Neuroscientist with extensive experience in the delivery of AAV to the brain. Available for consulting or contractual assignments. I am particularly passionate about advancing and facilitating the development of DNA-based therapies for Huntington’s disease and other neurological disorders into Phase I clinical trials. For this reason, I co-founded the not-for-profit CGTA Research Group.
My experience includes developing strategic programs of research and serving as a leader of a team of Ph.D. and Master's level scientists using molecular biology, in vitro cell culture, and in vivo animal studies to develop molecular therapies for genetic diseases. This work has included pre-clinical studies comparing the distribution and uptake of various serotypes of AAV in the rodent and sheep brain, delivered via direct infusion into brain tissue or the lateral ventricles, and delivered across the blood-brain barrier via the carotid artery.
I have an understanding of the requirements for translational research, including not only proof-of-concept studies, but also GLP dose-ranging, efficacy, and toxicology studies in rodents and non-human primates, and clinical trial design. With training as both a clinical psychologist and a neuroscientist, I have an in-depth understanding of human structural and functional neuroanatomy. I am also skilled at MRI analysis, inferential and multivariate statistics, computer programming, and the analysis of experimental data.
My mission is to make better therapies for Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological disorders a reality.