planning, public-private partnerships, and commercialization. Drew holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford; he is a Chartered Accountant (UK), and a Certified Management Consultant (Canada).
Stuart S. Martin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Physiology, Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum NCI Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Martin received his Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego, after training as a Howard Hughes undergraduate research fellow at the University of Virginia. Dr. Martin completed a Damon Runyon postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School that combined functional genomic studies with mouse models of breast tumor metastasis, under the mentorship of Dr. Phil Leder. In 2004, Dr. Martin was recruited to a joint faculty appointment with the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center and the Department of Physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Martin’s research group identified unique cytoskeletal structures, called microtentacles, that occur in detached and circulating tumor cells. Microtentacles are implicated in the ability of circulating tumor cells to reattach in distant tissues during metastasis. Recent evidence from Dr. Martin’s lab shows that microtentacles increase in breast tumor cells with greater stem cell characteristics and that regulated induction of the tumor stem cell phenotype directly promotes microtentacles.
Chris Mason, MBBS, Ph.D., FRCS
Chris Mason holds the Chair of Regenerative Medicine Bioprocessing at University College London. He has a Clinical Sciences degree (Imperial College), a Medical Degree (St. Thomas’s Hospital), a PhD in tissue-engineering (UCL) and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. He is also Director of the Regenerative Medicine Bioprocessing Unit in the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering at UCL, Senior Editor of “Regenerative Medicine” journal, co-founder and Director of the London Regenerative Medicine Network (LRMN) and founding Steering Committee member for the UK National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN).
John McDonald, M.D., Ph.D.
John W. McDonald, III, M.D., Ph.D., is Director of The International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at the Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore, Maryland. The Center opened in June 2005 offering rehabilitation for adults and children living with spinal cord injury. The rehabilitation therapy program, as well as the clinical and basic science research taking place in the Center focus on the role of activity in the restoration of function after CNS injury. Dr. McDonald is also Associate Professor of Neurology and PM&R at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Prior to his move to Baltimore, Dr. McDonald was Medical Director of the Spinal Cord Neurorehabilitative Unit at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis and Section Head of the Spinal Cord Injury Program at Washington University in St. Louis.
Martin McGlynn
Martin McGlynn has served as President and CEO of StemCells, Inc. since 2001. A seasoned leader, Mr. McGlynn has several decades of experience in the biotechnology and life sciences industries in Europe, Canada and the United States. Prior to joining StemCells, Mr. McGlynn occupied executive level positions at Pharmadigm, Inc., Anaquest, Inc. and Abbott Labs. Mr. McGlynn is a native of Dublin, Ireland and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College, Dublin. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Confederation of Irish Industries (CII) and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Canada (PMAC).
Ronald D.G. McKay, Ph.D.
Prior to taking his current position at the NINDS in 1993, Ronald D. McKay worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He also worked at Oxford University and at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. He received his doctorate for work in nucleic acid chemistry with Ed Southern, PhD, at the University of Edinburgh. ??In the first of his contributions to neurobiology, McKay showed that the nervous system was composed of many molecularly distinct neuronal types. This fact has now been supported by additional studies; at the time, however, these experiments had a strong impact because they were the first to use a powerful molecular technique to demonstrate the extraordinary biochemical complexity of the central nervous system (CNS). His recent work has focused on the stem cells of the CNS. In a 1988 paper he provided the first clear proof that neuronal precursors could be identified. These studies have generated a series of important insights into the properties of stem cells in the developing and adult nervous system. They challenge the textbook view that the differences between brain regions are irreversibly imprinted on cells at the time of gastrulation; instead, the results of his group add striking support to the conclusion that extracellular signals play a major role directing cell differentiation through the entire period of CNS development. McKay's work has importance beyond the intrinsic academic interest in the properties of stem cells and strongly influences strategies for cell- and gene-based therapies for CNS disease. He is a sought-after speaker and has been on the editorial boards of several major journals, including Neuron, Genes and Development, The Journal of Neuroscience, The European Journal of Neuroscience, Current Protocols in Neuroscience, Neurobiology of Disease, and Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience.
C. Randall Mills, Ph.D.
C. Randal Mills, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, joined Osiris in May 2004. Dr. Mills is also a member of the Board of Directors. Prior to joining Osiris, Dr. Mills was an executive officer of Regeneration Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ—RTIX). Dr. Mills served in several leadership positions at RTI from its formation in 1998 until 2004, including Vice President of Business Development and Vice President of Operations and R&D and is credited with several key initiatives including the development and commercialization of RTI’s core technology, BioCleanse®. Prior to RTI, Dr. Mills was a member of the founding management team of the University of Florida Tissue Bank, Inc. The University of Florida Tissue Bank was the predecessor company to RTI. Dr. Mills received a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and cell science and a Ph.D. in drug development, both from the University of Florida.
Alex Moffet, CEO
Alex Moffett is the CEO of Beike Holdings Limited, a Hong Kong based holding company for Shenzhen Beike Biotechnology (China). Mr. Moffett has extensive business experience in managing synergistically integrated corporate structures and had built seven life science corporations in the US, Brazil, South East Asia and India over the past 25 years and is heading the expansion of Beike’s international operations. Beike China was founded by Dr. Sean Hu and is the largest and most experienced applied stem cell Therapeutics Company in the world. Over the past four years Beike has treated over 6,100 humans, primarily utilizing umbilical cord blood and tissue derived stem cells. Beike has also developed a network of 31 hospitals in Asia and is rapidly expanding its corporate network of global subsidiaries outside of China. The company is constructing cGMP stem cell processing labs and treatment centers to support local hospitals in Asia that are actively pioneering the use of adult stem cells in Regenerative Medicine based therapeutics. Beike has initiated six human clinical studies on its existing stem cell products and will soon be expanding the scope of the stem cells species utilized for a variety of new disease treatments.
Jeff Mooney, Ph.D.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Mooney joined Corning in June of 2000, as business technology manager, Corning Microarray Technologies, responsible for assessing and developing product concepts and technologies for genomics, proteomics, and advanced life sciences. He was appointed to program director, Advance Life Sciences in April 2002,and to his current position of commercial technology director in July of 2003. Prior to joining Corning, he was the head of microarrays, department of molecular biology, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals R&D. His responsibilities included the design, development and implementation of platform technologies for high throughput gene expression analysis and full length gene cloning. Mooney was responsible for the successful in-house development of both nylon macroarrays and glass microarrays. Integration of these technologies into the drug discovery and validation process and coordination for informatic systems was also a key initiative. Mooney has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from Gettysburg College and Villanova University respectively and an Master of Arts Doctorate in biology from Temple University. He has over 50 patents and 15 publications relating to genes essential for growth, microarrays, high throughput cDNA cloning and sequencing.
Alan Moore, CEO
Dr. Alan Moore obtained a Ph.D. in pharmacology in 1974 from the University of Aston in Birmingham, England. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic from 1974 to 1977. From 1977 to 1979 he was Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at the Institute for Cardiovascular Studies and Department of Pharmacology at the University of Houston. From 1979 to 1982 he was Unit Leader, Pharmacology and Senior Research Scientist at Norwich Eaton Pharmaceuticals. Following the acquisition of Norwich Eaton by Procter & Gamble, Dr. Moore held increasingly senior positions as Section Chief, Director of Research, and then Director of New Drug Development before assuming his most recent role there from 1998 to 2002 as General Manager, Cardiac R&D. Prior to joining SCT, Dr. Moore was Executive VP, Clinical Development and Regulatory Affairs at Cardiome Pharma Corp. (TSX: COM) from 2002 through end of 2004, where he was responsible for all clinical and regulatory activities. Most recently, Dr. Moore was Chief Clinical and Regulatory Officer for Stem Cell Therapeutics, responsible for moving NTx®-265 from preclinical through phase I and into early phase II clinical studies, and exploring new therapeutic applications. Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Pacgen Biopharma (TSX-V: PGA) in Vancouver, Canada. He has 28 years of senior management experience in pharmaceutical research and development including 23 years with increasingly senior responsibilities at Procter & Gamble. During his extensive working history, Dr. Moore has completed 12 investigational new drug (IND) applications or supplemental INDs, 16 phase I studies, 12 phase II studies, 9 phase III studies and 2 new drug applications. One of Dr. Moore’s completed phase III studies enrolled 4,000 patients and included centers in 26 countries.
Jonathan D. Moreno, Ph.D.
Jonathan D. Moreno is the David and Lyn Silfen University Professor of Ethics and Professor of Medical Ethics and of History and Sociology of Science at Penn. He holds a courtesy appointment as Professor of Philosophy. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC, where he edits the magazine Science Progress (www.scienceprogress.org). He was a member of President Barack Obama’s transition team for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Megan Munsie
Dr Megan Munsie’s career in stem cell research spans her proof-of-concept somatic cell nuclear transfer studies in mouse and her involvement in deriving one of Australia’s first HESC lines; through to her participation in the reform of Australian legislation governing this area and her participation on the ISSCR Task Force on the Clinical Translation of Stem Cells. Megan is currently a member of the Australian Stem Cell Centre’s management team where she is responsible for the administration of its diverse research portfolio and its government interactions. Megan received her undergraduate degree from QUT and a Masters and Doctorate of Philosophy from Monash University.
Mark Noble, Ph.D.
Mark Noble is one of the pioneers of stem cell research, beginning in 1983 as a co-discoverer of the first precursor cell isolated from the CNS. Dr. Noble and his associates currently work in multiple areas, including: cell discovery; repair of CNS injury; precursor cell dysfunction as a component of disease pathogenesis; chemotherapy-induced damage to the CNS as a precursor cell disease; cellular and molecular analysis of glioma generation and treatment; precursor cell physiology: regulation of development, signaling and disease by intracellular redox status; toxicant-mediated disruption of progenitor cell and neuronal function; and, toxicant-mediated effects on signaling pathway function.
Pearl O’Rourke, M.D.
Pearl is the Director of Human Research Affairs at Partners HealthCare Systems (PHS), the Chair of the PHS ESCRO (Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight) Committee. Pearl’s resume includes: many years as a pediatric critical care clinician and researcher; involvement in international medical care; service as an IRB member; Labor Committee staff member for Senator E.M. Kennedy; Deputy Director of the Office of Science Policy in the Office of the Director at NIH, and chairman of the board for PRIMR (Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research).
Tea Soon Park, Ph.D.
Tea Soon Park completed her Ph.D. at Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh in 2008 and is currently working as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Elias Zambidis’s lab at the Institute of Cell Engineering, John Hopkins School of Medicine. Her research focuses on developing methods to produce progenitors of hematopoietic, vascular progenitors from human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells.
Warren S. Pear, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Pear holds degrees from Williams College (B.A), University of Rochester (M.D.) and the Karolinska Institute (Ph.D.). After completing Pathology residency training at Harvard Medical School and postdoctoral training in David Baltimore’s lab at MIT, Dr. Pear joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania where he is currently the The Gaylord P. and Mary Louise Harnwell Associate Professor of Pathology & Lab Medicine. Dr. Pear’s research focuses on the relationship between hematopoietic development and malignant transformation.
Amnon Pelz
Amnon Pelz (50) is one of the pioneers in the development of umbilical blood preservation in Israel, and is considered by many to be one of the most prominent specialists in the field. Combining scientific research, medical implementation, insurance perspective and business interface, Mr. Pelz nowadays leads the revolution of umbilical blood preservation and its transformation into a service approachable by all sectors of the society; a shelf product available to everybody. Through the years Mr. Pelz has developed the idea of creating a unique insurance policy, based on the concept that umbilical blood preservation is a significant insurance event. Should the child, whose umbilical blood was collected, be in need of the blood unit, this would certainly be an insurance event, namely, a predictable event, with assessable economic dimensions, risk expectancy and medical implications. In accordance with this concept, and in cooperation with secondary insurers and senior actuaries, Mr. Pelz has formulated the outlines for the first insurance policy ever, in Israel and worldwide, designated to insure the collection, the preservation and the future utilization of umbilical blood. The prominent professional innovation stands out in the field since it consists of a comprehensive solution covering any possible life saving option. Amnon Pelz was born in Israel and lives in Oranit Israel with his wife and three children. He is a second generation in the insurance business and runs one of the most successful insurance agencies in Israel.. Over the years he has served in various public positions at the Association of Insurance Brokers and Agents in Israel, including as the Presiding Judge of the Association National Disciplinary Court. Mr. Pelz is a graduate of the Insurance College, and holds a license to practice in all insurance fields.
Sharon R. Pine, Ph.D.
Sharon R. Pine, PhD is a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis at the NCI, NIH, and is a member of the NCI Lung Cancer Program and Cancer Stem Cell Consortium. Dr. Pine obtained her graduate training at New York Medical College where her work focused on leukemogenesis, and bone marrow-derived adult pluripotent stem cells. While a graduate student, Dr. Pine received the Brigid Leventhal award for highest ranking abstract at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Pine’s current interests involve translational research studies of human lung cancer. She is studying mechanisms that control lung cancer stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, imaging of cancer stem cells in vivo, and preclinical studies with cancer stem cell response as an endpoint.
Dr. Anne L. Plant
Dr. Anne L. Plant received a Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. She currently leads a group in Cell Systems Science at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and focuses on using quantitative cell imaging to provide insight into multiparametric correlations and sources of biological variability. She sits on advisory panels for FDA/CBER in the review of their programs in cell, tissue and gene therapies, and the NIBIB National Advisory Council. She is an officer for the ASTM International Committee on Standards for Cell Signaling, and the Standards Task Force of the International Society for Advanced Cytometry. She has co-authored over 65 publications and 4 patents.
James A. Poulos, III
Mr. Poulos is a registered patent attorney and the Vice President of Technology Transfer and Commercialization at Maryland TEDCO where he oversees the of the technology transfer programs funding program, including the award-winning Maryland Technology Transfer and Commercialization Fund—the signature program of TEDCO. In this role he is creating an angel network and the Power of Ten™ events have been used to attract venture funding for TEDCO Portfolio companies. Fifty companies have participated in these events and 20% have received Venture funding
Linda Powers, J.D.
Linda Powers is co-founder and Managing Director of Toucan Capital in Bethesda, MD. She has over 25 years’ experience in venture capital, corporate finance and restructurings, M&A, and public-private partnerships. Ms. Powers has been appointed to 3 Governors’ commissions to build respective states’ biotech and other high tech industries. She was elected the Chair of Maryland Stem Cell Commission, which administers the states’ stem cell funding program. Her board service includes directorships of eight biotechnology companies, and the National Academy of Sciences steering committee evaluating Federal research grant programs. Ms. Powers co-teaches a course on entrepreneurship for scientists at NIH, and taught for 8 years as an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law School. Ms. Powers holds a BA (Woodrow Wilson School/Economics) from Princeton University, where she graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She also earned a JD degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
Adam C. Puche, Ph.D.
Dr. Puche is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and an active in the School’s Program in Neuroscience and Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. His research interests focus upon the role that matrix remodeling plays in controlling and regulating the ability of neural stem cells to migrate throughout the adult brain. This research showed that neurovascular interactions are a key component to neural stem cell migration and a potential target for regulating transplanted stem cell migration.
Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, M.D.
Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa is an Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery and Oncology, Neuroscience and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and Director of the Brain Tumor Stem Cell Laboratory at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is also the Clinical Director of the Brain Tumor Surgery Program at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital. He received his medical degree from Harvard, where he graduated with honors. He then completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco, where he also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in developmental and stem cell biology.
Mahendra Rao
Mahendra Rao is internationally known for his research involving human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). After medical training in India Dr. Rao obtained a doctorate at Caltech and embarked on a career in developmental biology that included faculty positions of increasing seniority at the University of Utah and the NIH (NIA). Dr. Rao has published more than 250 papers on stem cell research and is the co-founder of a neural stem cell company Q therapeutics based in Salt lake City (Utah). He also has an extensive background teaching medical and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral fellows at institutions including The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore, India, and the University of Utah School of Medicine. Dr. Rao has served on several editorial boards, review panels scientific advisory boards and company boards. Dr Rao served as the Chair of the CBER (FDA) advisory committee (CTGTAC) and has served on advisory panels the governments of the U.S., Singapore and India on hESC policy. He continues to work with the FDA and other regulatory authorities on ESC related issues most recently as the ISSCR liaison to the ISCT. Dr Rao is currently the Vice president of Research in Regenerative Medicine at LiFE Technologies and maintains academic and adjunct appointments at several institutes including the Buck Institute on Aging Research. He currently serves on the Board of Thermoogenesis a company involved in devices for stem cell processing.
Ian Ratcliffe
Mr. Ratcliffe is currently President and CEO and a director of Stemgent Inc., a life science company focused on the development and sale of novel consumable reagents for use in stem cell research. Prior to this position, he served as President of Upstate, a leading provider of cell signaling research products and services. In this position Mr. Ratcliffe was instrumental in facilitating the acquisition of Upstate by Serologicals, Corp. and was subsequently retained as President of the Upstate division. Ian has a degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Surrey and has an M.B.A. from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia. Mr. Ratcliffe is currently the Chairman of Enzymatics (Boston), a manufacturer of molecular biology reagents, a director of Global Cell Solutions LLC (Charlottesville), a biotech company commercializing proprietary 3D cell culture technology and a director of Asterand PLC (LSE:ATD) a leading global supplier of high quality, well characterized human tissue and human tissue-based research services for drug discovery. Mr. Ratcliffe is also a General Partner with Keswick Ventures LLP, Virginia.
E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A.
Dr. E. Albert Reece is Vice President, Medical Affairs, University of Maryland and Dean, School of Medicine. A member of the Institute of Medicine, serves on National Academies Human Embryonic Stem Cell Advisory Committee. He directs a NIH-funded research laboratory, is one of the leading experts on diabetes-related birth defects, and has more than 500 publications. Dr. Reece received a B.S. degree (Magna Cum Laude) from Long Island University; a MD degree from NYU; a PhD degree in Biochemistry from University West Indies, Kingston; and a MBA degree from Temple University; Internship-Residency in OB/Gyn at Columbia University and Fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Yale University.
Don C. Reed
Don C. Reed has advanced many forms of stem cell research legislation, including: Sponsoring California’s Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999, source of initial funding for Dr. Hans Keirstead’s work, soon to become the world’s first embryonic stem cell research human trials, through Geron; Organizing grassroots support for America’s first stem cell legislations, SB 253 and other laws by California Senator Deborah Ortiz; Serving on the executive board for Proposition 71, which became the California stem cell research program; Cooperating with numerous other state and national efforts to advance research and scientific freedom.
Camillo Ricordi, M.D.
A professor of Surgery, Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology and Immunology, Dr. Ricordi serves as director of the Cell Transplant Center and head of the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami. Dr. Ricordi is known for developing the method for large scale isolation of human pancreatic islets, and for leading the team that performed the first series of successful clinical islet allografts in 1990. Dr. Ricordi’s research interests include induction of immune tolerance, cellular therapies, stem cells and regenerative medicine strategies. Dr. Ricordi received numerous honors and awards, authored over 600 scientific publications and, as inventor, holds nine patents.
Terry B. Rogers, Ph.D.
Dr. Terry Rogers received his B.S. in Chemistry from Cornell University. He then pursued his Ph.D. at the University of California, Davis in Biochemistry. He obtained postdoctoral training first in the University of Nice, FRANCE followed by a fellowship Johns Hopkins Medical School. Following postgraduate training he joined the Faculty at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is currently Professor in that Department, Adjunct Professor in the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and Director of the MD/PhD Program. Dr. Rogers’ research has contributed to our understanding of the fundamental molecular and electrical properties of cardiac cells. Over the years his laboratory has focused on intracellular signaling pathways that underlie the precise physiological control of Ca2+ signaling in heart and how these processes are disrupted in heart failure. Recently he has broadened his interests into the role of stem cell biology/signaling in a protective response of heart cells to stress. His research has been funded by NIH, American Heart Association, the Department of Defense and the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund.
Samuel I. “Sandy” Rosenberg
Samuel I. “Sandy” Rosenberg is a graduate of the Baltimore City public schools, Amherst College, and the Columbia University Law School. He has been a member of the House for Delegates since 1983 and currently serves as vice-chair of the Judiciary Committee. His most significant legislative accomplishments are reforming the death penalty law by adopting evidence standards that will reduce the risk of executing an innocent person; authorizing state funding of embryonic stem cell research; writing the holding of Roe v. Wade into Maryland law; creating three programs that encourage students to enter public service, by repaying a portion of the educational debt of people who have lower-paying public interest jobs, providing an up-front scholarship to students planning careers in public service, and giving a stipend to students who take public-interest summer jobs. For the last sixteen years, he has taught at the two law schools in Baltimore. He currently teaches Legislation at the both the University of Baltimore and the University of Maryland. He has also taught Legal Writing, as well as seminars on Law and the Homeless and Legislative Process: Abortion.
Karen Rothenberg, J.D., M.P.A.
Karen H. Rothenberg, J.D., M.P.A., is the Marjorie Cook Professor of Law, founding Director of the Law & Health Care Program, and served as Dean of the University of Maryland School of Law from 1999-2009. Professor Rothenberg is Chair of the Maryland Stem Cell Commission and a co-Chair of the 2009 World Stem Cell Summit. Her current research sabbatical includes studying the use of theatre as an innovative tool to identify and encourage discussion of the unique ethical, legal and social issues posed by emerging technologies in health care. Professor Rothenberg is a past president of the American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics and former co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics. She has also served as a member of the NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee, the National Action Plan for Breast Cancer, and on numerous NIH panels on prenatal care, the recruitment and retention of women in clinical studies, and the ethical, legal and social implications of genetics. She received both a B.A., magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Princeton University and an M.P.A. from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. She earned a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law where she was a member of the Order of the Coif.
Jeffrey D. Rothstein, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Rothstein is Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience and a faculty member of the Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. He is the Director of the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins, the Co-Director of the Brain Science Institute (BSI) and the Director of the BSI Neurotranslation Program. He directs the MDA/ALS Clinic and oversees one of the largest ALS clinics in the USA. In 2000 Dr. Rothstein organized the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins and serves as Director. This is the first multi-Institutional, Multi-National collaborative academic organization devoted toward understanding the cause of ALS and translating the information into new drug and cell based therapies. It uses an aggressive model of funding research among the leading young and senior researchers with funding based on performance expectations and mandatory collaboration. Currently the Center funds approximately 30 researchers, spending $2-3 million/yr. In the last 5 years the vast majority of leading ALS achievements, by researchers from around the country, has been the result of the various investigators supported via this approach. In recent years the collaboration has been extended to ALS and Neurodegenerative Disease non-profit organizations and NIH. The approach has lead to the unprecedented generation of new animal models of the disease and new clinical therapeutic targets.
Thomas Scalea. M.D.
In the mid 1980’s, Dr. Scalea became the Director of Critical Care and Trauma at the King’s County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York and built those into nationally recognized services. In 1991, Dr. Scalea founded the Department of Emergency Medicine at King’s County Hospital and SUNY Brook. This occurred after a very well publicized incident of allegations of poor medical care. Dr. Scalea reorganized clinical care and recruited an entire academic faculty. Over three years later, his department was granted an ACGME approved residency training program in emergency medicine on the first attempt. In 1997, Dr. Scalea became the Physician-in-Chief at the Shock Trauma Center. Believing that one must lead by example, he remains a busy clinical surgeon still taking night call. The Program in Trauma encompasses 50 physicians from seven different academic departments in the University of Maryland Baltimore. The nearly 100 bed hospital employs over 300 nurses and a total staff of about 450 people. The Program in Trauma is one of two independent academic homes for faculty. As Director, Dr. Scalea serves at the level of chairman within the school and hospital. As Physician-in-Chief, Dr. Scalea is responsible for clinical care in all medical administrative functions of the hospital. When Dr. Scalea arrived, the center admitted approximately 5800 patients. Treatment protocols have been streamlined. Innovative administrative redesign such as the institution of daily discharge planning rounds on all patients in the hospital has decreased length of stay 15%. This past fiscal year the center admitted 7700 patients.
Michael T. Shipley, Ph.D.
Michael T. Shipley, Ph.D. is the Donald E. Wilson Distinguished Professor & Chairman of the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology in the School of Medicine. Dr Shipley is also Director of the Program in Neuroscience for the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Dr. Shipley received his Ph.D. in Brain Sciences from MIT and received postdoctoral training at the University of Aarhus, Denmark and University of Oslo, Norway. Dr. Shipley’s current research focuses on the cellular and network bases of olfactory coding. Dr. Shipley has published over 170 peer-reviewed papers, invited reviews and book chapters.
Alan Shuldiner, M.D.
Dr. Shuldiner is the John Whitehurst Professor of Medicine, Director of the Program in Genetics and Genomic Medicine, and Head of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition. He is also an Investigator at the Baltimore Veterans Administration Geriatrics Research and Education Clinical Center. Dr. Shuldiner’s major research interests lie in the molecular biology and genetics age-related diseases including of type 2 diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and pharmacogenomics. He has authored more than 185 original articles in leading journals and 50 reviews and book chapters, most notably genome-wide studies in the Old Order Amish. He serves on several advisory boards and study sections.
Bernard Siegel, J.D.
Bernard Siegel, J.D., is the Founder and full-time Executive Director of the nonprofit Genetics Policy Institute (GPI) based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He is the founder and the co-chair of the World Stem Cell Summit series of global conferences and editor-in-chief of the World Stem Cell Report. He served as the immediate past co-chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. Mr. Siegel has appeared as a policy expert on the CBS Evening News, the CBS Early Show, CNN, CNN International, MSNBC, Fox and Friends, CNBC and network news shows throughout the U.S. and the world. He was profiled on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. He has been quoted in the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Wired, The Scientist, New Scientist, The London Times, Le Monde, Pravda, The Peoples Daily and many other publications.
Douglas A. Sipp
After working in the software and publishing industries in Tokyo, Doug Sipp joined the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in 2002 as manager of the Office for Science Communications and International Affairs. In 2009, he was appointed to head the Science Policy and Ethics Studies Unit at the same institute. He served as Chair of the International Committee of the International Society for Stem Cell Research from 2005 to 2009. He also serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the Asia-Pacific Developmental Biology Network and the Asia Reproductive Biotechnology Society, and business manager of the International Society of Developmental Biologists and the Stem Cell Network: Asia-Pacific. He is a member of the International Stem Cell Forum Ethics Working Party and coordinator of international programs for the Japanese Society of Developmental Biologists.
Lana R. Skirboll, Ph.D.
Dr. Lana Skirboll currently serves as the Acting Director of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Director (OD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). In this capacity, Dr. Skirboll directs national efforts to identify and address emerging scientific opportunities and rising public health challenges that cut across institutes, including those under the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research and that are supported through the Common Fund. Dr. Skirboll also leads NIH burgeoning efforts in portfolio analysis and analysis of burden of illness. She manages the scientific and technical review and coordination of the NIH program evaluation and performance management processes at the NIH. In addition, Dr. Skirboll oversees the OD programmatic offices that coordinate research and activities related to research on AIDS, behavioral and social sciences, women's health, disease prevention, rare diseases, and dietary supplements—efforts that reside in DPCPSI as a result of implementing requirements of the NIH Health Reform Act of 2006. Dr. Skirboll’s position of record is the Director of the Office of Science Policy, advising the NIH Director and 27 NIH Institute and Center Directors on a myriad of science policy issues. Dr. Skirboll is known for her national leadership on the ethical, legal, social, and economic implications of biomedical research; policy development for human subject protections; the privacy and confidentiality of research records; conflicts of interest; human embryo research; stem cell, cloning, and fetal tissue research; genetics, health, and society; dual use research, nanotechnology, biosafety, among others. Dr. Skirboll remains actively engaged in cross-cutting and landmark stem cell and other policy activities while serving in DPCPSI.
David Smith, M.B.A.
Mr. Smith joined Lonza Bioscience (previously Cambrex Bioproducts) in January 2002 as the Business Unit Director of the emerging Cell Therapy business. In 2004, he was promoted to Vice President, Business Development, and in December 2005 to Vice President, Cellular Therapeutics. In this role, David assumed responsibility for contract manufacturing, process development, contract sales, and the introduction of a new state-of-the-art therapeutic cell production facility that provides Lonza with the capacity to manufacture billions of cells per day. Since his arrival, the cell therapy business has grown rapidly and made considerable investments in research and development, supply chain logistics, and cGMP manufacturing facilities. Prior to joining Lonza, Mr. Smith was Vice President, Corporate Development at Claragen, Inc. and Business Unit Director at Invitrogen. Mr. Smith spent 14 years at The Upjohn Company in various sales and marketing roles, including leading the launch of the Parkinson’s therapeutic, Mirapex. He holds a BS in Pharmacy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA and a MBA from Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. Lonza is one of the world’s leading suppliers to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and life science industries. Lonza Walkersville is a leading supplier of primary human cells and cell culture reagents to the biotechnology research market, and is a contract manufacturer for the rapidly growing area of Cell Therapy. Lonza remains committed to the support of commercialization efforts.
Devyn Smith, Ph.D.
Devyn recently joined Pfizer Global Research & Development in the Strategic Management Group assisting Pfizer R&D with their strategic and operational challenges. Prior to Pfizer, Devyn was at The Frankel Group, a life sciences strategy consulting firm for seven years. He has had a wide range of experiences, across multiple therapeutic areas, including pulmonology, infectious disease, diabetes/metabolic, neurology, psychiatry, cardiovascular, dermatology, rheumatology, hematology, and immunology. During his time at Frankel Group, he had the opportunity to undertake over 50 projects involving Regenerative Medicine across a range of clients from large pharma to small biotech companies. These projects included corporate strategy, market opportunity assessments, partnering strategies, technology assessment, indication prioritization, and business model assessments. This work has resulted in several publications and speaking invitations to discuss the Regenerative Medicine space. Prior to joining Frankel Group, Devyn was at Adventis Corporation working as a management consultant to clients in information intensive companies including: pharmaceutical, telecommunications, and manufacturing companies. Projects included corporate strategy development, new product strategy development and launch, strategic marketing plan development, and process improvement plan development. Devyn holds a PhD in Genetics from Harvard Medical School. His research focused on embryonic development and retroviral technologies for gene transfer in vertebrates, which led to 12 publications in leading journals such as Cell, Nature, and Development. He also holds an MS from Idaho State University in Developmental Biology and a BS in Zoology and Chemistry from Brigham Young University.
Robin L. Smith, M.D., M.B.A.
Dr. Robin L. Smith joined Neostem as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board on June 2, 2006. Dr Smith, who received a medical degree from Yale University in 1992 and a master’s degree in business administration from the Wharton School in 1997, brings to the Company extensive experience in medical enterprises and business development. Dr. Smith currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the NYU Medical Center Board and is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the New York University Hospital for Joint Disease.
Shay Soker, Ph.D.
Shay Soker, PhD, is associate professor of Regenerative Medicine and Surgical Sciences at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, and director of the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. An expert in the field of angiogenesis and stem cells, Dr. Soker authored more than 80 scientific publications and reviews, has written chapters in several books and has more than 10 patents. He is the primary investigator of several grants from the NIH, JDRF, Department of Defense, and private foundations and industry.
Susan L. Solomon
Susan L. Solomon is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of The New York Stem Cell Foundation, which was established in 2005 to provide private support for human embryonic stem cell research. Ms. Solomon has served on the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in New York City for more than a decade. As an active health-care advocate she is also the Chair and a Founding Member of NYAMR (New Yorkers for the Advancement of Medical Research) and the New York Council of the Joslin Diabetes Center. An attorney, Ms. Solomon practiced law with Debevoise & Plimpton before beginning a twenty-five year career in new media, entertainment and investment banking. During this time, she served as the founding Chief Executive Officer of Sotheby’s.com; as President and Chief Executive Officer of Sony Worldwide Networks, and as Executive Vice President of the Andrews Group, a division of MacAndrews and Forbes.
Hongjun Song, Ph.D.
Hongjun Song, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, and Institute for Cell Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Song is a leader in biology of adult neural stem cells and neurogenesis. His laboratory also uses patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells to model human neurological diseases, to understand disease mechanism and to screen drugs. He has published many high profile papers, including Nature, Science and Cell. Dr. Song has won several awards including McKnight Scholar Award (2006) and Young Investigator Award from the Society for Neuroscience (2008).
Toshio Suda, M.D.
Toshio Suda is an MD from Yokohama City University School of Medicine. He was Professor of the Department of Cell Differentiation at Kumamoto University School of Medicine, now he is Professor of Developmental Biology at Keio University. Prof. Makio Ogawa and Toshio Suda at Medical University of South Carolina, proposed a stochastic model in the differentiation of stem cells. This is evaluated as a classical work showing the independent differentiation of stem cells from the growth factors. Toshio Suda identified the niche for hematopoietic stem cells and subsequently established the new field of oxidative stress and stem cell aging. The interaction of stem cells and niche is one of hot topics for the stem cell biology.
Jeremy Sugarman, M.D., M.P.H., M.A.
Jeremy Sugarman, MD, MPH, MA is the Harvey M. Meyerhoff Professor of Bioethics and Medicine, Professor of Medicine, Professor of Health Policy and Management, and Deputy Director for Medicine of the Berman Institute of Bioethics at the Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Sugarman conducts both theoretical and empirical research in medical ethics. He serves on the Scientific and Research Advisory Board for the Canadian Blood Service and is a member of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission. He is the Co-Chair of the Johns Hopkins’ Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee.
Lawrence M. Sung, J.D., Ph.D.
Lawrence M. Sung is Law School Professor and Intellectual Property Law Program Director at the University of Maryland School of Law. He is also Partner with Dewey & LeBoeuf, specializing in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device patent litigation and counseling. He earned his B.A. (biology) from the University of Pennsylvania, his Ph.D. (microbiology) from the U.S. Department of Defense, Uniformed Services University, and his J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law. He is a former judicial clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He authors Patent Infringement Remedies, Patent Law Handbook, and Medical Device Patents.
Doris Taylor, Ph.D.
Doris A. Taylor, Ph.D. directs the Center for Cardiovascular Repair at the University of Minnesota. Taylor’s research group is committed to moving cell, gene, and tissue-engineering-based therapies safely and effectively from bench to bedside, while at the same time preparing students and fellows to compete at an international level in the field of cardiac and vascular repair and regeneration. Their goal is two-fold: creation of cutting edge therapies for chronic disease; and the education of scientists, physician scientists and the community in the “treatments of tomorrow” for these diseases. Her group of scientists and clinicians has participated in a number of “firsts” including: Repair of function in an injured heart with cell therapy (1998); Prevention and reversal of atherosclerosis with cells (2003, 2007); Robot-based cardiac cell delivery(in animals) (2007); Isolation of novel stem cells from adult heart that resemble embryonic stem cells (2007); Differential (vascular) repair with male vs. female stem/progenitor cells (2007); Quantifying endogenous repair in CVD (2008); Perfusion decellularization of whole organs (2008); Creating a beating heart in the laboratory (2008). Taylor continues to be on the cutting edge of novel cardiac therapies and to help frame the discussions as cell therapy moves from bench to bedside The recent proof-of-concept that a whole organ (heart) can be engineered in the laboratory opened a new door in the potential treatment of end-stage diseases by offering real promise for the development of autologous bio-artificial organs.
Sally Temple, Ph.D.
Sally Temple earned her undergraduate degree in developmental neuroscience at Cambridge University, UK, and her Ph.D. at University College London on optic nerve development. She attended Columbia University, NYC, to study spinal cord formation as a postdoctoral fellow before moving to Miami University. There, she developed a method for cloning individual cells derived from the embryonic mouse brain. Published in Nature in 1989, this study revealed a rare, prolific, multipotent stem-like cell in the mammalian brain. Temple became a professor at Albany Medical College in the Center for Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology in 2003, and was awarded the NIH’s Jacob Javits merit award in 2003 and a MacArthur fellowship in 2008. In August 2007, she founded the New York Neural Stem Cell Institute, a non-profit research organization centered on using nervous system stem cells to develop therapeutics for eye, brain and spinal cord disorders.
John W. Thomas, Ph.D.
Dr. Thomas joined the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in 2000 as a program officer in the Institute's Division of Blood Diseases and Resources. He manages a research portfolio of grants in the Transfusion Medicine and Cellular Therapeutics Branch focusing on hematopoiesis, blood and stem cell biology, transplantation, and cell-based therapies. He also chairs the NHLBI Cell-Based Therapy Group formed in 2001 to coordinate stem cell and cellular therapy research planning and to implement new programs, including the Institute's embryonic stem cell research programs. Since the fall of 2005 Dr. Thomas has also served as the program officer for the Institute’s Specialized Centers for Cell-based Therapy, a program combining basic stem cell research projects and novel cell therapy trials for blood and heart diseases. He also serves as the NHLBI representative to the trans-NIH Stem Cell Implementation Group and he is a member of the NIH Stem Cell Task Force formed in August 2002 by the Secretary of Department of Health and Human Services and the Director of the NIH. He has written about Institute’s cell therapy activities in an article that appeared in Circulation Research titled “National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute resources and programs for cell-based therapies” (Vol. 101 (2007) pg. 1-7).
Avi Treves, Ph.D.
Presently, Managing Director, Sheba Cancer Research Center, Israel; Scientific Manager of the Ella Institute for Treatment and Research of Melanoma (Sheba Medical Center) and CTO of Bio Regenerate Inc. Previously, founder and CEO of stem-cell biotech company (Gamida Cell Ltd). Founder and CEO of academic tech-transfer company and R&D division (Hadasit Ltd.). Leading industry and academic R&D programs in stem cell therapy, immunotherapy and oncology. Executed regulatory and translational development of stem and cell products as well as stem cells banking. Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel; and Post Doc at Stanford Medical School, CA.
Alain Vertes, Ph.D.
Dr Alain Vertès works in the Pharma Partnering group at Roche, the mission of which is to identify strategic needs, find, implement and manage partnerships from licensing deals to M&As. Within the framework of his role as Global Alliance Director, Dr Vertès is championing the implementation of emerging technologies for bringing to the marketplace innovations that have a strong potential to bring to patients disease modifying and paradigm-changing therapeutics. Dr Vertès also belongs to the strategy team at Roche that manages the research and development of siRNA therapeutics. In addition, Dr Vertès leads Roche’s team that monitors the cell therapeutic arena. A native of France and a microbiologist and molecular biologist by training (University of Illinois, University of Lille), Dr Vertès is a Sloan Fellow from London Business School. Prior to joining Roche, Dr Vertès worked in different functions including research, manufacturing, contract research, and strategic alliance in pharmaceuticals, petrochemical, public research, and consulting.
William J Weiner, M.D.
William J. Weiner, MD is Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology and the Director of the Maryland Parkinson’s disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. He is a nationally recognized leader in research and treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders and has been actively involved in clinical research and care of patients with movement disorders since 1969. He participated in the initial levodopa trial for Parkinson’s disease and since that time, has been involved with the development of every major pharmacologic agent to treat Parkinson’s disease. During his career, he has also been involved with clinical research and care activities related to various other movement disorders including, Huntington’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, Tourette’s syndrome, myoclonus, tardive dyskinesia and gait disorders. He is a long standing member of the Huntington’s Study Group, Parkinson’s Study Group and an active member of the Movement Disorders Society, American Academy of Neurology and the American Neurological Association. His major interest has been the experimental therapeutics of movement disorders. He is the author or editor of 25 textbooks in movement disorders and neurology including Movement Disorders – A Comprehensive Survey, Parkinson’s Disease – Diagnosis and Management, Drug-Induced Movement Disorders, Behavioral Neurology of Movement Disorders and a book for patients, Parkinson’s Disease – A Complete Guide for Patients and Families. The latter book for patients is a comprehensive resource for understanding the medical, emotional and practical challenges of life with Parkinson’s disease. The book has also been published in large print and a Spanish and Korean edition. Dr. Weiner is frequently invited to speak at international and national conferences on Parkinson’s and related movement disorders. He has published 225 peer reviewed articles in his field.
Irving Weissman, M.D.
Irving L. Weissman, M.D., is the Director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Director of the Stanford Ludwig Center for Stem Cell Research, and Professor of Pathology and Developmental Biology at Stanford University Medical Center. Dr. Weissman is also the President of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR).
Michael J. Werner, Esq.
Mr. Werner has almost 25 years of healthcare law, lobbying, policy development and regulatory experience in Washington. He focuses on issues affecting biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, researchers and research institutions, physicians and patients. His specific areas of knowledge include FDA drug/biologic regulations; FDA and NIH oversight of clinical trials including registries and reporting of trial results; approval and marketing of orphan drugs; stem cell research and regulation of cell therapy and regenerative medicine products; as well as conflicts of interest and other bioethics issues arising from research and uses of new technologies.
Michael West, Ph.D.
Dr. West is the Chief Executive Officer of BioTime, Inc. (OTCBB: BTIM) and Embryome Sciences, Inc. of Alameda, California. The Companies are focused on developing an array of research and therapeutic products using human embryonic stem cell technology. He received his Ph.D. from Baylor College of Medicine in 1989 concentrating on the biology of cellular aging. He has focused his academic and business career on the application of developmental biology to the age-related degenerative disease. He was the Founder of Geron Corporation of Menlo Park, California (Nasdaq: GERN) and from 1990 to 1998 he was a Director, and Vice President, where he initiated and managed programs in telomerase diagnostics, oligonucleotide-based telomerase inhibition as anti-tumor therapy, and the cloning and use of telomerase in telomerase-mediated therapy wherein telomerase is utilized to immortalize human cells. From 1995 to 1998 he organized and managed the research collaboration between Geron and its academic collaborators James Thomson and John Gearhart that led to the first isolation of human embryonic stem and human embryonic germ cells. From 1998 to 2007 he was President and Chief Scientific Officer at Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTCBB: ACTC) where he managed programs in animal cloning, human somatic cell nuclear transfer, retinal differentiation, and ACTCellerate, a technology for the multiplex derivation and characterization of clonal human embryonic progenitor cell lines.
Kevin Wilson
Kevin is the Public Policy Director for the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB). The ASCB is a professional society of over 11,000 biomedical researchers in the U.S. and 50 other nations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR), a coalition of 100 patient groups, universities, foundations, and scientific societies. Kevin previously served as Legislative Director for Congressman Bob Weygand (D-RI). Before joining Congressman Weygand’s staff, Kevin worked for Senator Claiborne Pell (D-RI) from 1985 until 1997. Kevin is a 1985 graduate of the Catholic University of America.
Renée M. Winsky
Renée M. Winsky is the Chief Executive Officer of the Technology Council of Maryland. She is responsible for charting the tactical course of action given the strategic input from the constituent boards, and leading the activities of the TCM staff to achieve those strategic objectives. She is also responsible for the financial management of the Council and each of its constituent organizations. Prior to joining TCM as CEO in September 2009, Ms. Winsky served as President and Executive Director of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), a public instrumentality established by the Maryland General Assembly to promote economic development through the development, transfer and commercialization of technology and to administer the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund.
Mary Woolley
Mary Woolley is the president of Research!America, the nation’s largest non-profit alliance working to make research to improve health a higher national priority. She is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine and serves on its Governing Council. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is a founding member of the Whitehead Institute’s Board of Associates. She is a sought-after speaker with a 30-year publication history on science advocacy and related topics. In recognition of her career commitment to research for health, PBS named her an “unsung heroine” in its salute to women’s history month, March, 2009.
Huakun Xu, Ph.D.
Dr. Huakun (Hockin) Xu is Associate Professor in the Dental School, and a member of the Center for Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, at the University of Maryland. He directs the dental biomaterials/tissue engineering laboratory and the biomaterials curriculum. He was previously a Senior Project Leader at the Paffenbarger Research Center, American Dental Association, National Institute of Standards and Technology. Dr. Xu is the PI of two R01 grants from NIH and one grant from the Maryland Stem Cell Fund. He has published over 90 refereed full-length papers on novel biomaterials scaffolds, nanocomposites, stem cells, and tissue engineering.
Wise Young, M.D., Ph.D.
Wise Young is Founding Director of the W. M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience at Rutgers University and Richard H. Shindell Chair in Neuroscience. Young is one of the preeminent scientists in spinal cord injury, SCI animal models, and pharmacological therapies for SCI. He was Principal Investigator for the NIH-funded Multicenter Animal Spinal Cord Injury Study. Dr. Young received the Wakeman Award for Research in Neurosciences, the Jacob Javits Neuroscience Award from NINDS, and was named by TIME Magazine as “America’s Best” in spinal cord injury research. He recently launched SCINetUSA to conduct clinical trials in the U.S. for people with chronic spinal cord Injuries.
John Yu, M.D., Ph.D.
John Yu, M.D., Ph.D. is Distinguished Research Fellow and Director, Institute of Cellular & Organismic Biology; and chief of Stem Cell Program, Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan. Dr. Yu is the founding President for Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research (www.tsscr.org.tw) (2005-present). In Taiwan, he also serves on many advisory boards concerning biomedical research and biotechnology development. Dr. Yu has been elected to serve in ISSCR International hESC Guidelines Task Force, Government Affairs Committee, and the Steering Committee of Stem Cell Network in Asia-Pacific regions. Dr. Yu obtained his M.D. from National Taiwan University in 1968, and Ph.D. in Biophysics from University of Chicago in 1974. After serving as a Research Fellow at Harvard, he joined Scripps Research Institute in 1977 and became the Director of Experimental Hematology (1998-2002). He received an Established Investigatorship Award from American Heart Association.
Elias T. Zambidis, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Elias Zambidis is an Assistant Professor of Oncology and Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Zambidis practices Pediatric Oncology in the Dept of Oncology, Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, and also has a laboratory in the Stem Cell Program at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering. Dr. Zambidis earned his M.D./Ph.D. in the Medical Scientist Training Program (M.S.T.P.) at the University of Rochester, Rochester, N.Y. He did his Pediatrics Residency in the Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, and his clinical/research fellowships in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the National Cancer Institute at the NIH. His clinical expertise is in pediatric oncology specializing in hematologic malignancies, developmental hematopoiesis, blood and bone marrow transplantation (BMT), stem cell biology and therapeutics, and immune system engineering. Dr. Zambidis is interested in the developmental biology of normal and malignant hematopoietic stem cells. He uses genetic manipulation and differentiation of both embryonic and adult pluripotent stem cells to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms of human hematopoiesis. Using human embryonic stem cells (hESC) derived from both normal and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)-screened embryos, as well as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), he is exploring whether a human hemangioblast (bipotential progenitor of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and endothelium) gives rise to the entire human hematopoietic system, and whether these cells can be derived and expanded from differentiating hESC. His laboratory is studying the role of a variety of proteins and signaling molecules that are critically important in orchestrating the initiation of human embryonic hematopoiesis by directing the formation of human hemangioblasts from hESC. hESC- derived blood progenitors are important in the understanding of the developmental origins of pediatric leukemia, but also for clinical HSC transplantation.
Fanyi Zeng, M.D., Ph.D.
Fanyi Zeng received her MD and PhD degrees from University of Pennsylvania. She is currently Professor and Associate Director at Shanghai Institute of Medical Genetics and Shanghai Stem Cell Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. Dr. Zeng also serves as the secretary-general of the Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research. Dr Zeng is a Chief Scientist of National Basic Research Program from Ministry of Science and Technology of China, and Principal Investigator of National Natural Science Foundation of China. Her research interests include the broader fields of human genetics and developmental biology, particularly stem cell biology, gene expression profiling of preimplantation embryos as well as somatic cell cloning.
Dr. Franz-Joseph Zimmer
Dr. Franz-Josef Zimmer is a German and European Patent Attorney with a Diploma in Biochemistry and Doctorate in Immunogenetics; Partner of the Life Science Group of Grünecker, Kinkeldey, Stockmair & Schwanhäusser in Munich - Germany. Main Practice Area: Prosecuting and Enforcing Patents in the Field of Life Sciences; Coauthor of “Protection of Biotechnological Matter under European and German Law: A Handbook for Applicants”, Wiley-VCH, 1997; Member Editorial Board of Biotechnology Law Report.
Jizhong Zou, Ph.D.
Dr. Jizhong Zou completed his PhD degree at the Pennsylvania State University studying invertebate and mammalian embryogenesis. In 2006 he joined Dr. Linzhao Cheng's group at the Johns Hopkins University as a postdoc fellow to study human pluripotent stem cells. His research focusing on genetic modification in human ES and iPS cells has been awarded with Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund fellowship and published in the prominent journal - Cell Stem Cell recently.
Howard Zucker
Howard Zucker most recently was an Institute of Politics Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. He has served as an Assistant Director-General of the WHO, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health and as a White House Fellow. He received his B.S. degree from McGill, M.D. from George Washington University Medical School, J.D. from Fordham University Law School and LL.M. from Columbia Law School. He is a pediatric cardiologist / anesthesiologist with training at Johns Hopkins, University of Pennsylvania and Harvard and has served on the faculty at Yale, Columbia, and NIH. Dr. Zucker conceived of and wrote the 2005 US Government Report: "2020: A New Vision: The Future of Regenerative Medicine" which put forth a federal strategy for regenerative medicine.
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