Kathryn C. Zoon, Ph.D.

Scientist Emeritus
NIAID/NIH
Special Advisor to the Deputy Director of Intramural Research, NIH

Dr. Kathryn C. Zoon is currently NIAID/NIH Scientist Emeritus (August 2016). She was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of Emergent BioSolutions (November 2016) and the FDA Alumni Association (2017). Previously she was Interim Director of the new NIH Office of Research Support and Compliance (April-June 2016) where she developed and established the new office and recruited key individuals to continue its future operations. She was previously the Director of the Division of Intramural Research at NIAID (2006-2015) and was the Deputy Director for Planning and Development of the Division of Intramural Research at NIAID, 2004-2006.

Dr. Zoon served as the Principal Deputy Director of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute, 2003–2004. She was also Chief of the Cytokine Biology Section in the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH (2004-2016), where she conducted research on the structure and function of human interferon alphas and developed a new cell therapy using IFNs and autologous monocytes which she is still collaborating with NCI to start a clinical trial for ovarian cancer. She served as the Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (1992-2003). Dr. Zoon has been a member/participant of the NIH Scientific Directors (1992 to the present). Dr. Zoon was the Director of the Division of Cytokine Biology in CBER, 1988–1992, where she directed the research and review of cytokines, growth factors, and cellular products. She studied the production and purification of human interferon at NIH from 1975 to 1980 with Nobel Laureate Christian B. Anfinsen.

She received her B.S. degree, cum laude, in chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and was granted a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Zoon is an associate editor of the Journal of Interferon Research and the author of more than 140 scientific papers. She was President of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research, 2000–2001. Dr. Zoon has been a member of the National Academy of Medicine since 2002 and is also a member of the Division on Earth and Life Studies Committee, National Research Council, 2015-2017. She was a member of the WHO’s Expert Committee on Biological Standards for almost two decades.

Dr. Zoon has received numerous awards, including BioPharm Person of the Year Award, 1992; the 2001 HHS Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service for outstanding leadership in positioning FDA as an important contributor to the Nation’s capability to respond to bioterrorism. In June 2003, she received the Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumna Award and two HHS awards for counterbioterrorism and gene therapy. In May 2005, she received the HHS Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service for the Tissue Action Plan Team. Most recently she received the 2014 William S. Hancock Award for outstanding achievements in CMC regulatory science, the NIH Director’s Award (2016) “For exemplary leadership, vision, dedication and tireless commitment to establishing a new program/office to provide regulatory services and compliance support for NIH’s intramural research program, and the FDA’s Distinguished Alumni Award (2016).

Rupert Vessey, MA, BM BCh, FRCP, DPhil

Chief Scientist and Executive Partner
Flagship Pioneering

Rupert Vessey graduated from Oxford University with degrees in Physiological Sciences (MA, First Class Honors) and Clinical Medicine (BM, BCh, proxime accessit). He subsequently undertook clinical training at several notable institutions in the UK including the Hammersmith Hospital at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London and the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. During this time he became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of London UK. Rupert undertook basic research training in the laboratory of Professor Sir Stephen Bloom at the Hammersmith Hospital and under the direction of Professor Sir John Bell at the Institute for Molecular Medicine, Oxford where he completed a DPhil in Molecular Immunology. During his research period he was a Junior Research Fellow of Merton College, Oxford and a training fellow of the UK Medical Research Council. In 2012 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London and in 2019 he was appointed visiting Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Oxford.

Rupert joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1997 and has worked in the UK and USA. At GlaxoSmithKline he worked primarily in drug discovery, experimental medicine and early clinical development gaining experience in a wide range of respiratory and immunology projects including monoclonal antibodies, DNA vaccines, anti-inflammatory drugs and inhaled medicines for asthma and COPD. During 10 years at Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) Rupert benefitted from diverse experiences including a period working on the clinical development of varicella vaccines where he contributed to both the refrigerator stable formulation of VARIVAX and the shingles vaccine, ZOSTAVAX. Since 2006 Rupert held multiple roles in senior management including Vice President Molecular Profiling and Research Informatics and Site Head for Rosetta Inpharmatics, Seattle, Vice President Drug Discovery and Site Head for MRL Boston and Vice President Drug Discovery and Site Head for MRL Kenilworth. In these latter roles Rupert was responsible for a wide range of activities including Pharmacogenomics, Molecular Profiling, Informatics and drug discovery in the Respiratory, Inflammation, Oncology, Infectious Disease and Neuroscience therapeutic areas. In 2011 Rupert was promoted to the position of Senior Vice President and Head of the MRL Respiratory and Immunology Franchise. In this role he was responsible for the end to end discovery and development portfolio for Respiratory and Immunologic diseases and partnership with Merck’s Global Human Health Franchise. Under his leadership numerous projects were advanced through the discovery and development pipeline and approvals were achieved for RAGWITEK and GRASTEK as well as multiple supplementary indications for REMICADE and SIMPONI. From 2013 Rupert was Senior Vice President and Head of Early Development and Discovery Sciences. In this role he was responsible for managing an organization of 1500 scientists and for devising a new operating model that integrated early clinical development with discovery and genetics to facilitate the translation of new discoveries to the clinic. Commencing in February 2015 Rupert joined Celgene as Senior Vice President of Translational Development and Head of the Immunology and Inflammation Thematic Center of Excellence and in January 2016 assumed the role of Executive Vice President and President of Global Research and Early Development. In this position Rupert was responsible for oversight of all of Celgene’s internal and external discovery research, preclinical development and early clinical development. The organization also provided translational science support to the Hematology, Oncology and Immunology Franchises. Under his oversight numerous compounds were advanced in the Celgene pipeline across a range of modalities including small molecules, biologics and cellular therapeutics. At the close of the acquisition of Celgene by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) in November 2019 Rupert assumed the role of Executive Vice President and President of Global Research and Early Development at BMS. Since joining BMS further progress has been made on a range of novel programs including approvals in cell therapies BREYANZI and ABECMA as well as REBLOZYL, ZEPOSIA, SOTYKTU and CAMZYOS. Numerous business development transactions have also been completed to build a novel pipeline of neuroscience assets as well as the acquisition of Myokardia to enhance CV research. BMS has also become a leader in the field of targeted protein degradation with numerous programs in clinical development and many others in all phases of discovery. In July of 2023 Rupert retired from BMS. He joined Flagship Pioneering as Chief Scientist and Executive Partner in 2023.

Penelope Rose

Lead Analyst, Executive Operations
Emergent BioSolutions

Penelope J. Rose was born in Brisbane, Australia – the daughter of a World War II ANZAC veteran. She spent her childhood equally in England and Australia where she received her Oxford University O levels education. Penelope attended New York University before commencing work as Special Assistant to Dr. Henry A. Kissinger (former US Secretary of State) and Ambassador L. Paul Bremer, III, in New York and Washington DC. This appointment was to last 12 years.

While living in New York City, Penelope volunteered her time in the pediatric department of The New York Presbyterian Hospital to help ease the fears of children facing hospital stays by offering support and guidance to them and their families. She assisted staff in the therapeutic playrooms or at the child’s bedside in the hospital and worked on activities such as arts & crafts, reading, and playing games with the patients.

In 2005 Penelope became a member of the Global Reference Committee of GEM College of International Business. Since that time, she has contributed to GEM College’s entrepreneurship programs and acted as an advocate for graduate innovators focusing on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) metrics.

Penelope is presently Lead Analyst, Office of the Chairman of the Board, for Emergent BioSolutions, a publicly traded company that provides specialty products for civilian and military populations that address intentional and naturally emerging public health threats. Penelope’s mentor was the late Fuad El-Hibri, a German American businessman, philanthropist, and the Founder of Emergent BioSolutions. Mr. El-Hibri was also one of the founding members of the International Biomedical Research Alliance. Penelope carries on his spirit of giving in joining the Alliance board in 2022.

Penelope’s management of Mr. El-Hibri’s Corporate Social Responsibility programs instilled a passion for philanthropy, a pursuit that is very dear to her heart. Penelope’s philanthropic assistance has extended to the Yale Healthcare Conference; Johns Hopkins University; Martha’s Vineyard Hospital; Holy Cross Hospital and Scholarship America (a program Penelope conceived and wrote for the benefit of Emergent BioSolutions employee’s children, during which the recipients would have their first year of college tuition paid). Penelope is also a freelance wildlife photographer and avid conservationist.

Ronn Richard

Former President and CEO Cleveland Foundation

Mr. Ronn Richard has served as the president and chief executive officer of the Cleveland Foundation, the nation’s oldest community foundation, since June 2003. From August 2002 to February 2003, Mr. Richard served as president of Stem Cell Preservation, Inc., a start-up medical research company. After leaving Stem Cell Preservation, Mr. Richard served as a strategic business advisor for IGEN International, Inc., a biotechnology company. Mr. Richard served as chief operating officer of In-Q-Tel, a venture capital fund that provides technologies to the Central Intelligence Agency, from March 2001 to August 2002. Prior to joining In-Q-Tel, Mr. Richard served in various senior management positions at Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), including as President of North America research and development.

Mr. Richard is a former U.S. foreign service officer. He served in Osaka/Kobe, Japan and as a desk officer for North Korean, Greek and Turkish affairs at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Mr. Richard previously served as chairman of the board of trustees of Emergent BioSolutions and currently serves as a Director.

Mr. Richard received an M.A. in international relations from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a B.A. in history from Washington University. He holds honorary doctorates in humane letters from Notre Dame College, in science from Northeast Ohio Medical University, and Baldwin-Wallace College.

John E. Niederhuber, M.D.

Executive Vice President and CEO, Inova
Translational Medicine Institute, (Retired)
Adjunct Professor of Oncology and Surgery
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Deputy Director, Johns Hopkins Clinical
Research Network

John E. Niederhuber, M.D., became a member of the Board of Directors of the International Biomedical Research Alliance in 2013. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Surgery and Oncology the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Deputy Director of the Johns Hopkins Clinical Research Network. In 2019, Dr. Niederhiber retired from his position at the Inova Health System where he was Executive Vice President and CEO of the Inova Translational Medicine Institute (ITMI) (2010-2019). As founder and leader of the ITMI, he directed a program that integrated technical innovation, informatics and sophisticated genomic analyses with the goal of managing disease risk and delivering excellence in individualized (personalized) healthcare, research and education.

Dr. Niederhuber is the former Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health having been named to that position in 2006 by President George W. Bush. Before assuming the NCI directorship, he chaired the National Cancer Advisory Board and was Chief Operating Officer of the Institute. During his tenure as NCI director, Dr. Niederhuber implemented many changes and despite successive years of less than inflation appropriations managed to initiate important new programs that helped shape the Nation’s investment in cancer research. While at NCI, Dr. Niederhuber ran his own research program in the Laboratory of Tumor and Stem Cell Biology in NCI’s Center for Cancer Research. His research focused on factors in the tumor microenvironment, in particular those involving cancer activated fibroblasts (CAFs) that lead to increased malignancy. As a surgeon, Dr. Niederhuber’s clinical focus has been on gastrointestinal cancer, hepatobiliary (liver, bile duct, pancreatic and gallbladder) cancer, and breast cancer. Recognized for his pioneering work in hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy, he was the first to demonstrate the feasibility of totally implantable vascular access devices which dramatically changed the administration of systemic chemotherapy.

Dr. Niederhuber is recognized by his peers as a visionary leader in oncology. Throughout his academic career, he held full professorial appointments in a basic science department where he maintained NIH funded research and a clinical department where he practiced surgical oncology. In addition, he served in a number of academic leadership positions. Dr. Niederhuber is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, recognizing his outstanding scientific accomplishments and commitment to service in health sciences.

He has given over 350 professional presentations and published over 250 peer-reviewed articles or book chapters as well as editing or co-editing 9 books. He serves as a Director on the Boards of publicly traded biotechnology companies. Prior to joining the NCI, Dr. Niederhuber was Director of the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center and a professor of surgery and oncology (member of the McArdle Laboratory) at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. Earlier in his career, he chaired the Department of Surgery at Stanford University and held professorships at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and at the University of Michigan.

A native of Steubenville, Ohio, Dr. Niederhuber is a graduate of Bethany College in West Virginia (receiving an honorary doctorate in 2007) and The Ohio State University School of Medicine. He trained in surgery at the University of Michigan and in Immunology at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.