Biography

Dr. Sherry Layton received her Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas where she studied poultry science. Her early career research in poultry immunology and molecular engineering set the foundation for her pioneering scientific successes in animal health. Over the last decade Dr. Layton developed and patented an innovative orally administered inactive sub-unit vaccine platform (One Health Vaccine Platform), Biotech Vac. This research and development led to the recent introduction of Biotech Vac – Salmonella in Latin America, which provides poultry with immunological protection from all mobile Salmonella species, a first in the poultry industry, and will help reduce the risk of food-borne Salmonellosis in humans. Currently, she serves as CEO for Vetanco USA and Chief Scientific Officer for Vetanco International/BV Science, a global animal health and nutrition company where her research focuses on maintaining animal health and ensuring food safety naturally .Dr. Layton currently leads a research team of veterinarians and scientists in the U.S. and South America and has developed a pipeline of pioneering and effective vaccines. She is currently focused on supporting the introduction of Biotech Vac – Salmonella and Biotech Vac Coccidia in Latin America as well as establishing biologicals in the U.S. market with the newly formed Vetanco USA.

Biography

Dr. Matin has been a full professor at Stanford University for several years and is affiliated with several programs, including the Stanford Cancer Research Institute. He has contributed to many areas of biological research, including discovery of new drugs and therapeutic enzymes and their improvement as well as their specific targeting to cancer (and other diseases). He did his Ph. D. at UCLA, spent some years in the Netherlands (State University of Groningen), where he directed a research group, before joining Stanford. He is recipient of numerous awards and honors.

Biography

Jacques Pouyssegur, CNRS Research Director Emeritus, graduated from an Engineering School in Biochemistry of the University of Lyon, where he obtained his PhD in 1972. He spent two years as a post-doctoral scientist at the National Cancer Institute of NIH (USA) and established his own research group in 1978 at the CNRS Biochemistry Centre of the University of Nice. After directing the CNRS Institute of Signalling, Developmental Biology and Cancer Research up to 2008, his team joined the new Research Institute of Cancer & Aging (IRCAN) in Nice and the Biomedical Department of the Centre Scientifique of Monaco (CSM). Jacques Pouyssegur has previous experience in bacterial and somatic cell genetics, metabolism, Na-H exchanger, pH regulation, G protein-coupled receptors and MAP kinase signaling in the context of growth control in mammalian cells. In the last 25 years his group developed a strong interested in hypoxia signalling, oxygen and nutrient sensing, angiogenesis, autophagy amino-acid transporters, oxidative stress, cancer metabolism, Warburg effect and immune-suppression. He is member of AACR, EMBO, the French and European Academy of Sciences and the past President of the International Advisory board of the National Cancer Institute.

Biography

Dr. Giovanni Camussi , is Professor Emeritus, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Torino, Italy. He has been Research Associate Professor in Microbiology and Pathology at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, USA, and subsequently Full Professor of Nephrology at the Universities of Naples, Pavia and Torino. He has been Director of the Department of Internal Medicine and of PhD program in Medical Pathophysiology, President of Medical Biotechnology at UNITO, and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the Department of Medicine, Brown University, RI, USA. He is currently Scientific Coordinator of stem cell research projects of 2i3T incubator of University of Torino. His H-index is 105.

Biography

Professor S. Louise Cosby is a graduate (B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Microbiology) of Queen’s University Belfast and was a member of staff for over 30 years. She held the post of Chair of Microbiology in the School of Medicine Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences from 2002 to 2015. She is currently Head of Virology Branch at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Belfast and emeritus/honorary Professor at Queen's University Belfast. Professor Cosby is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (London) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (UK). In 1985 she was a visiting Associate Professor in Cornell University USA and has been an occasional visiting scientist at the Pirbright Institute, UK. Professor Cosby is an editor for 'Vaccines' and 'Frontiers in Microbiology'.

Biography

Thomas Tillett – Cofounder and CEO of MBF Therapeutics, an animal health company that is developing next generation gene based immunotherapies to treat cancer and infectious diseases in both companion animals and livestock. Tom is the founder and Executive Director of Sustained Acts, a Christian non-profit focusing on sustainable projects in Africa and serves on the Friends of Kijabe Hospital Board of Directors. Mr. Tillett was founder, and CEO of RHeoGene. As RheoGene CEO, he and his team created the RheoSwitch® Therapeutic System (RTS) that led to the first human clinical trial of a small molecule-induced gene regulation system. In 2007, he successfully completed the merger of RheoGene Inc. with Intrexon Corporation who has continued the development of RTS through a various clinical trials for cancer and other important therapeutic indications. In April, 2019 the FDA announced that the RheoSwitch Therapeutic System for glioma blastoma was approved for Fast Track designation. Mr. Tillett has served on the board of numerous non-profits including; University of North Carolina General Alumni Association, Impact Thrift Stores, Chelten Church Elder Board, and the American School of Paris. He was also elected to the Hatboro-Horsham Hall of Fame in 2017.

Biography

Dr. Fuerst is a professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland (UMD). He also served as director of the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR), UMD, in which the Institute’s mission is focused on biomolecular structure-function relationships and measurement sciences with an emphasis on structure-based vaccine design, next generation protein therapeutics, and macromolecular delivery systems. Dr. Fuerst has over three decades of research and development experience in vaccines and immunotherapeutics. At UMD-IBBR, his current research is focused is on hepatitis C virus, ebolavirus, and SARS-CoV-2, and development of innovative delivery systems incorporating small molecule agonists to stimulate potent immunological responses. Prior to joining UMD, he was a founding scientist at MedImmune (now AstraZeneca) and later joined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as director of vaccines and biologics in the Office of the Secretary. In this capacity, he helped establish and lead the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) responsible for the development and acquisition of vaccines and immunotherapeutic products for biodefense and other emerging public health threats. Early in his career, he served as a senior fellow at the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He holds a BA in biochemistry from the University of California at Berkeley, a PhD in molecular genetics from Cornell University, and a MBA in science, technology, and innovation from the George Washington University.

Biography

Dr. Bolanowski earned a PhD in Developmental Biology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1982 followed by studies as postdoc at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. With Pharmacia, Pfizer, PharmAthene, and the US Department of Defense, he developed drugs including eleven vaccines, four biologics, and seven small molecules that treat, prevent, or protect against biological and chemical weapons as well as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. He is a multifaceted scientist skilled in drug target validation, drug discovery, and drug development; acknowledged in 1995 as one of the top scientists in Pharmacia (now part of Pfizer). His technical expertise spans manufacturing (bacterial, mammalian, fungal systems), analytical methods, as well as preclinical and nonclinical animal studies. He currently exploits Regulatory Affairs experience in developing strategies designed to satisfy the requirements of FDA’s Animal Rule. He currently is a consultant for BioHybrid Solution’s efforts to develop effective medical countermeasures for the United States Department of Defense

Biography

Scott Holmstrom received his doctorate in analytical chemistry from Miami University in 2000 and began working in the animal health industry the same year. Dr. Holmstrom provided significant technical and leadership contributions toward the discovery, development, and commercialization of drug products for Elanco Animal Health from 2000 to 2021. During his tenure at Elanco, he provided technical leadership for multiple blockbuster global approvals and product launches. He also provided business leadership for the integration of R&D and regulatory efforts with those of Elanco, including those from Janssen Animal Health. Dr. Holmstrom led global regulatory affairs for Elanco and innovation regulatory efforts over time. In these roles, he was responsible for shaping the regulatory landscape to enable outcomes for Elanco and their customers, enabling innovation to be registered with optimal product labels and timing, and ensured that deliverables were completed in accordance with appropriate regulations and commitments to global regulatory authorities. Scott also led Elanco’s efforts for development and execution on late-stage external innovation strategies. During this time, Galliprant and additional products were in-licensed following the development of specific strategies and execution plans to partner with external companies to commercialize products.In his last role with Elanco, Dr. Holmstrom served as Vice President, Global Product Development, leading Elanco’s global product development and innovation regulatory efforts for food and companion and food-producing animals, including pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceutics, and vaccines. In this role, he provided the strategic direction for the global development of products through external and internal coordination, governance, and resourcing. Dr. Holmstrom joined United Animal Health in 2021 and serves as the Senior Vice President of Research and Development where he leads the company’s R&D, regulatory, and technical services efforts. Focus areas for United Animal Health are to diversify the offerings for customers with respect to geography, species, and technology type while simultaneously continuing re-invigorating the pipeline and product portfolio.

Biography

Dr. Liyanage is an analytical development expert in the field of vaccines and immunotherapy development and manufacturing. He is currently an Associate Director at Vaxcyte Inc in California, USA, leading the analytical development tasks for developing multivalent polysaccharide conjugate vaccines against bacterial infectious diseases caused by multiple Pneumonia strains and numerous Group A Streptococcus bacterial strains. He has over 15 years of Analytical Development, Quality Control, and formulation development experience and expertise in vaccines, protein therapeutics, and cell therapy areas. Dr. Liyanage has gained broad experience expanding over the entire lifecycle of biologics product development from early clinical phase to the commercial stage, in companies of various sizes including Dendreon Corporation, Armagen Inc, Invertprise Inc, Bristol-Meyers Squibb and Partner Therapeutics prior to his current role at Vaxcyte. He also serves as the chair of the biotechnology advisory committee at Shoreline Community College in Washington. He received his PhD in Analytical Chemistry from The University of Kansas, and BSc in Chemistry from The University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Biography

Dr. Gauduin has more than 25 years of experience in HIV/AIDS research and medical microbiology. She has been working extensively on HIV and the development of novel vaccine strategies using the non-human primate model for AIDS. In her work, she uses epithelial stem cells and weakened recombinant papillomavirus as vaccine- vectors to protect against multiple low-dose mucosal challenges. Dr. Gauduin is also developing a neonatal model for tuberculosis to study HIV/TB co-infection in pediatric AIDS.

Biography

Brendan Wren gained a PhD in biophysical chemistry and published seminal papers on the effect of ionizing radiation on DNA He then changed subject discipline and took a post-doctoral position at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London During this time he was the first to publish molecular cloning studies on Clostridium difficile, Campylobacter jejuni and Helicobacter pylori In 1999 he moved to the LSHTM and was awarded a chair in Microbial Pathogenesis His primary research interest includes the molecular characterization of bacterial virulence determinants and the evolution of virulence His research group exploits a range of post genome research strategies to gain a comprehensive understanding of how these pathogens function and how they interact with their respective hosts. He has authored over 380 scientific peer-reviewed publications.

Biography

Ramya Palacholla is a Primary Care Physician, faculty and Program Director (Public Health Programs) at Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine. She was a former faculty member of the Harvard Medical School. Dr. Palacholla’s is interested in the intersection of health care delivery and technology. Her research projects are focused on understanding the impact of novel smartphone applications, medical devices, clinical decision support systems, predictive analytics-based population health management tools and AI- based health technology interventions on patients with chronic diseases. Dr. Palacholla presented her research on innovative technologies at the World Economic Forum. Her research on an “Innovative Tumor Response Forecasting Model in Breast Cancer Patients" was awarded the first position in the Harvard Ideation Challenge and was also selected as a finalist for the Boston Scientific and Google Connected Patient Challenge, 2018, a renowned platform that showcases healthcare innovations across the globe. She was honored with the "Woman of the Year" award in 2019 by the INE News for her contributions to health care innovation in the U.S and was featured as one of the top “Woman to Watch in Health IT” by Beckers Hospital Review in 2019. Most recently, she was recognized as one among the top 50 “Future Healthcare IT Leaders” by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), the leading global advisor, thought leader and member-based society committed to reforming the global health ecosystem through the power of information and technology.

Biography

Professional Experience LLNL: Currently Staff Scientist in Physical and Life Sciences (PLS) Directorate, Biosciences and Biotechnology Division (2004–present). Acting Select Agent Senior Laboratory Coordinator, Global Security Directorate (2013—present). • IACUC member and Vice-Chair, 2006 - present • IBC Committee member and Vice-Chair, 2013 - present • Editorial Advisory Board Member, Current Immunology Reviews, July 2013 - present • Associate Editor, Frontiers Microbial Immunology, January 2012 – present • Ad hoc reviewer: Journal of Immunology, July 2005 – Present • Ad hoc reviewer: Immuno pharmacology and Immuno toxicology, July 2012 – present • Guest Editor: Briefings in Functional Genomics, special edition on “Genomics of Pathogenicity”, 2011. • Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA/DOD) Chemical and Biological Technologies Directorate Basic Sciences Technical Review, Scientific peer review committee member, July 30 – August 1st, 2012. • Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA/DOD) Chemical and Biological Technologies Directorate Basic Sciences Technical Review, Scientific peer review committee member, July 30 – August 2st, 2013. • National Institutes of Health (NIH), Partnerships for Biodefense, Special emphasis panel/Scientific review committee member, January 9, 2014. • National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers of Excellence for Translational Research, Scientific peer review committee member, July 31, 2013. • United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems Program/Scientific review committee member, December 3-7, 2018.

Biography

Emanuel R. Gumina is a Veterinarian graduated from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Argentina. He is currently finishing his master's degree in Biotechnology at UBA and he is a professor of immunology at the UBA and a swine clinic at the UNLP (National University of La Plata). Professionally, he is in charge of the Biotechnology laboratory of Vetanco SA, Argentina.

Biography

Cristina Masseria, PhD, is a health economist with extensive experience in developing and executing impactful and innovative value and access strategies to bring breakthrough medicines and vaccines to patients. Cristina has experience across therapeutic areas. Recently, as the Vice President for Access, Pricing, and HEOR for the Vaccines and Hospital Business Units at Pfizer she has led the Comirnaty and Paxlovid pricing, value, and access strategy during the pandemic, as well as negotiations around the globe.

Biography

Biography

Dr. Ming is an assistant professor in public health and epidemiology and the co-program leader of the MSc Public Health and Epidemiology postgraduate program at the City University of Hong Kong. He is an experienced clinical doctor and medical educator. He has over 10 years of experience teaching and mentoring students in medical school. To date, he has supervised over 100 undergraduate and graduate research students. He undertook his postdoctoral training at Oxford and Harvard. He completed his fellowship at the Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, and the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit in the United Kingdom in 2016 and completed his fellowship at the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and obtained a master's degree from Harvard University in the United States in 2018.

Biography

Angela Sousa obtained her PhD in Biochemistry in 2011 at the University of Beira Interior (UBI), Portugal, and was awarded with two postdoctoral grants in 2012 and 2015. From 2017 to 2018, she was Invited Assistant Professor and since 2018 she is Assistant Researcher from Health Sciences Research Centre (CICS) of UBI. Her main scientific research includes the implementation of new biotechnological platforms to obtain biopharmaceuticals with potential applications in DNA vaccines against cervical cancer or COVID-19 and gene therapy approaches against cancer. In particular, the biosynthesis, isolation and purification of plasmids, minicircle DNA and RNA has being largely investigated through the design and development of specific biotechnologies. Her work is also focused on the development of suitable nanosystems for nucleic acids stabilization, protection and targeted delivery to antigen presenting cells or cancer cells.

Biography

Atef is an accomplished Operations Management professional with extensive experience in personnel management, general management, process optimization, project management, IT functions and client relations. He has advanced leadership skills with success managing groups to achieve goals and working to bridge the gap between organizational objectives and operational capabilities. Atef was leading the set up of eight Polio Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in Nigeria funded by the Gates Foundation. The first two EOCs were built within four weeks. He further led the setup of the Ebola EOC in Lagos that was completed within two weeks. Atef was also responsible for building eHA’s Nigerian Operations Department. Prior to joining eHA, Atef worked as operations manager and COO at Electronic connections Ltd. in Kano. Atef holds a BSc in computer communications engineering from the lebanese International university, Beirut.

Biography

Claudia Daniela Alvarez Zuniga is a fifth-year student of Human Medicine at the Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas (Autonomous University of Zacatecas). For two years she has been a scholarship holder in the Molecular Medicine Laboratory of her university, where she has developed her research field knowledge and participated in the publication of two papers. She has been studying Human Medicine since August of 2016. At the moment, she is participating in an investigation about the role of VE-Cadherin as a diagnostic and prediction biomarker for Acute Linfoblastic Leukemia of cells B type.

Biography

Dr. Hiep Vu has a passionate interest in swine virology. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medicine in 2005 from Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. After that, he pursued his graduate training at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical sciences, University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL), where he received his Master and PhD in 2007 and 2013, respectively. Dr. Vu is now an Assistant Professor at the Nebraska Center for Virology and Department of Animal Science, UNL. His laboratory is devoted to study swine viruses. The research topics that are studied in his laboratory include: (i) Host immune responses to viral infection or vaccination, (ii) Molecular characteristics of the viruses currently circulating in the swine population, and (iii) rational designs of vaccines capable of eliciting broadly protective immunity. He is the principal investigator on two patents pertaining to the development of a vaccine for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). He is serving as an Associate Editor for Journal of Medical Virology and a Guest Editor for a special issue in Vaccines.

Biography

Biography

Carlos Eduardo Milani Neme is a bachelor of Biomedical Sciences graduated from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. During his years as an undergraduate, he carried out two and a half years of research focused on antimicrobial resistance in bacteria, both at the University of Sao Paulo and at the University of Regina, Canada. He is currently finishing his Master's studies in Leading International Vaccinology Education: a prestigious Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degree centered around subjects of advanced immunology and vaccinology and fostered by five different universities in Spain, Belgium and France. As part of his education, he is also interning for MSD, where he liaises with different stakeholders in topics related to pneumococcal vaccination.