Fall 2018 HRA Members Meeting (Durham)

Steve Rose, PhD

Chief Science Officer | Foundation Fighting Blindness

Dr. Rose joined the Foundation Fighting Blindness as the Chief Scientific Officer in December 2004. He manages and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Science Department, work closely with the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board and Research Oversight Committee, and provides overall leadership to its funding program. In addition, Dr. Rose works to establish a seamless pipeline of science and clinical studies to move preventions and treatments into clinical trials while partnering with pharma and biotech to maximize potential commercialization.

Sindy Escobar-Alvarez, PhD

Senior Program Officer for Medical Research | Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Sindy N. Escobar Alvarez is the Senior Program Officer for Medical Research at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. She manages the peer-review and evaluation of grants for early-career physician scientists and for research advancing knowledge and treatments for sickle cell disease. Sindy also supports planning, strategy, and grant policy development and implementation for awards to advance biomedical research innovation and to develop clinical research careers. Sindy is a graduate of the Pharmacology Department of Cornell University Weill Graduate School and Sloan-Kettering Institute.

Carole Wegner, PhD

VP, Research and Grants Administration| The V Foundation for Cancer Research

Carole Wegner, PhD, HCLD, is the Vice President of Research and Grants Administration for the V Foundation. She uses her 20+ years of experience as a research scientist, clinical lab director and patient advocate to help find and support researchers who are looking for cancer cures. Dr. Wegner received a BS Degree in Zoology from Kent State and a PhD in Physiology from Penn State University. In her post-doctoral work at MD Anderson Cancer Center, she studied mouse embryo implantation as a model for understanding tumor invasion. As a clinical IVF lab director for three clinics in two states, she developed administrative skills essential to running a grants program and her daily interaction with patients gave her a deep understanding of the importance of effective medical communication to empower patients and help them achieve the best possible medical outcomes. At the V Foundation, this experience informs her work with research grant recipients to improve their scientific communication skills for public outreach.

Samuel Thomas

Chief Technology Officer and Project Manager | Rose Li and Associates

Samuel Thomas is Chief Technology Officer at Rose Li and Associates, Inc., a professional services firm specializing in research and analysis, science writing, and project management. He currently oversees the development of the Continuous Innovation Indicators™ (CII), an innovative tool to track progress in cancer research. Supported by Lilly Oncology’s PACE initiative, the CII is freely available for researchers, patient advocates, and the public to explore the evidence base supporting effective treatments for 13 tumor types and visualize remaining unmet needs. Mr. Thomas has experience in program evaluation, policy analysis, and science writing. He leads teams of analysts, writers, and software developers to support the needs of research-centric clients in the private, non-profit, and public sectors. Previously, Mr. Thomas worked for the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute, where he provided research and analytical support to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and other federal agencies. Mr. Thomas holds a BS from Columbia University.

Natalia Volfovsky, PhD

Director, Data and Analytics | Simons Foundation

Natalia Volfovsky, Ph.D. is a Director of Data & Analytics at the Informatics department at the Simons Foundation. She came to the Foundation to oversee quantitative informatics analysis, data storage and data curation. Prior to joining the foundation, Volfovsky served as a manager of the computational genomics group at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) in Maryland where she was responsible for design and development of computational methods to process and analyze genomics data. She holds an M.S. in Mathematics from Kharkiv State University, Ukraine, a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and completed her postdoctoral work in Bioinformatics at the Institute for Genomic Research, Maryland with Dr. Steven Salzberg.

Alycia Halladay, PhD

Chief Science Officer | Autism Science Foundation

Alycia Halladay is the Chief Science Officer for the Autism Science Foundation, where she oversees the scientific activities, grants, and initiatives of ASF. The Autism Science Foundation focuses on investments in junior level career researchers to both improve scientific discovery while training the next generation of scientists using cutting edge technologies. These awards include pre and post doctoral fellowships, undergraduate awards, accelerator grants, the Autism Sisters Project and the Baby Siblings Research Consortium. In addition, the Autism Science Foundation provides outreach and communication support to the Autism BrainNet, helping to explain the importance of this program to families and individuals with ASD. Prior to joining ASF in 2014, she served as the Senior Director of Clinical and Environmental Sciences at Autism Speaks. She received a PhD in biopsychology from Rutgers in 2001 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ in 2004. She still holds a faculty appointment at Rutgers.

Jackie Hausman

Program Officer | Kenneth Rainin Foundation

Jackie is the Health Program Officer for the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. Her responsibilities are facilitating networking and collaboration among our grantees and partners, including the Foundation's annual Innovations Symposium, which brings together researchers from around the world to discuss Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Jackie was instrumental in developing the Rainin Foundation’s IBD site, where researchers and clinicians can connect to nurture discoveries. She also launched the Synergy Award, a grant program that fosters cross-disciplinary collaborations, and manages evaluation activities for the Health portfolio. Prior to joining the Foundation, Jackie worked at the UC Davis Center for Health and Technology directing the Model eHealth Communities Program. She also served as the Children’s Health Program Officer at First 5 Yolo Children and Families Commission, where she led initiatives to promote access to quality health care, early childhood mental health and oral health, and managed policy activities. Jackie has Master’s degrees in both Public Policy and Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley, and a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Heather Snyder, PhD

Senior Director, Medical & Scientific Relations | Alzheimer’s Association

Heather M. Snyder, Ph.D., is Senior Director of Medical and Scientific Operations at the Alzheimer’s Association. Dr. Snyder manages the Association's International Research Grant Program, through which the Association funds research around the world. She oversees the Association’s relationship with the leading disease journal in clinical neurology, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, and its two companion open access journals. She is responsible for implementing the Alzheimer’s Association Women’s Alzheimer’s Research Initiative and leads the Association’s efforts to understand the role of vascular factors in Alzheimer's and dementia. Dr. Snyder earned a Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, and a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Religious Studies from The University of Virginia.

Jim Luther, PhD

Associate VP Finance & Compliance Officer | Duke University

Jim Luther is the Associate VP Finance, Sponsor Liaison and Compliance Officer and serves as the University’s primary conduit to federal sponsors, government agencies, and other sponsors on costing, reimbursement and compliance matters related to the research enterprise, including incident response-related communications. He also guides the direction of research costing and compliance efforts of the University by translating and applying guidance and directives from government and private sponsors for the University community through related various policy and training initiatives, as well as through compliance monitoring. He came to Duke in 1990 and has served in many capacities. Over the past several years he has instituted a compliance program that includes mandatory education for faculty and administrators, a comprehensive compliance certification program, and a compliance monitoring program. He is active nationally and is the past-Chair of the Board of the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) in Washington DC and the co-chair of the Finance Policy Workgroup with federal representatives for the Federal Demonstration Partnership (sponsored by the National Academies of Science). Before joining Duke, Luther served as a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. Luther earned his B.S. in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and an M.A. from Duke University.

Andrew Smith, PhD

Manager, Scientific Review | Susan G. Komen

Andrew Smith, Ph.D., has been with Komen since 2014, currently serving as Manager, Scientific Review overseeing the Application and Review process. In this role, Andrew oversees the peer review of new grant applications, which in 2017 involved over 130 applications and over 80 external peer reviewers, resulting in an investment of nearly $10 million in research grants focused on early career investigators. Other responsibilities include management of ongoing research projects ranging from post-doctoral fellowships to clinical trials, and providing subject-matter expertise for Komen’s communications and fund-raising teams. His doctoral studies focused on the development of new proteomic methods to identify protein-protein interactions that regulate breast cancer cell adhesion and metastasis. As a post-doctoral fellow in NCI’s Radiation Oncology Branch, he studied the use of receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors to treat glioblastoma multiforme.

Calvin Ho, PhD

Science Project Coordinator| Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance

Calvin N. Ho, PhD, manages the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance’s research partnerships with academia and industry. This growing portfolio includes grants and postdoctoral fellowships, preclinical collaborations, and a biosample repository. He also develops science education programs for individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex and their families, and communications and events for the scientific community. Dr. Ho recently received his doctorate in sociology at UCLA, where he studied the historical development of immigration policies targeting early career scientists.

Amy Laster, PhD

Senior Director, Grants and Award Programs | Foundation Fighting Blindness

Dr. Amy Laster, Senior Director, Grants and Award Programs, oversees FFB’s Science Portfolio consisting of research awards in four funding programs supporting career development, laboratory-based science research, translational research and multi-investigator program projects. In this role, Dr. Laster actively participates in the Science Department overall strategic planning, management and execution of the Science portfolio to support high impact inherited retinal degenerative disease research. Dr. Laster has fostered partnerships with other biomedical research funders to expand the Foundation’s career development program as well as its translational research program. Additionally, Dr. Laster strategically designs the science programming for the Foundation’s VISIONS and Investing in Cures national conferences. Prior to joining FFB, Dr. Laster was a faculty member of the Department of Biology at Stevenson University. Dr. Laster completed a Postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Solomon Synder Department of Neuroscience. Her area of research focus was the study of neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Laster holds a B.S. Natural Science from Spelman College and a Ph.D. Biological Sciences from Purdue University.

Diane Bovenkamp, PhD

Vice President of Scientific Affairs | BrightFocus Foundation

Diane Bovenkamp, PhD, Vice President of Scientific Affairs, oversees all of BrightFocus Foundation’s research programs, serves as the scientific liaison for the organization in local, national, and international forums, and identifies and develops new research initiatives, partnerships, and funding policies consistent with the mission of BrightFocus. Prior to assuming her current position, Dr. Bovenkamp served as the Scientific Program Officer and Science Communications Specialist at BrightFocus, and as Director of Science Information and Programs at Foundation Fighting Blindness. Dr. Bovenkamp obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, discovering and studying Eph receptors in angiogenesis and neural development in zebrafish and mice. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, isolating and characterizing zebrafish neuropilins. Dr. Bovenkamp conducted further research at the Johns Hopkins University Bayview Proteomics Center in the Division of Cardiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, using proteomic techniques for biomarker detection in human serum.

Diane Bovenkamp, PhD

Vice President of Scientific Affairs | BrightFocus Foundation

Diane Bovenkamp, PhD, Vice President of Scientific Affairs, oversees all of BrightFocus Foundation’s research programs, serves as the scientific liaison for the organization in local, national, and international forums, and identifies and develops new research initiatives, partnerships, and funding policies consistent with the mission of BrightFocus. Prior to assuming her current position, Dr. Bovenkamp served as the Scientific Program Officer and Science Communications Specialist at BrightFocus, and as Director of Science Information and Programs at Foundation Fighting Blindness. Dr. Bovenkamp obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, discovering and studying Eph receptors in angiogenesis and neural development in zebrafish and mice. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, isolating and characterizing zebrafish neuropilins. Dr. Bovenkamp conducted further research at the Johns Hopkins University Bayview Proteomics Center in the Division of Cardiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, using proteomic techniques for biomarker detection in human serum.

Stephen Gallo, PhD

Chief Scientist | American Institute of Biological Sciences

Dr. Stephen Gallo is the Chief Scientist for the Scientific Peer Advisory and Review Services (SPARS) division of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), providing scientific, technical and administrative oversight over peer review operations and senior leadership to AIBS SPARS. He was worked with AIBS staff to analyze peer review data and publish these anonymized results in the open-access literature to further the empirical database upon which the best practices in peer review are based. He has also worked to create a webinar series to generate conversations around this topic (see link below). He received his PhD in Biophysics from the University of Buffalo and worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health in the field of HIV research. A link to our publications and webinars is below: https://spars.aibs.org/our-impact.html

Lucy Liaw, PhD

Director, Research Training Programs | Maine Medical Center Research Institute

Lucy Liaw received her PhD at the University of Washington in the area of signaling in vascular biology. She then performed a postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University, learning about mouse genome modification and developmental biology. After completing the fellowship, she moved to Maine Medical Center Research Institute to start her independent research laboratory. In the past 20 years, her research has focused on vascular biology, signaling pathways, and the impact of metabolic disease on vascular health. She also established and leads an institutional Mouse Transgenic Facility at Maine Medical Center, and is the Director of Research Training Programs. She has been continuously involved in peer review for the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, and is particularly interested in mentorship of trainees and young investigators. She currently leads a Center of Excellence in the area of metabolic networks, and holds academic appointments at the University of Maine and Tufts University.

Richard Nakamura, PhD

Former Director (2011-2018) | Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health

From 2011 to his retirement from Federal service in April 2018, Richard Nakamura, Ph.D. was Director of the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He led CSR’s 500 scientists and administrative staff, overseeing their efforts to manage 80,000 incoming NIH grant applications a year and review the majority of them in CSR peer review groups. CSR holds about 1,500 review meetings a year, involving about 16,000 reviewers from the scientific community.Before 2011, Dr. Nakamura had a 32-year tenure at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), where he has served as both Scientific Director and Deputy Director of the institute. He served as Acting Director from 2001 to 2002. During his time at NIMH, he received a number of leadership awards, including the Presidential Rank Award for outstanding leadership.He came to NIMH in 1976 as a postdoctoral fellow. In the mid-80’s he coordinated NIMH’s Biobehavioral Program and later was Chief of its Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch. Between 1997 and 2007, he served as the institute’s Deputy Director. From 2007 to 2011 he was institute Scientific Director. While at NIMH, he also has held other positions, including Associate Director for Science Policy and Program Planning and Coordinator, ADAMHA Office of Animal Research Issues.Dr. Nakamura attended the Bronx High School of Science and earned his B.A. in psychology from Earlham College. He received his Ph.D. in psychology from the State University of New York in Stony Brook. Dr. Nakamura has expertise in a number of areas, including the grant award and policy process at NIH, cognitive and comparative neuroscience, and ethics in science. He has published 30 peer reviewed scientific journal articles, most related to neurocognition in primates.

Maryrose Franko, PhD

Executive Director | Health Research Alliance

John Burris, PhD

President | Burroughs Wellcome Fund

John E. Burris became president of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund in July 2008. He is the former president of Beloit College. Prior to his appointment at Beloit in 2000, Dr. Burris served for eight years as director and CEO of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Mass. From 1984 to 1992 he was at the National Research Council/National Academies where he served as the executive director of the Commission on Life Sciences. A native of Wisconsin, he received an A.B. in biology from Harvard University in 1971, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison in an M.D.-Ph.D. program, and received a Ph.D. in marine biology from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California-San Diego in 1976. A professor of biology at the Pennsylvania State University from 1976 to 1985, he held an adjunct appointment there until coming to Beloit. His research interests were in the areas of marine and terrestrial plant physiology and ecology. He has served as president of the American Institute of Biological Sciences and is or has been a member of a number of distinguished scientific boards and advisory committees including the Grass Foundation, the Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn” in Naples, Italy, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Radiation Effects Research Foundation in Hiroshima, Japan. He has also served as a consultant to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Science and Human Values.

Susan Braun

Chief Executive Officer | V Foundation for Cancer Research

Susan Braun is the Chief Executive Officer for the V Foundation. As a passionate advocate for people with cancer, she has spent more than 20 years working toward ways to diminish suffering caused by cancer and other conditions, at the individual and the global level. Among her appointments and responsibilities, Susan has served on boards and/or committees for several organizations, including: National Cancer Institute, American Society for Breast Disease, World Society of Breast Health, California Breast Cancer Research Program, the Barbara Smith Fund, Americorps NCCC, National Dialogue on Cancer, Intercultural Cancer Council, the ASCEND Foundation and Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. Susan received her bachelor’s degree in English and sociology from George Mason University and her master’s degree in health science education from the University of Maryland. She also completed an academic graduate program (master’s equivalent) in international business and marketing at the University of Muenster in Muenster, Germany.

Sindy Escobar-Alvarez, PhD

Senior Program Officer for Medical Research | Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Sindy N. Escobar Alvarez is the Senior Program Officer for Medical Research at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. She manages the peer-review and evaluation of grants for early-career physician scientists and for research advancing knowledge and treatments for sickle cell disease. Sindy also supports planning, strategy, and grant policy development and implementation for awards to advance biomedical research innovation and to develop clinical research careers. Sindy is a graduate of the Pharmacology Department of Cornell University Weill Graduate School and Sloan-Kettering Institute.

Sara Omlid, PhD

Partnering Executive | Atomwise, Inc

Sara Omlid is a Partnering Executive at Atomwise Inc., a biotechnology company in San Francisco that uses artificial intelligence for preclinical drug discovery and development. Atomwise partners with companies and academic institutions on hit discovery and lead optimization projects. Sara manages Atomwise’s successful and rapidly growing Artificial Intelligence Molecular Screen (AIMS) Awards program, which provides AI-powered virtual screening and compounds for testing to over a hundred academic researchers across the world each year. Prior to joining Atomwise, she was developing new chemistries to add to the medicinal chemist’s toolbox. She also has experience in management consulting in the biotech and life sciences industry. Sara received her PhD and MS in physical organic chemistry as well as her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Saint Louis University.

Paul Macklin, PhD

Associate Professor | Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University

Paul Macklin is a mathematician and an Associate Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering at Indiana University. He is developing a “virtual laboratory” to help scientists assess and engineer the systems-level effects of current and emerging cancer treatments by simulating how cells interact in 3-D tissues. Dr. Macklin uses a highly collaborative, open source / open science approach to accelerate this work while building cross-disciplinary, multi-institutional teams that pool expertise to create shared mathematical and computational tools. He founded and leads several open source projects, including PhysiCell (simulates many cells as they interact in 3-D tissues), BioFVM (solves for diffusion of signaling factors, oxygen, and drugs), and MultiCellDS (standards for sharing multicellular data). These tools have been applied to primary and metastatic breast cancer, metastases in liver tissue, and most recently cancer immunology. To learn more, visit MathCancer.org.

Nicole Burpo

Manager, Focused Research | American Heart Association

Nicole Burpo, MS, Operations Manager in the Research Dept for the American Heart Assn, oversees several of the largest awards offered by the AHA – the Strategic Focus Research Networks(SFRNs) and the AHA/Allen Initiative in Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment (BHCI). Both the SFRNs and BHCI are multi-million-dollar, multi-investigator, multi-institutional awards focused on a particular disease/area of interest. Nicole has been with the Assn 4 ½ years and brings 10 years’ experience as a bench and longitudinal scientist. Prior to her role with AHA, Ms Burpo served the people of Kentucky as an environmental regulator evaluating and assessing legacy waste at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and a researcher with one of the country’s first women’s longitudinal studies – the Kentucky Women’s Health Registry, in Lexington, Ky. Additionally, she studied biofilm formation in Haemophilus influenza where she worked for the University of Kentucky Microbiology and Immunology Dept. Ms Burpo obtained her Masters’ Degree in Biology at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, where she studied protein requirements for endangered turtles, Graptemys nigrinoda.

Maryrose Franko, PhD

Executive Director | Health Research Alliance

Dr. Maryrose Franko is Executive Director of the Health Research Alliance. Working closely with the organization’s board, she sets its strategic priorities, advances its members’ objectives through key programs, and develops tools for the nonprofit biomedical community. Dr. Franko’s background includes over 20 years of program management at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), including strategic planning as well as creating, implementing, and managing over a dozen programs and initiatives. These include graduate, medical student and postdoctoral research fellowships, and an innovative and groundbreaking joint initiative with the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Franko also ran both the graduate and undergraduate programs at HHMI’s state-of-the-art research facility, Janelia Research Campus, and created professional development opportunities for Janelia’s postdocs. Dr. Franko’s collaboration with the Burroughs Wellcome fund to develop a residential Lab Leadership and Management course, led to the creation of Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty, and the companion guide, Training Scientists to Make the Right Moves, which were joint efforts of HHMI and Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Dr. Franko received her PhD in molecular genetics from University of Southern California and did a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health before joining HHMI. During her time at HHMI, Franko was a founding board member of HRA, serving from 1995 to 2012. While a member of HRA, she initiated and led the Early Career Scientist Working group which is now the Research Workforce and Early Career Development working group. She serves on many boards, including the Center for Open Science, and Northern Virginia’s new interactive science museum – the Children’s Science Center.

Shannon Gallagher-Colombo, PhD

Assistant Director | AACR Foundation

Shannon Gallagher-Colombo, PhD, is Assistant Director of Scientific Review and Grants Administration at the AACR. In this role, she oversees a multi-million dollar portfolio of industry- and foundation-sponsored research grants for cancer scientists at all career stages. In addition, she works closely with the AACR Foundation, providing scientific expertise and relationship management to AACR’s many valued funding partners. Prior to joining the AACR, Gallagher-Colombo was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was involved in basic, preclinical, and clinical research investigating the use of photodynamic therapy as a treatment option for solid malignancies.

Kristin Mueller, PhD

Scientific Program Director | Melanoma Research Alliance

Kristen Mueller, PhD, is the Scientific Program Director of the Melanoma Research Alliance. She received her B.A. in biology from Carleton College and her Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Minnesota. Kristen joined the Melanoma Research Alliance in 2017 with more than 15 years of experience in biomedical research and scientific publishing. She currently manages MRA’s research awards, including the solicitation, peer review, and oversight of approximately $8 to $10 million per year in funded programs. She is also responsible for coordinating MRA’s Annual Scientific Retreat. Prior to joining the Melanoma Research Alliance, Kristen was a Senior Editor at the journal Science. At Science, her primary responsibilities included orchestrating the peer review process for manuscripts covering subjects such as cancer immunology and immunotherapy, infectious disease and vaccines, and also attracting the best research in these fields to Science.

Joe Cotter

Research Constituent Engagement Manager | American Cancer Society

Joe Cotter is the Research Constituent Engagement Manager at the American Cancer Society. He’s not a scientist, so he can’t come up with the appropriate cellular metaphor for what he does, which is to help the thousands of current and former ACS grantees connect with each other and with ACS staff, volunteers, and investors. He also shares stories and information with regional staff to help them tell the ACS research story to volunteers and donors.