Scientific Pathfinders
As R&D becomes more focused and specialized, these research experts are leading the way by breaking new ground. Julian Adams, Ph.D., is leading the charge in the war against cancer. Dr. Adams is best known for the discovery and development of Velcade (bortezomib), a proteasome inhibitor for cancer therapy, while serving as senior VP, drug discovery and development at Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Approved in 2003, Velcade was a significant breakthrough for patients with multiple myeloma, as well as a significant scientific breakthrough as the first approved therapy to target the proteasome, an enzyme complex that plays a role in cell function and survival. Dr. Adams, who received the Ribbon of Hope Award for his efforts associated with Velcade from the International Myeloma Foundation, counts the discovery of the multiple myeloma treatment as one of his career highlights. Colleagues say Dr. Adams’ efforts to develop novel cancer therapeutics are fervent and tireless. Now serving as president, research and development, at Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Adams is responsible for the full spectrum of Infinity’s drug discovery, preclinical and clinical development strategy, and regulatory affairs activities. Dr. Adams, a second-time PharmaVOICE 100 honoree, says to build the next great R&D team at Infinity requires him to think outside the box; by innovating and experimenting he is putting together a fully integrated R&D team that operates in a fundamentally different and sustainable manner. His desire is to see Infinity become the next Genentech. Under Dr. Adams’ leadership, the company is currently pursuing a number of pipeline candidates with fundamentally new approaches to treating cancer, including a Hedgehog pathway inhibitor and a heat shock protein 90-chaperone inhibitor. These therapies are being tested in disease areas with limited treatment options and significant unmet need such as pancreatic cancer, chondrosarcoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. To succeed in reaching his next goals — gaining approval of two new drugs to treat lung and pancreatic cancers — Dr. Adams says the industry must overcome one of its biggest challenges: getting patients to enroll in clinical trials. He notes that fewer than 5% of patients participate in U.S. clinical trials. At the same time he is encouraged by the progress the industry has made in two particularly difficult areas of medicine: seeing HIV turn from a lethal disease to a chronically managed disease and gaining approval for Velcade to treat multiple myeloma have been defining moments for him. Julian Adams, Ph.D. Scientific Breakthroughs Dr. Julian Adams volunteered on the Kibbutz Harel in Israel farming turkeys and growing cotton. Name: Julian Adams, Ph.D. Current position: President, Research and Development, Infinity Pharmaceuticals Date and place of birth: December 1954; Quebec City, Quebec Education: B.Sc., Chemistry, McGill University; Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Post-doc, Columbia University First Job: Volunteered on the Kibbutz Harel First Industry-related Job: Merck Frosst Labs, Montreal Alternative profession: Economist Giving Back: Asylum Access (refugee legal aid group) Words to Live by: Live in turbulence, rest in peace Awards: NDDO Honorary Lecture Diploma; AACR Bruce F. Cain Award; Ribbon of Hope Award for PS-341, International Myeloma Foundation Passionate. Committed. Harriet Latham Robinson, Ph.D. AIDS Expert Dr. Harriet Robinson is one of the world’s foremost experts on AIDS vaccine research. Interested. Resourceful. Name: Harriet Robinson, Ph.D. Current position: Chief Scientific Officer, GeoVax Inc. Date and place of birth: February 1938; Boston Education: B.A., Swarthmore; Ph.D., MIT First Job: Camp counselor First Industry-related Job: GeoVax Alternative profession: M.D. to complement the Ph.D. Professional mentors: Her father, thesis advisor, and co-founder of GeoVax Professional associations: American Association for the Advancement of Science Giving Back: Action Cycling Atlanta Awards: Georgia Bio Community Award; Honoree, Working Towards an AIDS Vaccine, Emory Vaccine Center; Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Lecture and Award, Emory University School of Medicine; Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science; The Mary Lynn Morgan Annual Lectureship on Women in the Health Professions, Center for Women at Emory University Words to Live by: There is no life without risk Few researchers are as well-placed to usher in a new era of treatment for HIV as Harriet Robinson, Ph.D., currently serving as chief scientific officer at GeoVax. She is one of the world’s leaders in AIDS vaccine research, and a co-founder of GeoVax. In the years after receiving a Ph.D. in microbiology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Robinson began publishing extensively on viral-induced cancers. Her pioneering studies on the development of DNA vaccines demonstrated not only that DNA could raise protective immunity for viral infections, but she also identified methods of DNA delivery that could be used to control the type of immune responses raised by DNA vaccines. Dr. Robinson’s early work with HIV vaccines demonstrated that DNA alone would not be sufficient to raise protective immunity for HIV. She then combined DNA with protein boosters or live viral-vectored boosters to show that the most effective control was through a combination of DNA prime and viral-vectored boosters. Dr. Robinson’s current research interests include the development of an HIV/AIDS vaccine and human immune responses. Her most recent work has involved the development of single multiprotein expressing DNA, that is coupled with a poxvirus vector developed at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to be used for priming and boosting. It is these vaccines that GeoVax has licensed for commercial development. Dr. Robinson has published extensively on her HIV/AIDS vaccine research; she has authored more than 130 scientific journal publications, 45 monograph reviews, and six book chapters. She has consulted for the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the FDA, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the World Health Organization. She is serious and passionate about what she does. Dr. Robinson also is serious about mentoring employees to help them reach their full career potential. Dr. Harriet Robinson always wanted to be a ballerina. Name: Harriet Robinson, Ph.D. Current position: Chief Scientific Officer, GeoVax Inc. Date and place of birth: February 1938; Boston Education: B.A., Swarthmore; Ph.D., MIT First Job: Camp counselor First Industry-related Job: GeoVax Alternative profession: M.D. to complement the Ph.D. Professional mentors: Her father, thesis advisor, and co-founder of GeoVax Professional associations: American Association for the Advancement of Science Giving Back: Action Cycling Atlanta Awards: Georgia Bio Community Award; Honoree, Working Towards an AIDS Vaccine, Emory Vaccine Center; Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Lecture and Award, Emory University School of Medicine; Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science; The Mary Lynn Morgan Annual Lectureship on Women in the Health Professions, Center for Women at Emory University Words to Live by: There is no life without risk Joseph B. Bolen, Ph.D. The People’s CSO Name: Joseph B. Bolen, Ph.D. Current position: Chief Scientific Officer, Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company Date and place of birth: April 1953, Homer, La. Education: B.S., Chemistry/Microbiology, University of Nebraska; Ph.D., Immunology, University of Nebraska First Job: Washing dishes, Holiday Inn First Industry-related Job: Laboratory director and institute research fellow in the department of molecular biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb Alternative profession: Musician Professional mentors: Joan Brugge and Peter Howley, Harvard Medical School and Millennium Scientific Advisory Board Professional associations: National Cancer Institute Giving Back: Science education Awards: Naples Cancer Center Lectureship; NIH Award of Merit for Research Words to Live by: No one will get out of this world alive, resolve therefore to maintain a reasonable sense of values Irreverent. Optimistic. Dr. Joseph Bolen met both Henry Fonda and his son Peter while working as a stagehand at the Omaha Community Playhouse, during the late 1960s to early 1970s. In 2008, Scientist magazine profiled Joseph Bolen, Ph.D., in an article titled The People’s CSO. Dr. Bolen’s colleagues say that short title captured him as both a scientist and a person. He is equal parts mentor, leader, and coach. Dr. Bolen brings a strong element of innovation, excitement, and humanity to his science and the manner in which he interacts with the discovery team at Millennium. Self-described as irreverent, he believes that a proper measure of irreverence is an important characteristic for good research scientists. He says a healthy skepticism of the “facts" coupled with a splash of boldness provides the fundamental basis for the passion needed to be a successful scientist as well as a leader of scientists. He also is an optimist. In the business of making first-in-class cancer drugs, the odds are very much against success. Therefore without consistent and enthusiastic optimism, the process would focus on projects least likely to fail, rather than on ones that address true unmet patient needs. His faith in what Millennium’s research group is doing and why they are doing it provides that inspiration to keep moving forward. Dr. Bolen inspires and motivates by his own example, and years ago he started the “Take Joe to Work" program. Every couple of months, he works alongside scientists in different areas of the organization to maintain a connection and appreciation of how each scientist applies him or herself in the laboratory setting. One such encounter led to a mishap documented in his blog describing his “lack of technical competency." But Dr. Bolen is more than willing to suffer through humbling experiences as well as reveling in the successes if it provides a teaching moment. Colleagues say one of the strongest values he brings to the team is the understanding that achievement is often borne out of failure and he encourages his scientists to take a novel approach to a project that may entail a greater level of risk with a focus on the potential reward. This model has been fundamental to the innovative spirit in the discovery organization that has driven past and present success. Dr. Bolen encourages his team members and acts as a mentor to many. He has always believed that offering help and support for the next generation is one of the great sacred foundations of science. Dr. Bolen has published more than 200 scientific articles and book chapters. He has presented hundreds of lectures and seminars at leading universities and national and international scientific meetings. Amir Kalali, M.D. • Revolutionizing CNS Trials Amir Kalali, M.D., is committed to revolutionizing how the industry conducts CNS clinical trials. His vision is to dramatically improve collaboration, accelerate innovation, and use new technology. He believes accelerating and enhancing the success rate of these trials is an ethical imperative. To achieve the lofty goal of improving clinical trial outcomes in CNS, Dr. Kalali has championed two scientific societies, the International Society for CNS Drug Development (ISCDD), a nonprofit independent society focused on addressing scientific challenges in CNS drug development, and now the CNS Summit. The CNS Summit aims to provide an annual forum where CNS researchers from across the globe can work together to share information and best practices in an open environment. Dr. Kalali has plans to create an online social platform for ongoing collaboration. If Dr. Kalali’s name sounds familiar, it might be from his far-reaching message to improve CNS research or his day job as VP, medical and scientific services CNS, global therapeutic team leader, at Quintiles, or it might be because he has been named a PharmaVOICE 100 honoree by his colleagues and peers before. At Quintiles, he has served as a consultant for hundreds of successful CNS trials and has been instrumental helping to bring multiple new agents to market. Sponsors, investigator sites, and industry personnel consider him to be an invaluable resource. No matter how busy he is jetting between his different speaking engagements, clients, and volunteer activities, he takes time to respond to those who need assistance, from the site level to the C-suite. Name: Amir Kalali, M.D. Current position: VP, Medical and Scientific Services, CNS Global Therapeutic Team Leader, Quintiles Inc. Date of birth: May 1965 Education: M.D., London University, United Kingdom First Industry-related Job: Medical Intern Professional associations: American College of Neuropsychopharmacology; the American Society for Clinical Psychopharmacology; the American Psychiatric Association; the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology; the Collegium Internationale Neuro Psychopharmacologicum; the Drug Information Association; the International Society for CNS Drug Development; the International Society for CNS Clinical Trials and Methodology; the Royal College of Psychiatrists, United Kingdom; and the Society for Neuroscience Connected Via: LinkedIn and Twitter Twitter address: @akalali; @cnssummit Innovative. Passionate. Dr. Amir Kalali is committed to furthering healthcare by bringing together research physicians, medical centers, and research teams of major pharmaceutical and biotech companies to collaborate for success. On flights to and from Los Angeles to London, Dr. Amir Kalali has met several celebrities, including Nicole Kidman and Brad Pitt. Sumant Ramachandra, M.D., Ph.D. The business of Medicine Dr. Sumant Ramachandra is pioneering biosimilar development at Hospira. Dr. Sumant Ramachandra lived among Benedictine monks when he attended an all-boys Roman Catholic school in rural Arkansas that was part of a monastery. Sumant Ramachandra, M.D., Ph.D., is combining his medical, scientific, and business skills to address the challenges involved in his current role as senior VP research and development, medical & regulatory affairs, chief scientific officer, at Hospira Inc. His title is as long as the qualifications he has to have to be the change agent Hospira senior leaders were looking for when they asked him to join the leadership team in 2008. Management says the Harvard-trained physician, who also holds an MBA from Wharton, has used his many talents to leave a lasting mark on the industry in the past 20 years. Dr. Ramachandra leads a team of more than 600 scientists, clinicians, and professionals who are central to Hospira’s strategy and growth trajectory. He is currently focused on transforming the company’s R&D function, embarking on a path that is projected to almost double Hospira’s R&D productivity. Hospira already is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of generic injectable drugs, and Dr. Ramachandra has played a pivotal role in paving the path for improved patient access to biosimilar injectable drugs, which are less-expensive versions of important large-molecule biologics. As a visible and strong industry voice, Dr. Ramachandra supported the effort to ensure that biosimilars were included in the historic U.S. healthcare reform legislation. Now that Congress has approved a pathway, he continues to be an advocate and industry resource, using Hospira’s experience as the only North American-based company to sell biosimilars to help educate the industry and the FDA. His efforts build on Hospira’s legacy of breaking down access barriers for life-enhancing, cost-saving drugs. He previously oversaw R&D strategy for Schering-Plough’s oncology portfolio, where he set in motion several therapy programs. While Dr. Ramachandra views each new opportunity as a significant part of his career, he says one of the highlights has been the rivilege to have worked with so many important cancer drugs and the dedicated people who helped develop them: irinotecan, epirubicin, exemestane, sunitinib, temozolomide, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, interferon, and pegylated interferon. He also served at Pfizer and Pharmacia, where he was responsible for innovative strategies that resulted in successful FDA approvals of several drugs, all while concurrently championing patient advocacy and access. Name: Sumant Ramachandra, M.D., Ph.D. Current position: Senior VP, R&D and Medical & Regulatory Affairs, Chief Scientific Officer, Hospira Inc. Date and place of birth: January 1969, Hillingdon, U.K. Education: B.A. Biochemistry, High Honors, Rutgers University; M.D., Medal of Excellence, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Ph.D. University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Experimental Pathology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; MBA, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton Business School First Job: Resident physician, Massachusetts General Hospital, Fellow, Harvard Medical School First Industry-related Job: Clinical and program management, Merck & Co. Alternative profession: Field work as a physician in disaster relief areas and teach in a university/medical school Professional associations: American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine; Massachusetts Medical Society and Suffolk County Medical Society; American Medical Association; American Medical Student Association Giving Back: AmeriCares; the American India Foundation Connected Via: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter Twitter address: @docsum Awards: The Stanley S. Bergen, Jr., M.D., Medal of Excellence, UMDNJ- New Jersey Medical School; Bodman Foundation Fellowship Award, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society; Finalist, UMDNJ Student Research Competition, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Words to Live by: Demonstrate passion, focus, and tenacity Curious. Caring. Dr. Marlene Llopiz is a fishing fanatic, and would like nothing better to indulge her hobby all day; for now she settles for Flick Fishing on her iPhone. Marlene Llopiz, M.D., is bringing her 20-plus years of working in clinical research and conducting large, global, multinational Phase I-IV clinical trials to her new role as CEO and president of Clinica Responsable Operativa. She has significant experience in protocol writing, CRF design, and monitoring activities. She has worked extensively in developing new resources, programs, and strategies for providing adequate public health for women, children, adolescents, migrant workers, etc. Dr. Llopiz also has worked with government, as well as private organizations, orchestrating efforts for training in public health and for the establishment of collaborative strategies between academic organizations and the Harvard School of Public Health. She served as a direct consultant for the Mexican Ministry of Health Undersecretary of Innovation and Quality. Colleagues say she is extremely ethical and open-minded. A fast learner, Dr. Llopiz is disciplined and tends to be a perfectionist, dedicating efforts and resources to address major specific diseases in Mexico. Dr. Llopiz has been invited to speak at many different international forums, such as DIA and MAGI, and to join AMEIFAC’s board of directors for the 2010-2011 period. Additionally, has been elected VP, DIA Partner for Latin American meetings, and will serve as president from 2011 to 2013. She also is a two-time PharmaVOICE 100 honoree. Name: Marlene Llopiz, M.D. Current position: CEO and President, Clinica Responsable Operativa Date and place of birth: October 1958, Havana, Cuba Education: B.A., Austin College; M.D., Universidad Anahuac; M.PH., Harvard University First Job: Associate editor at a pediatric medical journal First Industry-related Job: Working for a major CRO Alternative profession: Architecture Giving Back: Three Kings Day, providing gifts to an all-girl orphanage Connected Via: Facebook and LinkedIn Awards: The Leadership Medal of Honor, The Universidad Anahuac (first woman to receive the award), 2010; President Elect Of AMEIFAC (Association Of Medical Specialists In The Pharmaceutical Industry), 2011-2013; Secretary General of IFAPP (International Federation Of Associations Of Pharmaceutical Physicians; Honorary Member of The Global Science, Technology, And Society Group, Austin College Caring. Strict. Marlene Llopiz, M.D. An advocate for public health Dr. Marlene Llopiz has worked extensively to develop new resources, strategies, and programs for providing adequate public health for women, children, adolescents, migrant workers, etc. Linda Strickland Goldman A Chance Encounter Accidents can be fortuitous. When Linda Goldman, with a background in liberal arts, applied for a marketing job writing ad copy, the interviewer saw something that prompted her to offer the new recruit a job in the regulatory department at a leading pharmaceutical company in California. And so began an incredible journey leading to Ms. Goldman’s role as chief scientific officer at Inclinix, in an industry where experience truly matters. Ms. Goldman is an accomplished leader in the life sciences, having spent more than 30 years in a variety of capacities within pharma, CRO, and consultative organizations. Always willing to try anything new or create a new perspective around an established idea, Ms. Goldman is applying her experience to improve clinical enrollment. Her diverse background provides her with a well-rounded understanding of the challenges faced along the road to trial completion. Ms. Goldman supports the alignment of each of these industry factions, consistently teaching that communications and strategic planning are the keys to shared success for all constituents. Ms. Goldman’s contributions toward clinical development are creating new paths for new professionals and clinical development in the future. Her most recent efforts have contributed to converting a patient recruitment company into an enrollment company, assuring the focus stays on enrollment, not simply identification. She guides both business development and operations departments in their understanding of the protocols and the patient populations supported. Her expertise ensures the company provides the highest level of ethical service for its sponsors. Ms. Goldman has developed internal training programs for entry-level clinical research associates, project managers, and research administration staff. Her next challenge is to help integrate Inclinix into and expand the global market, saying its success and reputation depend on that shift. While some Inclinix employees do not have global exposure, they are hungry to learn. At an industry level, she is eager to help companies retain experienced talent and build long-term leadership commitments. Ms. Goldman sets the example within Inclinix and drives team members to emulate her qualities of professionalism, kindness, compassion, patience, and dedication, both to the industry to which she had devoted her extensive career and to the colleagues for whom she is a constant source of support and guidance. Linda Goldman once interviewed Gloria Steinem for a company magazine. Linda Goldman has been a pioneer in the education of professionals, recognizing the growing need to attract and retain good clinical talent. Name: Linda Strickland Goldman Current position: Chief Scientific Officer, Inclinix Date and place of birth: December 1942; Greensboro, N.C. Education: M.A., East Carolina University, 1980; B.A., University of North Carolina-Wilmington, 1972 First Job: High school English teacher First Industry-related Job: Regulatory associate, Alza Corp. Alternative profession: Writing, particularly scriptwriting for television or movies Professional associations: Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP); Association of Women University Graduates; Drug Information Association; American Diabetes Association Giving Back: Animal support services, food bank Words to Live by: What’s next? Calm. Adventurous. Nobuhiko Tamura Medically linked Patient. persistent. Name: Nobuhiko Tamura Current position: Chief Scientific Officer, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Education: Master of Pharmacy Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Bachelor of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan Professional mentors: Chemistry professor Dr. Kunio Ogasawara at Tohoku University Professional associations: New York Pharma Forum Words to Live by: Try harder Nobuhiko Tamura admits that people may find his love of reading books on physics and astronomy to be unusual, but he believes there is a close link between matter, molecules, and ultimately the medicines created for patients. Granted, there are unanswered questions, but he says he keeps reading as a way of expanding his knowledge and perspectives. As chief scientific officer of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, he is using his unique views to successfully lead the company through change and create strong advocates in the process. In 2007, Mr. Tamura was selected to lead Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma America. This was a unique opportunity to help Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma (DSP) realize its vision of becoming a globally competitive company. His leadership ensured a smooth integration following DSP’s acquisition of Sepracor. In October 2010, the company changed its name to Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. As a skilled listener, Mr. Tamura, colleagues say, builds teams by fostering collaboration while encouraging discussion. His notable leadership qualities include empowering his teams to function independently. Mr. Tamura motivates employees with an optimistic and generous personality style and works tremendously hard to secure needed resources in the United States by creating an understanding within the parent office. He is keenly aware of cultural differences and, through his approach, provides a personal example to his employees of how to bridge them. His peers say Mr. Tamura is one of the most accomplished leaders they have worked with, and he is described as having a steel fist in a velvet glove. In other words, he has an ability to accomplish great things while simultaneously engendering trust and allegiance. Mr. Tamura draws inspiration from the words of one of his role models and his chemistry professor, Dr. Kunio Ogasawara at Tohoku University in the Sendai region of Japan. After graduation, Mr. Tamura received some good advice from Dr. Ogasawara. His words were simple, but memorable: “try harder." While this was many, many years ago, he has never forgotten this advice or the example the professor set for others. Drug discovery and development is full of challenges and Mr. Tamura tries to incorporate these learnings and philosophy into everyday activities for himself and his entire team. He believes everyone always must “try harder" to meet the unmet medical needs of our patients. Nobuhiko Tamura enjoys reading books on physics and astronomy. Nobuhiko Tamura is using his unique views to successfully lead Sunovion through change. Fredrick Van Goor, Ph.D. • CF Focused Dr. Fredrick Van Goor has more than 50 publications, abstracts, and book chapters, as well as nine patents, to his credit. Dr. Fredrick Van Goor is devoting himself to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis. Fredrick Van Goor, Ph.D., joined Vertex in 2001 and currently serves as lead biologist in research for Vertex’s cystic fibrosis (CF) program. Beginning as an entry-level scientist, his tremendous growth as a drug researcher at Vertex reflects his dedication and passion to his work and to the CF community. Dr. Van Goor is a driving force in the discovery and development of two drug therapies currently in mid- to-late clinical trials for CF. As an internationally recognized leader in CF research, he leverages partnerships with academic researchers and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to advance understanding of the disease. Dr. Van Goor’s capabilities and creativity have so impressed his colleagues that he was asked to lead a critical interdisciplinary team to manage future directions for Vertex CF therapeutics. Dr. Van Goor says in science nothing ever turns out as planned. Researchers have to be comfortable with uncertainty and be willing to challenge conventional thinking. Outside of the office, Dr. Van Goor demonstrates his deep, personal commitment to improving the lives of people with CF and their families by actively participating in and supporting fundraisers for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, both locally and nationally. And he looks forward to continuing working with the foundation to continue to bring much-needed medicines to market. Name: Fredrick Van Goor, Ph.D. Current position: Lead Biologist, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Education: Ph.D., Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 1996 Date and place of birth: July 31, 1968, Calgary, Alberta First Job: Ditch digger for a swimming pool company First Industry-related Job: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Professional mentors: Stanko Sojilkovic, his postdoctoral supervisor Giving Back: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Awards: Vertex Outstanding Contributor Platinum Award, 2007; Nominated for the Canadian Society for Zoology Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis Award; Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Studentship, 1994 — 1996; Gordin Kaplan Graduate Student Award, 1995; Province of Alberta Graduate Fellowship, 1995 Dedicated. Passionate. Andrew R. Blight, Ph.D. Scientific Humanist Having made several important academic contributions to the field of spinal cord injury, Andrew Blight, Ph.D., chose to enter the pharmaceutical industry so that his work could be applied directly to the benefit of patients. Colleagues and peers note that Dr. Blight is extremely adept at blending scientific rigor and insights with a deep sense of humanism and purpose. A highly respected and widely published scientist, Dr. Blight is the chief scientific officer at the biotechnology company Acorda Therapeutics, which is developing therapies for people with nervous system disorders. He counts gaining FDA approval of Ampyra in January 2010 as a key moment in his career. Ampyra is indicated as a treatment to improve walking in patients with multiple sclerosis, a condition that afflicts more than 400,000 people in the United States and 2.5 million worldwide. For MS patients, walking impairment is one of the most significant challenges of their disease. His focus now is to return to work investigating potential therapies for neural trauma. Dr. Blight is at the front line of breakthrough research, and he is striving to overcome one of the biggest challenges in the industry: the lack of sufficient incentive for innovation and risk-taking in drug development. He is dismayed by the lack of widespread recognition and acceptance that improving healthcare and access to it is one of the few great functions of an advanced society. Nowhere is that more true than in the field of spinal cord injuries. Dr. Blight says while truly significant progress in the medical management of spinal cord injuries has been made over the past several decades, new and innovative approaches are needed to continue to advance care and to provide therapies that really change the outcome from injury. Name: Andrew R. Blight, Ph.D. Current position: Chief Scientific Officer, Acorda Therapeutics Date and place of birth: October 1950; Bath, U.K. Education: Ph.D., Zoology/Neurobiology, University of Bristol, 1976; B.Sc., Zoology, University of Bristol, 1972 First Job: Research assistant professor, New York University Medical Center First Industry-related Job: VP, research and development, Acorda Therapeutics Professional mentors: Alan Roberts, University of Bristol; Rodolfo Llinás, NYU; Ron Cohen, Acorda Awards: Inaugural Purchase College Scientific Entrepreneurship Award Logical. Reticent. Dr. Andrew Blight enjoys writing, particularly haiku, in his spare time. Dr. Andrew Blight blends great scientific rigor and insight with a deep sense of humanism. Gail Wasserman, Ph.D. The Spirit of Innovation Dr. Gail Wasserman is a firebrand when it comes to nurturing the spirit of scientific innovation that is at the heart of MedImmune’s success. In high school, Dr. Gail Wasserman was captain of the baton twirling team. Tenacious. Thorough. Name: Gail Wasserman, Ph.D. Current position: Senior VP, Biopharmaceutical Development, MedImmune Date and place of birth: December 1954; Newark, N.J. Education: Ph.D., Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, 1982; M.S., Biochemistry, Penn State, 1979; B.A., Chemistry and Biology, Montclair State College, 1976 First Industry-related Job: Smith Kline and French Labs (now GSK) Alternative profession: Comedian Giving Back: Armed Forces Foundation; Foster dog family Words to Live by: Success in achieving our goals is ours to determine Awards: Alumni Fellow Award, Pennsylvania State University, 2007; Outstanding Science Alumni Award, Eberly College of Science, Pennsylvania State University, 2003; Scientific Achievement Award, Smith Kline and French Laboratories, 1985 The move from an established large pharmaceutical company to a small startup biotechnology company was a not any easy on for Gail Wasserman, Ph.D., to make, but it proved to be a career changer. Dr. Wasserman made the switch on the advice of friends to join MedImmune. It was, she says, the best advice she ever received. Looking back, it has enabled her to play a significant role in developing new medicines. When she joined MedImmune in 1991, she was the first and only person in development. She made it her personal mission to help find a way to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)‚ a disease that affects more than 90,000 children and kills almost 5,000 children each year in the United States. Her budding development team ultimately contributed to the process, formulation, and analytical development of Synagis, the first monoclonal antibody to be licensed in the United States for the treatment of any infectious disease. Twenty years, and thousands of healthy kids later, Synagis is still recognized as virtually the only monoclonal antibody produced by recombinant DNA technology that is used in the prevention of RSV infections. For Dr. Wasserman, this has been the most important moment in her career. MedImmune has been successful in establishing its place among the top biotechnology companies. Beginning with just a few molecules in the pipeline, MedImmune today has more than 100 drugs in development, all under the watchful eye of Dr. Wasserman. With the company now part of AstraZeneca, Dr. Wasserman is particularly excited to have the opportunity to be a leader in growing R&D capabilities to deliver a large and diverse portfolio to help meet the needs of patients across multiple therapeutic areas. As senior VP of biopharmaceutical development, she oversees a worldwide team of some 700 development employees within a unique organizational structure spanning research all the way to life-cycle management of commercial products. By maintaining continuity between early and late-stage development, including analytical, process, formulation, drug delivery, and clinical manufacturing, MedImmune’s development function provides a significant core capability for the company, allowing it to maintain and leverage historical knowledge, optimize interactions, and create efficiencies by reducing the number of handoffs of technical information. It is a blueprint for success. Dr. Wasserman is a firebrand when it comes to nurturing the spirit of scientific innovation that is at the heart of MedImmune’s success. Mentoring, formally or otherwise, is very important to Dr. Wasserman, who says that passing on historical knowledge allows other scientists and the business to build upon the current status of knowledge to achieve a higher level of scientific understanding. It also challenges her to think in new ways and to question the status quo. Tristan John Vaughan, Ph.D. Quietly Changing Lives A quiet scientific force, Tristan Vaughan, Ph.D., has achieved something few can lay claim to: he has been central to the development of two life-changing medications. The first was his involvement with the team at Cambridge Antibody Technology that discovered Humira, which was launched to treat rheumatoid arthritis in 2002. The second was the discovery of Benlysta, which was launched this year as the first new treatment for lupus in more than 50 years. Dr. Vaughan says since the launch of Humira the opportunity to meet patients whose lives have benefited has been both inspirational and emotional, and he hopes the same will be true for lupus patients taking Benlysta for the first time. It is his belief and hope that he has made a meaningful contribution to humanity and he wishes for nothing more than to continue along this same path. The developers of Humira were true pioneers; this was the world’s first human antibody to be launched for the treatment of any disease, and since then many other human antibodies for the treatment of diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to cancer are now being successfully used to treat patients. This is critical, Dr. Vaughan believes, because the biggest challenge for the industry is the identification of novel targets/pathways. The problem is that there are currently a number of well-trodden targets that have up to 15 different drugs in clinical development, but few of these will ever make it to market and be used to treat patients, this type of research benefits no one. What is needed, he says, is more innovative and step-changing treatments with alternative points of intervention. Modest and self-effacing, Dr. Vaughan has continually driven improvements in the technologies that have successfully delivered drugs that make a meaningful difference to patients. This is what motivates him, not position, salary, or recognition. Both logical and innovative, Dr. Vaughan is focused in his approach to accomplish tasks in an orderly manner, yet at the same time has a big-picture view that will enable processes to be performed differently and reshape the future. Today, as senior director, lead generation, at MedImmune, he leads a team of more than 80 people, including more than 40 Ph.D.s, to deliver antibody and other protein-baesd drugs across four disease areas. His connection to technology and DNA goes beyond the workroom. In his home village of Great Shelford, there is a double helix sculpture, which marks the start of a cycle path with its finish in Cambridge. The cycle route has a “stripy path" that represents the DNA sequence of the BRCA2 gene and contains more than 10,000 stripes. Name: Tristan John Vaughan, Ph.D. Current position: Senior Director, Lead Generation, MedImmune Date and place of birth: March 1963, London Education: Ph.D., Genetics, University of Leeds, U.K.; B.Sc., Genetics (Hons), University of Leeds First Job: Developmental regulation of gene expression in wheat First Industry-related Job: Senior scientist, Cambridge Antibody Technology Alternative profession: Head chef at a fine dining restaurant Professional mentor: Dr. Kevin Johnson, head of research, Cambridge Antibody Technology Giving Back: Various charities for the deaf Words to Live by: Every day is precious and will it matter a year from now? Logical. Innovative. Dr. Tristan Vaughan has continually driven improvements in the technologies that have successfully delivered drugs that make a meaningful difference to patients. Dr. Tristan Vaughan’s great, great, great grandmother was Princess Pocahontas, who married John Rolfe. Dr. Julian Adams • Scientific Abundance Family: Wife, Patti Levin; three daughters, twins Lauren and Claire, 27; and Joanna, 23 Hobbies: Playing chess, guitar, and yoga Reading List: The Information by James Gleick; The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee Favorite Books: Catcher in the Rye and Crime and Punishment Favorite Movies: The Godfather, Parts 1 and 2 Bucket List: Write a great novel and travel the globe Inspired by: Robert Weinberg, Art Levinson, Gilbert Stork, and Paul Krugman Favorite Smartphone App: iPhone maps Most Unusual Place Visited: Delhi, India Life Lessons: Go to the best graduate school and aim high Under The Cloak of Invisibility: Visit the Oval Office Time Travel: Back to the Left Bank of Paris in the 1930s Getting Personal with Dr. Julian Adams Dr. Julian Adams, President, Research and Development, Infinity Pharmaceuticals, is a prolific researcher, with more than 40 patents to his name. Julian Adams, Ph.D., president, research and development, at Infinity Pharmaceuticals, is an extraordinary inventor who has more than 40 patents to his name and authored more than 100 papers and book chapters in peer-reviewed journals. He is the editor of Proteasome Inhibition in Cancer Therapy, which was published in July 2004. Dr. Adams also is a well-regarded expert throughout the oncology and biotechnology community, as evidenced by his participation as an ad hoc advisor to Memorial Sloan Kettering and Dana-Farber Translational Medicine Groups. He also consults for various venture capital companies to evaluate biotech investment opportunities. Dr. Adams is a faculty member at Harvard University, where he teaches a translational medicine course and is a co-teacher of a course on multiple myeloma for first year med students at Harvard Medical School. He has a strong sense of responsibility to give back to the next generation. Dr. Adams is also a frequent speaker/presenter at lecture series/roundtables, such as Yale University’s Global Health & The Arts series in 2011, where he addressed the topic of understanding and tackling cancer in the 21st century. He also guest lectures at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business. In addition to mentoring future researchers and scientists, Dr. Adams is an active member of several professional societies and boards, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR), the American Society of Hematology (ASH), the board of directors of Aileron Therapeutics, and the Scientific Advisory Board of Bind BioSciences and Verastem Inc. Dr. Adams is also a member of NIH’s proposed National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), which is intended to help fill a growing chasm between advances in scientific understanding of disease and the availability of venture finance to turn new scientific insights into products. Additionally, Dr. Adams serves on the working group for NIH’s Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) program, which is slated to become part of NCATS. Dr. Adams’ personal commitment to the community, especially to patients and families fighting cancer, is demonstrated in several areas of volunteer and philanthropic involvement, including being a member of the scientific advisory committee for Stand Up To Cancer and a board member and treasurer of Asylum Access, a U.S.-based international nonprofit organization dedicated to making refugee rights a reality in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He also supports Gilda’s Club, a network of affiliate clubhouses where men, women, and children living with cancer, as well as their friends and families, meet to learn how to live with cancer, whatever the outcome. Additionally, he supports PEN New England, a nonprofit organization that promotes a culture of literature and celebrates great writing and great writers. Dr. Andrew Blight Leading the Charge for Patients As chief scientific officer at Acorda Therapeutics, Andrew Blight, Ph.D., is leading the charge to develop therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injury, and other nervous system disorders. Dr. Blight led the effort to develop Ampyra, which was approved in 2010 as the first drug to improve walking in people with MS. As a leader in spinal cord injury research, he pioneered the therapeutic application 4-AP, the active ingredient in Ampyra in SCI animal models and human clinical trials. Before joining Acorda in 1998, he spent six years as professor and director of the Neurosurgery Research Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a leader in spinal cord injury, Dr. Blight has made several important contributions to the field, particularly with respect to the role of demyelination. And Dr. Blight is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Neurotrauma and has served as a member of the NIH NSDA review committee. Last year, he was the recipient of the Inaugural Purchase College Scientific Entrepreneurship Award. The Purchase College award recognizes individuals for their scientific excellence, ability to integrate science with business, vision and innovation, social responsibility, and providing a positive role model for future generations. He was also invited to deliver the keynote G. Heiner Sell Lecture at the American Spinal Injury Association’s 36th Annual Scientific Meeting, where he spoke about the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry’s perspective on spinal cord injury as a target for therapeutic development. Dr. Andrew Blight, Chief Scientific Officer at Acorda Therapeutics, is an expert in spinal cord research. Hobbies: Sailing, reading (particularly biography), writing (particularly haiku) Reading List: Myself and the Other Fellow: A Life of Robert Louis Stevenson by Claire Harman; London at War by Phillip Ziegler Favorite Book: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame Favorite Movie: Lawrence of Arabia Under The Cloak of Invisibility: To visit a few extremist groups Time Travel: Back to Elizabethan London, if guaranteed to come back with his head Getting Personal with Dr. Andrew Blight Linda Goldman Educating the Next Generation Starting out her professional life as a high school English teacher, Linda Goldman is as much educator now as Inclinix’s enrollment innovator as she was then. She teaches her colleagues about clinical development, how to think, and more importantly how to listen. Through her mentorship, Ms. Goldman tackles the challenges facing pharma, CROs, and sites, ensuring that every challenge becomes a learning opportunity. She has been a pioneer in the education of new professionals, recognizing the growing need to attract talent for this complex industry. Ms. Goldman’s ability and passion for mentoring facilitates a smarter, more conscious pool of professionals, who are molded to continuously press research forward with an emphasis on quality and best practices. With enthusiasm and boundless energy, Ms. Goldman mentors more than 30 colleagues and aspiring talent to advance each person personally and professionally. Her dedication to mentorship is even more pronounced in today’s market, where many experienced employees are being replaced by those who are not, producing an experience “dilution" impact up and down the hierarchy. Despite her busy schedule, she’ll never say no if asked to go to a site to uncover enrollment challenges because she cannot allow a teachable opportunity to pass. During her career, she has enjoyed the support and encouragement of many professional women, noting that almost 75% of the staff members who make up pharmaceutical research are female, so it is important to establish reciprocal relationships. She tackles every project with dedication, including the most challenging. One example was her involvement in integrating two medium-sized organizations that had totally different cultures, attitudes toward employees, benefits, overall experience level, energy, drive, and financial stability. She says it was rather like merging two very large households and going through what to keep and what to discard, only the decisions involved employees and their families. Timely but hard decisions had to be made about individuals and their future contributions to the merged organization. It was, she says, a very difficult situation where common sense often failed to render justice to the human situation. Linda Goldman is Inclinix’s enrollment innovator, which allows her to use her teaching and mentoring skills. Family: Widowed, no children Hobbies: Traveling, golfing, reading Reading List: The Two Trillion Dollar Meltdown: Easy Money, High Rollers, and the Great Credit Crash by Charles Morris; Fool’s Gold: How the Bold Dream of a Small Tribe at J.P. Morgan Was Corrupted by Wall Street Greed and Unleashed a Catastrophe by Gillian Tett; A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan; Just Kids by Patti Smith Favorite Book: Antarctic Navigation by Elizabeth Arthur Favorite Movie: I’ve Loved You So Long Bucket List: Travel to Australia; attend a season opening opera at La Scala in Milan Inspired by: Individuals who transcend personal tragedy and hardships with grace and dignity; those who contribute much but expect nothing in return; animals that love us unconditionally although we seldom deserve it Most Unusual Place Visited: Carhenge, Neb., where cars are sprayed stone-gray and buried to resemble Stonehenge Life Lessons: Pursue a college degree to earn money but maintain an avocation for your heart; be grateful if you can combine them Under The Cloak of Invisibility: Boardrooms for major oil, insurance, etc., companies to hear what actually transpires without sanitization and lawyers Time Travel: Forward to 2060 to find out how we are doing, whether we have eradicated all animals, will NYC and Miami be under water Dr. Sumant Ramachandra Leading Scientific Change Family: Married; three daughters Hobbies: Reading, traveling, spending time with family Reading List: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley; The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clay Christensen Favorite Book: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings Bucket List: To thank all the people who shaped his life through guidance or working with him through adversity; have wife and children see the many places he has lived because although they are not all pleasant places, they helped shape who he is Favorite Smartphone App: Khan Academy Most Unusual Place Visited: Nigeria in the 1970s and 1980s Life Lessons: Follow the Hippocratic Oath Under The Cloak of Invisibility: Go everywhere to do good things where they are needed Getting Personal with Dr. Sumant Ramachandra From founding a student activism group to fighting hunger and poverty to leading scientific change at some of the leading global pharmaceutical companies, Sumant Ramachandra, M.D., Ph.D., shows a passion for the sciences, has a deep commitment to social responsibility, and is having a resounding impact on improving lives. He has a deep connection to medicine and what it means to the patient experience. When reciting the Hippocratic Oath for the first time, he says it felt as if he were receiving the advice of all healthcare providers at once. Despite being written in the 5th century, Dr. Ramachandra says this commitment to practicing medicine ethically is still mostly relevant. Colleagues are inspired by the physician-scientist who has transformed into a forward-thinking leader in the healthcare industry while playing a significant role in the development of several innovative drugs for patients living with cancer. For example, Dr. Ramachandra’s impact on Pharmacia Oncology’s group was almost immediate, according to the most senior management of that organization. He advanced several development programs and notably came up with a novel way of delivering a key pediatric development program for the cancer treatment, Camptosar. He was also intimately involved in the company’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor portfolio, which eventually delivered the drug, Sutent. When Pfizer acquired Pharmacia in 2003, Dr. Ramachandra was brought on board by Pfizer and chosen as group leader of the medical oncology group in the U.S. Pharmaceutical business. His contributions at Pharmacia and Pfizer resulted in his receiving the prestigious William E. Upjohn award. At Schering-Plough, under Fred Hassan’s leadership, a new position of senior project leader was created to oversee the company’s most important drug programs. Dr. Ramachandra was a natural choice for this role. As part of the Schering-Plough team, he was a valued leader and delivered on drugs such as Temodar/Temodal, Intron A, and Caelyx. In his current role at Hospira, Dr. Ramachandra is involved with interacting with an educating the FDA, congressional leaders, academic thought leaders, healthcare associations, and other companies on topics ranging from drug development, the biosimilars regulatory pathway, and medical device/software development. Dr. Sumant Ramachandra, Senior VP and Chief Scientific Officer, is using his medical, scientific, and business talents to affect significant advancement of Hospira’s biosimilars business. Dr. Marlene Llopiz The Latin Clinical Connection Marlene Llopiz, M.D., CEO and president, Clinica Responsable Operativa, S.C., is extremely knowledgeable about her field of clinical research in the Latin American space. More importantly, she is a strong problem-solver and willing to share her knowledge, making those she works with better professionals. Dr. Llopiz has a strong academic background and wide experience in clinical research management and operations. She is an analytical and versatile thinker, effective in carrying out ideas and extensive study protocols and projects, both locally and internationally. Dr. Llopiz has been asked to serve as a direct consultant for the Mexican Ministry of Health Undersecretary of Innovation and Quality. Most recently, she was the general manager of a global contract research organization for international clinical research trials, where Dr. Llopiz led a team of more than 45 employees and oversaw more than 35 international clinical trials that were conducted simultaneously. She actively participates and works closely with leading governmental and private institutions in Mexico for the betterment of country-specific health needs. She is well-known in the clinical research arena and keeps in close contact with key investigators and officials of Mexico’s Ministry of Health for protocol approval and assessment of clinical trial strategies. Family: Husband, Hector of 26 years; daughter, Alexa; son Gustavo Hobbies: Fishing, reading, sleeping, enjoying a quiet dinner with friends and family Reading List: Medical mysteries by Patricia Cornwell or Karen Slaughter, and any novel on pre-Hispanic history Favorite Book: The Jungle Book Favorite Movies: Philadelphia; A Star Is Born Bucket List: Visit Greece; return to Paris; See her children grow, marry, and have children; become a grandmother; move to Miami, buy a huge boat and fish all day; and learn to sing Inspired by: Her parents who left Cuba in 1960 without a dime in their pocket and without a job and started all over in New York; they showed her that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it Favorite Smartphone App: Flick Fishing Most Unusual Place Visited: Xilitla, San Luis Potosi Life Lessons: Never give up Under The Cloak of Invisibility: Visit Havana, Cuba, where she was born, to learn the country she came from Time Travel: Back to her childhood years, so she could get to know both sets of grandparents Getting Personal with Dr. Marlene Llopiz Dr. Gail Wasserman • Do The Right Thing On any given month, you may find MedImmune’s Gail Wasserman, Ph.D., at the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center or the Walter Reed Army Center working as a volunteer, helping with monthly dinners and caring for the social and emotional needs of those same men and women. And it’s not just the wounded she helps, Dr. Wasserman also attends to the husbands, wives, and children. Many have been touched by Dr. Wasserman and her family, who support monthly dinners, holiday parties, and the Operation Caring Classroom. For Dr. Wasserman, volunteering to support injured troops and their families through the Armed Services Foundation is her way of actively participating in thanking those who have sacrificed their safety, and given their time, for their country. That passion and dedication resonates across her life. In her role as senior VP of biopharmaceutical development at MedImmune, Dr. Wasserman is deeply committed to delivering new medicines to patients who are waiting. She believes innovation, scientific excellence, teamwork, and doing business the right way are imperative to meeting the challenges of drug development. Innovation in drug development, she says, has been helped by the addition of biologics. Industry has shown that starting from the licensure of recombinant human insulin; biologics have indeed changed the lives of patients with unmet medical needs. But there are many hurdles to drug development, she says. One of the biggest challenges facing the biopharmaceutical industry is the impact of the cost of healthcare on delivering new medicines to patients. Scientific innovation must not only meet the needs of patients and regulatory guidelines, but also the expectations of payers, and the requirements are not always aligned. Her significant contributions have been widely recognized. In 2007, Dr. Wasserman was awarded the Alumni Fellow Award from The Pennsylvania State University, the most prestigious award given by the Alumni Association. Four years earlier, she was awarded the Outstanding Science Alumni Award from the university’s Eberly College of Science. This award recognizes alumni who have a record of significant professional achievements in their field and who are outstanding role models for the current students in the college. She continues to be a role model within MedImmune, for family members of the armed forces, and for the thousands of patients whose lives were changed because she cared. In addition, Dr. Wasserman and her family host foster dogs. They do so because animal shelters have limited space, many abandoned animals are destroyed if families cannot be found for them. She says there are many families looking for pets and fostering provides time for the dogs to be adopted rather than destroyed. A case in point is the family dog Sly, who is the first dog they fostered, and quickly adopted. Family: Married for 34 years; two children Hobbies: Exercising and spending time with her family Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Favorite Movie: The Wizard of Oz Bucket List: Expand her volunteer time, especially to help students; play the piano inspired by: Historical figures, particularly the early leaders in American history Most Unusual Place Visited: A perfume factory in France Under The Cloak of Invisibility: To school with her children Time Travel: Cambridge University in the 1950s during the time when Watson and Crick described the double-helix structure of DNA Getting Personal with Dr. Gail Wasserman Dr. Fred Van Goor Singular Focus Since joining Vertex in 2001, Fredrick Van Goor, Ph.D., research fellow II, research and development, has been singularly focused on developing treatments for cystic fibrosis. He says one of his biggest career and personal highlights was Vertex’s recent Phase III data announcement for the company’s cystic fibrosis medicine in development for CF patients with the G551D CFTR gene mutation known as VX-770. The groundbreaking data showed significant improvements in areas of health that are critically important for people with CF, such as lung function and weight gain. These results represent tremendous hope for CF patients, caregivers, and doctors. With these results, he feels a responsibility to continue the research that is needed to help benefit all patients with CF. The CF Foundation has been a leader in venture philanthropy to help pharmaceutical companies treat CF. He looks forward to continuing working with the foundation to continue the research needed to bring medicines that target the underlying cause of CF to all CF patients. He has been working on the CF program for his entire career at Vertex and is honored to be part of a team that is working with such dedication and passion toward helping people suffering from this devastating disease. The program he is working on is an entirely new approach to the treatment of cystic fibrosis that targets the defective protein known to cause CF. Dr. Van Goor says the CF research community has made incredible progress so far to further the understanding of the disease. But bringing new medicines to people who have cystic fibrosis will be the ultimate accomplishment. Dr. Fred Van Goor, Research Fellow II at Vertex, says one of his biggest career highlights was the positive data results from a Phase III trial for VX-770 that showed improvement for CF patients. Getting Personal with Dr. Fred Van Goor Life Lessons: It’s “impossible" is never an excuse to not try Dr. Joseph Bolen Communicating a Scientific Vision Joseph Bolen, Ph.D., says being successful in today’s science environment — whether academic or industry — is more than just being smart, dedicated, and focused. While all of these characteristics are essential, the ability to communicate a vision that can be clearly dissected and distilled down to the level where the critical audience — the people who do the work or those who pay for it — can understand and identify with the larger mission and understand how they can contribute. The execution of the vision, Dr. Bolen says demands being in touch with one’s own style and presence, as well as the contribution or distraction that a management style, interpersonal dynamics, and communication style bring to people in the organization. Developing these leadership skills is often a grueling and agonizing process and is best accomplished with the help and support of someone who has been through it all before. Which is why he devotes a significant amount of time and energy supporting the next generation of scientists. As chief scientific officer of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, which aspires to cure cancer, he says in the oncology segment of industry, the most significant challenge is to determine in collaboration with regulatory and reimbursement agencies a practical path for expedient patient genetic and genomic profiling in parallel with a concise blueprint for combining — not just two — but perhaps three or four experimental drugs that together will hopefully constitute a more efficacious therapy with an optimal quality of life. It is also essential that to determine how to reach a clear decision point on such clinical trials within a time frame that is meaningful for patients and economically feasible for industry participants. Despite the challenge and longer-term investment required, Dr. Bolen asserts that it’s critical to venture into the unprecedented areas of biology and drug discovery to add value for patients. He points to the industry history, saying staying on well-traveled paths may be easier, but this will only offer incremental value. His peers and colleagues say meaningful leaps in new cancer treatments will arise from the type of leadership that Dr. Bolen not only preaches but exemplifies. They say Millennium’s novel clinical pipeline has his fingerprints all over it. Dr. Bolen joined Millennium in 1999 as VP of oncology and was promoted to senior VP of discovery research in 2002. In this role, he headed all biological research in the areas of oncology, inflammation, metabolic disease, and cardiovascular disease as well as all genomics, informatics, and platform technologies. In 2003, Dr. Bolen was appointed senior VP of research and drug discovery, a role in which he headed all biological research and related functions as well as all drug discovery functions. Dr. Bolen was appointed to his current role in 2006. There are few times in a career when one has experiences being part of an organization where a first-in-class drug demonstrates unanticipated positive single agent clinical activity especially in Phase I. Dr. Bolen recalls one such occasion when Dr. Julian Adams, who at the time was the head of chemistry at Millennium, was describing the breaking news that patients with advanced multiple myeloma were demonstrating complete remissions of their disease in a Phase I trials with what would become Velcade. (Dr. Adams is a fellow 2011 PharmaVOICE 100 honoree.) Dr. Bolen adds that it is even a more rare experience when that same new drug serves as the initial validation for an entire field of biology and opens the door to the possibility for discovering many more important new medicines. Dr. Bolen has had a prestigious pharmaceutical career, which was proceeded by a 10-year tenure at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Bolen has served on numerous journal editorial boards, including the Journal of Virology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Current Topics in Virology. He has served on many study sections, panels, and committees for the NIH, the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association for Cancer Research, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. As part of his commitment to giving back he also serves on the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association’s advisory board. Dr. Joseph Bolen, Chief Science Officer of Millennium, says it’s critical to venture into the unprecedented areas of biology and drug discovery to add value for patients. Getting Personal with Dr. Joseph Bolen Family: Married; three children: Kris, Michael, and Kelly; two Old English bulldogs, Bubba and Gracie Hobbies: Music, guitar and drums; and horses Reading List: 1861 The Civil War Awakening by Adam Goodheart; Bosspants by Tina Fey Favorite Books: East of Eden by John Steinbeck; The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe Favorite Movie: Lost in Translation Bucket List: Finishing his home recording studio; finding the right quarter horse that will allow him to keep going as an elderly equestrian; getting his bulldog Bubba to pay attention to his commands Inspired by: Cancer patients who volunteer for clinical trials Favorite Smartphone App: Maps Most Unusual Places Visited: Masada and The Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia Life Lessons: Don’t take yourself too seriously and never ever believe your own press Under The Cloak of Invisibility: A rehearsal session featuring Wynton Marsalis, Eric Clapton, Derek Truck, or Joe Bonamassa Time Travel: Back to the 1960s in London and Hamburg to watch the Beatles perform before they became famous Dr. Tristan Vaughan • Courageous Journey Dr. Tristan Vaughn, Senior Director, Lead Generation, MedImmune, believes in the imperative of great research. Research and discovery in small, innovator companies can sometimes be a lonely process. But it also requires scientists of the highest caliber and who have the greatest commitment to achieve results. Tristan Vaughan, Ph.D., is just such a scientist and it is down to his strong scientific skills and dedication that Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) ultimately thrived. Early on, CAT was a small biotech company with only two dozen staff members, and it was essential to evolve and improve the core phage display platform of the company if it were to survive as a business. The company had little money, so Dr. Vaughan was the only scientist deployed for the work, which took the best part of a year. He says that in many ways this was a lonely and isolated task. However, this work was ultimately successful and resulted in the generation of the first large antibody libraries that helped to secure key investments from organizations, such as Genentech. Dr. Vaughan relied on sound advice from one of his mentors, Claude Bertrand, former head of respiratory and inflammation at AstraZeneca, who told him to be courageous and make the tough decisions, and while you may not always be right, as long as you are correct 90% of the time, you are adding real value. Dr. Vaughan believes in the imperative of great research, and to achieve this he maintains it is important to help guide young scientists in their approach to research. Having a young daughter who is deaf, Dr. Vaughan is deeply committed to organizations that support the deaf. He draws inspiration from his 6-year-old daughter, who despite having to wear hearing aids and who requires support at all times, is an exceptionally happy and popular little girl who is very confident in herself, and enjoys life to the fullest. Family: Wife, Dawn; daughter, Selina, 6 Hobbies: Collecting pens, masks, playing cards, etc.; cooking, and eating at fine restaurants Reading List: The Tao of Coaching by Max Landsberg; Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (with his daughter) Favorite Book: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Favorite Movie: Leon Bucket List: Visit all Seven Wonders of the World Inspired by: His daughter Favorite Smartphone App: Angry Birds Most Unusual Place Visited: The Galapagos Islands Life Lessons: Be courageous and make decisions; you will not always be right but as long as you are 90% of the time, you’re adding real value Under The Cloak of Invisibility: Take a tour of the MI6 building Time Travel: See his daughter’s family and that she is well and happy Getting Personal with Dr. Tristan Vaughan Nobuhiko Tamura • The Big Picture Without question the biggest highlight of Nobuhiko Tamura’s career has been the time in which he worked on the development of Latuda (lurasidone HCl), an atypical antipsychotic indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Latuda was approved in the United States in October 2010, and Mr. Tamura says this truly represents the culmination of many years of work across so many functions and geographies. He has spent the last four years in the United States, first as president of Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma America — the U.S. division of DSP and now part of Sunovion — and now as chief scientific officer. He says this time has been rewarding but not without its challenges. Mr. Tamura was entrusted by parent company DSP to build a presence in the United States. One of his main goals was to create a subsidiary, including the infrastructure required to conduct clinical programs for drug development and successful commercialization. Mr. Tamura was instrumental in providing the leadership and securing the resources to support the development efforts around Latuda. Colleagues say Mr. Tamura is a true R&D champion committed to results. As a team-builder, he works tremendously hard to navigate across continents securing necessary consensus. Latuda was approved nine months ahead of DSP’s internal schedule, becoming DSP’s first drug to market in the United States. Mr. Tamura’s team members firmly believe that this major milestone would not have been achieved without his efforts. He empowered them to take a different approach to advance this product to market; and in turn, provide a new therapy for those living with schizophrenia. Over the years, Mr. Tamura has been a leader in expanding DSP’s global R&D presence and relationships throughout the R&D community at large. Today, DSP has more than a dozen relationships with various universities and research institutions, thanks in part to his efforts. Mr. Tamura led the establishment of one of the most important collaborations, an academic research laboratory with the Karolinska Institute. In addition, Mr. Tamura currently serves as treasurer of the New York Pharma Forum, an organization dedicated to examining and addressing the latest issues and trends affecting the global healthcare industry. Hobbies: Hiking and spending time outside Reading List: Books on physics and astronomy Inspired by: His chemistry professors Life Lessons: Overcome difficult situations by always keeping the big picture, and the patient, in minds Getting Personal with Nobuhiko Tamura Nobuhiko Tamura, Chief Scientific Officer of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, looks at the big picture when exploring ways to overcome R&D obstacles. Dr. Harriet Robinson • AIDS Activist Family: Three sons, three daughters-in-law, five grandchildren Hobbies: Hiking, reading about history, biography, politics, economics, watching C-SPAN Reading List: The Warmth of Other Suns; The Greater Journey; Bargaining with the Devil Bucket List: Have a home in Palo Alto; write a book about making an AIDS vaccine; get a dog Inspired by: Her sons Favorite Smartphone App: Weather Most Unusual Place Visited: Road trip from London to Krakow when the iron curtain was opening up Life Lessons: Go to graduate school Time Travel: Back in time to watch the founding fathers draw up the constitution at the Constitutional Convention Harriett Robinson, Ph.D., chief scientific officer and co-founder of GeoVax, is one of the world’s leaders in AIDS vaccine research and the developer of the company’s HIV-1 AIDS vaccine technology. Before GeoVax, she was chief of the division of microbiology and immunology at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Asa Griggs Candler professor of microbiology and immunology at Emory University. Dr. Robinson is passionate about what she does, and she has devoted the majority of her career to AIDS/HIV research. She has published extensively on HIV-AIDS vaccine research as well as viral-induced cancers. Her pioneering studies on the development of DNA vaccines demonstrated not only that DNA could raise protective immunity for viral infections, but also identified methods of DNA delivery that could be used to control the type of immune responses raised by DNA vaccines. Dr. Harriet Robinson, Chief Scientific Officer, GeoVax, is the developer of the company’s HIV-1 AIDS vaccine technology. Dr. Amir Kalali • A Force For Change Inspired by: Passionate people who have leadership qualities and are not happy with the status quo Favorite Smartphone App: Zite Most Unusual Place Visited: Indonesian Islands Getting Personal with Dr. Amir Kalali Amir Kalali, M.D., has been a force in CNS drug development for the last 15 years. As VP, medical and scientific services, and CNS global therapeutic team leader for Quintiles, he is an expert in CNS clinical trial methodology, and is globally responsible for the medical and scientific aspects of development programs in psychiatry and neurology. Dr. Kalali is also professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. As the founding chairman and current executive secretary of the Executive Committee of the International Society for CNS Drug Development, and as a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Society for CNS Clinical Trials and Methodology, Dr. Kalali actively facilitates scientific collaboration between academia, government, and pharmaceutical industry scientists. Dr. Kalali is the editor of the journal Psychiatry and has published numerous peer-reviewed papers. His most recent endeavor is the CNS Summit, a forum that supports collaboration between all stakeholders involved in CNS drug development. The Summit allows veryone to come together and discuss issues in an open environment. The inaugural meeting was highly successful, drawing about 400 attendees. Dr. Kalali also founded the International Society for CNS Drug Development (ISCDD). He is considered an expert by academic and industry physicians alike, and is frequently selected to serve on panels and symposia at top-tier scientific meetings to represent the industry perspective on matters ranging from signal detection to innovative approaches to drug discovery. His contributions to the field include novel scale development and validation, numerous publications, and leadership positions within several scientific societies. He is committed to furthering healthcare by bringing together research physicians and medical centers, with research teams of major pharmaceutical and biotechs companies to collaborate for success. As VP, Medical and Scientific Services, and CNS Global Therapeutic Team Leader for Quintiles, Dr. Amir Kalali is an expert in CNS clinical trial methodology.
