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Governance
STSI Governing Board | Advisory Board | External Advisory Board | Internal Advisory Board
STSI Governing Board
Eric Topol, MD
STSI, Program Director; SH Chief Academic Officer
BIBLIOGRAPHY - MAY 2010
Eric J. Topol, M.D. is the Director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute in La Jolla, California, which is a National Institutes of Health funded flagship grant, to accelerate research to change medicine. He also serves as the Chief Academic Officer for Scripps Health, a Professor of Translational Genomics at The Scripps Research Institute, and a practicing cardiologist at Scripps Clinic. His research has been in two major areas: clinical development of new drugs/devices and genomics. Topol pioneered the development of many medications that are routinely used in medical practice including t-PA, Plavix, Angiomax, and ReoPro. He has led worldwide clinical trials in over 40 countries involving over 200,000 patients. His genomics research has been on discovery of key genes in heart attack and more recently in healthy aging. He has been a medical innovator in wireless medicine, including wireless ECG, vital signs, remote monitoring for heart failure, and as co-founder and Vice Chairman of the Board for the West Wireless Health Institute. He has over 1000 original peer-reviewed publications and has edited over 30 books, including the Textbook of Interventional Cardiology (6th ed - Elsevier), and the Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine (3rd ed - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins). Dr. Topol led the Cleveland Clinic’s Cardiovascular program to #1 ranked status in the U.S. for 11 consecutive years and founded the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine before moving to Scripps in 2006. He has been elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and named Doctor of the Decade by the Institute for Scientific Information for being one of the top 10 most cited medical researchers.
Dr. Topol’s Wikipedia page can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Topol
Gerald Joyce, MD, PhD
STSI Director for Translational Science; TSRI Dean of the Faculty
Gerald Joyce, MD, PhD, STSI Director for Translational Science, is Dean of the Faculty of TSRI and Professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Molecular Biology at TSRI, is the STSI Director for Translational Science. As Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Joyce oversees 225 faculty members and 108 staff scientists appointed within 15 departments. He is responsible for all faculty appointments and promotions at TSRI, and for coordinating research initiatives both within TSRI and between TSRI and various external organizations. Dr. Joyce also maintains a vigorous academic research program in the area of nucleic acid biochemistry. His research concerns the development of novel RNA and DNA enzymes, using methods of in vitro evolution that his laboratory helped pioneer. These methods are widely used in macromolecular chemistry and enzymology, and have had broad applications in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics. The anti-VEGF compound pegaptanib, for example, is an in vitro evolved RNA molecule that has been approved for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Dr. Joyce’s laboratory developed the first and several subsequent examples of DNA enzymes. Once such DNA molecule, the 10-23 motif, provides the basis for the DzyNA-PCR method of quantitative nucleic acid amplification. Dr. Joyce has published over 100 scientific papers and is the inventor of 11 issued patents. He has received numerous honors, including election to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2001. Dr. Joyce also maintains an active medical license. Although he no longer has direct patient contact, he is well aware of clinical training and how it relates to basic scientific research. As both an accomplished medical scientist and the chief academic officer of a premier biomedical research institute he is highly qualified for the role of STSI Director for Translational Science.
Nicholas Schork, PhD
STSI Director of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics; SGM Director of Research
Nicholas Schork, PhD, is the STSI Director of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Dr. Schork also is Director of Research, Scripps Genomic Medicine, Professor, Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, and member of the Executive Oversight Committee of the San Diego Supercomputer Center. Dr. Schork’s interest and expertise are quantitative human genetics and genomics, especially the design and implementation of methodologies to dissect the genetic basis of complex traits and diseases. He has published over 250 scientific articles and book chapters on the analysis of complex, multifactorial traits and diseases. A member of several scientific journal editorial boards, Dr. Schork is a frequent participant in U.S. National Institutes of Health-related steering committees and review boards, and has served on the advisory board of five companies. In addition, he is currently Director of the Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core of the National Institute of Aging-sponsored Longevity Consortium and a member of the Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN) data analysis committee of the National Human Genome Research Institute.
Brian Issell, MD
STSI Director of Clinical Research; SH, Medical Director of Academic Affairs
Brian Issell, MD, Vice-President of Scripps Health for Clinical Research, is the STSI Director of Clinical Research. He is exceptionally well qualified for his role on this CTSA proposal. A clinical and translational investigator, administrator and practicing medical oncologist for over 29 years, he led the preclinical to clinical transition of several notable anticancer drugs in the U.S. including cisplatin, carboplatin and etoposide, while working at Bristol Myers (now Bristol Myers Squibb) from 1978-1983, and he then led the initial generation of monoclonal antibody products and the preclinical and clinical development of both monoclonal antibody products and cytokines (including IL-2) while working at Cetus Corporation (now Novartis) from 1983-1988. In 1988 Dr. Issell was recruited to be director of the University of Hawaii’s Cancer Research Center. In this role he led the development of new programs in natural products drug discovery, prevention and control and clinical science and the acquisition of first an NCI P20 Cancer Center Planning Grant and then a P30 Cancer Center Support (Core) Grant. He has been PI on multiple clinical research projects (including Phase I studies) funded by R01, R21, U01 and U10 mechanisms. Especially relevant to this application is Dr. Issell’s previous role as Program Director of a K12 award for training clinical investigators and his participation in T32 and R25 training awards held by the Cancer Center. In December 2006, Dr. Issell was appointed Corporate Vice President of Clinical Research at Scripps Health. His charge in this role is to lead the expansion of clinical research throughout Scripps Health multi-hospital system and to take it to a new level of excellence through intra- and inter-institutional collaborations and the training and support of outstanding clinical investigators.
Richard Neale, BSc, LLB, MBA
STSI Chief Business Officer; SH Corporate Vice President, Research Operations
Richard Neale, B.Sc., LLB, MBA is the Chief Business Officer at STSI and was recently appointed the Corporate Vice-President of Research Operations at Scripps Health. Mr. Neale brings extensive business and operational management experience from within the biopharmaceutical industry to our organization. Prior to his appointment at STSI in 2008, he held the position of Sr. Vice President North America at Galapagos, a Belgian based bio-pharmaceutical company. Prior to Galapagos, he was the Corporate Vice President of Business Operations and Alliances at Discovery Partners International and previously held executive level positions with both Systems Integrated Drug Discovery Company and Novopharm Biotech (now Viventia). Rick’s experience has greatly facilitated the connection of STSI with a large number of genome science, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostic companies in San Diego and beyond.
Jamie R. Williamson, PhD
STSI Co-Program Director of Education (TL1 Doctoral Program); TSRI, Dean of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
Jamie Williamson, PhD is Dean of the Kellogg Graduate School of TRSI and Director of Education for STSI. Dr. Williamson was a tenured Associate Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Department of Chemistry before joining the Scripps Research Institute as Professor of Molecular Biology and a member of the Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology in 1998. After serving as the Associate Dean since 2001, he assumed the position of Dean of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies in 2008. His research focuses on the structure of RNA and its interactions with RNA binding proteins that regulate RNA function, using a wide range of biochemical and biophysical techniques. Areas of focus include ribosome assembly, ribonucleoprotein complexes that regulate translation of mRNAs, and nuclear transport by the HIV Rev protein. Dr. Williamson has mentored over 40 Ph.D. and postdoctoral students, many of whom have gone on to academic positions at Stanford, Brown, U. Massachusetts, U. Colorado, U. Maryland, Indiana U., and the Max Planck Institute. He has published over 100 original scientific articles, including papers in Science, Nature, and Cell. His teaching duties include lectures in Biophysics, Structural Biology, and Molecular Biology.
Joel Diamant, MD
STSI Co-Program Director of Education (KL2-Clinician Scholar Program); SH Director of Internal Medicine Residency Program
Joel C. Diamant, MD, FACP is an internist who has had a long and highly productive career as a medical educator, mentor, and administrator. He has been the Scripps Clinic & Green Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program Director for the last 9 years, serving as teacher, mentor, and role model for over 80 Internal Medicine residents, and having received numerous teaching awards from Scripps to recognize his remarkable commitment and talent as an outstanding clinician educator. He has been the Head of the Division of Hospital Medicine at Scripps Green Hospital for the last 8 years where he has directed a clinical division comprised of 12 in-patient physicians. He has mentored over 16 Internal Medicine residents in part or in whole in their conduct of clinical trials, health care economic reviews, and health outcomes studies which is a required component of the IM residency curriculum. Dr. Diamant has been the Head of the Medical Ethics Committee at Scripps Clinic & Green Hospital for the last 11 years. He lectures annually to the residents and clinic faculty on issues of clinical ethics and research ethics to both clinical and scientific faculty.
Athena Philis-Tsimikas, MD
STSI Director of Community Engagement; SH Corporate VP Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute
Athena Philis-Tsimikas, MD was named as the executive director of The Whittier Institute for Diabetes in 2004 and continues her role as the Chief Medical Officer. Prior to joining The Whittier Institute Philis-Tsimikas served as a clinical endocrinologist on the staff of the Scripps Clinic Medical Group for 7 years in the Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology. She has also served as an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Diego for the past 11 years in the Division of Endocrinology/Diabetes and Metabolism. In 1997, she assisted in establishing the community wide, nationally recognized diabetes program, Project Dulce as its medical director. She subsequently joined The Whittier Institute full time in 2001 as its chief medical director and Executive Vice President of Clinical Programs. Dr. Tsimikas received her medical degree from the University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece in 1988 and later completed dual research and clinical fellowships in Diabetes and Endocrinology from the University of California, San Diego, and Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in the subspecialty of Diabetes and Endocrinology. Philis-Tsimikas has served as the principal investigator in numerous clinical research trials both sponsor and investigator initiated over the last 8 years. She has dedicated her career to furthering diabetes care, research and education and will guide the organization’s strategic direction and clinical focus, which includes: patient care and education provided by the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Program and Project Dulce; diabetes research; clinical trials; diabetes training programs for professionals; and diabetes prevention programs for children and their parents.
Michael Alcorn, MBA
STSI Senior Administrative Director
Michael Alcorn is Senior Administrative Director at STSI. Having served as a Grants & Contracts Accountant with Scripps Clinic & Research Foundation (1985-1989) and Senior Administrative Director for Scripps Clinical Research Services (CRS, 1999-2008) prior to joining STSI in 2008, Mr. Alcorn provides experienced administrative leadership and functionality for the STSI grant’s major intersecting components (i.e., Scripps Health and The Scripps Research Institute).
Advisory Board
| Andrew Viterbi | Chair, STSI Business Advisory Board; Chair, The Viterbi Group; Co-Founder, Qualcomm, Inc. |
| Kim Blickenstaff | Director/Chairman, Medivation, Inc.; CEO/Director, Biosite, Inc.; President/CEO Tandem Diabetes Care Inc. |
| Ann Clare Kessler | Former Global Head, International Project Management; US Head, Exploratory Research, Pharmacology & Chemotherapy, Hoffman-La Roche |
| David M. Mott | General Partner with NEA; Former CEO, MedImmune; Former Executive Vice President, AstraZeneca |
| William Rastetter | Partner with Venrock; Former Executive Chairman, Biogen Idec |
| Abby Silverman | Partner, Silverman Weiss Dispute Resolution; formerly of Counsel to Baker & McKenzie LLP, North American Region |
| Masood Tayebi | Co-Founder, BioDuro; Board Chairman, Wireless Facilities, Inc. |
| Jack K. Wolf | CMRR Endowed Chair, UCSD Center for Magnetic Recording Research |
External Advisory Board
| Eric Orwoll, MD | Chair; Director, Oregon Health Sciences CTSA (OCTSI) |
| Inder Verma, PhD | Professor, Salk Institute |
| David M. Mott, BA | General Partner with NEA; Former CEO, MedImmune; Former Executive Vice President, AstraZeneca |
| Steven Cummings, MD | SF Coordinating Center, CPMC Research Inst & UCSF CTSA (CTSI)) |
| Ralph Horwitz, MD | Chairman, Dept of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Former Director, Stanford University CTSA (CSSTER) |
| Don McClain, MD, PhD | Director, Utah University CTSA (CCTS) |
| Kim Kamdar, PhD | Principal, Domain Associates, LLC |
| Pamela J. Bjorkman, PhD | Professor, Caltech University |
Internal Advisory Board
| Floyd Bloom, MD | Chair; Executive Director of Scientific Communications, TSRI |
| Bridget Carragher, PhD | Associate Professor Cellular Biology, TSRI |
| A. Brent Eastman, MD | Chief Medical Officer, SH |
| Lawrence Kline, MD | Medical Director Scripps Clinic Sleep Center, SH |
| Peter Kuhn, PhD | Associate Professor Cellular Biology, TSRI |
| Athena Philis-Tsimikas, MD | Corporate VP, Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute, SH |
| Paul J. Pockros, MD | Division Head Gastroenterology & Hepatology, SH |
| Paul Schimmel, PhD | Professor Molecular Biology, TSRI |
| Raymond C. Stevens, PhD | Professor Structural Neurobiology, TSRI |
| Paul Teirstein, MD | Division Head Cardiovascular Diseases, SH |
| Peter K. Vogt, PhD | Professor, Oncovirology, Molecular & Experimental Medicine, TSRI |
