MISSION

healthy people, healthy environments

PUBLIC HEALTH AND BIOSECURITY

Apr 13 2023

ADVANCING INTERVENTIONS FOR HEALTHIER PEOPLE AND HEALTHIER SPACES

Medicine focuses on the health of individuals. Public health is population health. My work over the years has been focused at the intersection of biomedical technologies and public health interventions to benefit people individually and at the community health level.

For over two decades, I have been advancing biotechnologies and gaining expertise on the frontlines of numerous medical, environmental, and public health interventions. My experience working across academia, industry, and the international development community has greatly informed my approach to promoting improved domestic and global public health with technology-based solutions.

Currently working to advance chemical and biological threat detection technologies for public health and environmental biosecurity
Developed pioneering gene-edited environmental clean-up systems for emerging contaminants of concern (COCs) [e.g., 1,4-dioxane] (Intrexon)
Advanced genetically engineered mosquitoes for use in mosquito-borne infectious disease vector control (Intrexon, Oxitec)
Performed technology analysis on gene editing, genetic engineering, and cloning technologies used in our food systems (Intrexon)
Facilitated protocol design and deployment of pioneering HIV/CD4 mobile testing in Sub-Saharan Africa to ensure efficacy of HIV anti-retroviral therapies (ART) in rural low resource settings (St. Gabriel's Hospital Malawi)
Advanced medical countermeasures for biosecurity: sensors, diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines (Gen-Probe, Nanogen-Vectrant, Intrexon)
Developed mobile dual use clinical diagnostics and environmental biothreat detection technologies with integrated immunoassay and molecular tests for US intelligence community (Vectrant)
Launched the APTIMA molecular diagnostic platform with the first combined chlamydia and gonorrhea molecular tests using male/female urine specimens, eliminating previous requirement for male genital swabbing and flattening the curve on transmission of STIs (Gen-Probe)
Developed multiple FDA cleared diagnostics and molecular tests ensuring safety of US blood supply (HIV, HCV, HBV, West Nile Virus) (Gen-Probe) (see list)

Volunteer Organizations

American Lung Association supporting Healthy Air Campaign and briefing US Congress on program activities
St. Gabriel's Hospital, Lilongwe District, Malawi performing global health fieldwork and international development with interventions targeting HIV, malaria, healthy air, and health education to reduce burden of chronic and infectious diseases

MISSION: HEALTHY PEOPLE, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS I believe that the health and biosecurity of humans, animals and ecosystems is interconnected, and we can realize healthier, more secure lives now and for generations to come by developing new technologies designed to serve the public good by improving health outcomes and promoting healthy living and healthy environments. The public good can be measured in part by the impact of our investments in making people healthier, protecting our environment, and ensuring the safety and security of our communities.

I am focused on making biotechnology work for the public good. To achieve this aim I have worked for pioneering biotech companies and research institutions, as well as founded businesses to advise biotechnology startups and establish new ventures that contribute to healthier people and healthier environments. I am interested in opportunities to advance new technologies:
• Helping founders realize their innovations and establish new ventures promoting environmental and public health
• Advising companies on business, technology, and new product development strategies
• Providing technology scouting and technical diligence support to help de-risk investments

As part of my effort, I am currently honing my skills performing epidemiological and risk analyses to better understand targets for intervention, resource requirements, and methods for analyzing data to inform next steps developing and deploying technologies to operationalize environmental and public health interventions. Learn more below about my activities and the experiences that catalyzed a personal mission to use my decades of experience in the biotechnology industry to promote global public health, biosecurity, and healthy spaces in our natural and built environments.

FOCUS AREAS (click to read more)
MAKING BIOTECHNOLOGY WORK
PUBLIC HEALTH AND BIOSECURITY
ACADEMIC RESEARCH
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
BUILDING PUBLIC TRUST

Learn more about my BIOTECH EXPERIENCE & AFFILIATIONS