Dr. Jerome Premmereur
Chief Executive Officer and President Dr. Jerome Premmereur is Chief Executive Officer and President of the TB Alliance. Dr. Premmereur has nearly two decades of experience overseeing the development of new medicines for a variety of indications, including infectious and cardiovascular diseases. He is the former Head of Medical Affairs (US Pharmaceuticals Operations) and Vice President of Medical Risk Management for sanofi-aventis, as well as former Senior Vice President of Aventis Global Medical Affairs.

As a veteran pharmaceutical executive, Dr. Premmereur has significant international regulatory expertise and knowledge of the registration path for new drugs in at least 60 countries. At sanofi-aventis, he managed a team of more than 500, bringing lifesaving treatments to registration, worldwide, and coordinating groups involved in running clinical trials, filing regulatory applications, conducting health economics research, and producing medical communications.

A native of France, Dr. Premmereur has focused much of his career on the development of treatments for cancer, as well as cardiovascular, infectious, and metabolic diseases. After board certification in cardiology in 1983, he practiced as a cardiologist, working primarily in the intensive care units of several French hospitals. In addition to running a private practice in Argenteuil, France, he worked in consultation at Paris’ Hospital Cochin.

In 1991, Dr. Premmereur joined Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, based in Paris, where he helped develop and bring to market numerous pharmaceutical products. Notably, he was appointed to lead the worldwide development and broad international registration of Clexane/Lovenox (enoxaparin), an anticoagulant now approved by the FDA for eight indications.

Following the success of Clexane/Lovenox, Dr. Premmereur was appointed head of Global Medical Affairs. He was responsible for managing large trials in oncology, anti-infectives, and hormone replacement therapy, as well as cardiovascular, allergic and CNS diseases. After the December 1999 merger with Hoechst Marion Roussel to create Aventis, Dr. Premmereur led the development of products in the areas of diabetes, osteoporosis, oncology, anti-infectives, and cardiovascular, respiratory, allergic, and CNS diseases.

Dr. Premmereur has authored and co-authored studies published in leading medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. He is a long-time member of the Fellowship of the American College of Cardiology, the French Medical Order, and Societe Française de Cardiologie. He received his MD from the College/University Paris Medical School in 1981.

Elizabeth Gardiner, M.Sc.
Vice President, Market Access Elizabeth Gardiner is Vice President of Market Access for the TB Alliance. Prior to joining the TB Alliance, Elizabeth worked for 14 years to increase access to health products in the developing world via public, private and NGO channels. For the past 5 years Elizabeth has consulted on a wide range of health product introduction and marketing issues with a focus on access to medicines and social marketing. She worked with PSI from 1994-2002, including 3 years as Director of PSI/Uganda and 2 years as the founding director of PSI’s Russia program. Elizabeth has registered 5 new health product brands and worked closely with suppliers to market their products in developing countries. She also has considerable experience with business planning, market research as well as project and grant management. Previously she worked with World Learning and Project HOPE in their Russia offices.

Elizabeth has a BA in Soviet Studies from Harvard University and an MSc in Management from London Business School, where she wrote her thesis “The Price of Access: Making Drugs Available in Africa.” Elizabeth has worked in 49 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, the South Pacific and the Caribbean, and in November 2008 relocated to New York from London.

Colleen Pero, M.A.
Chief Administrative Officer Colleen Pero is Chief Administrative Officer for the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development. An accomplished Executive, Ms. Pero has expertise planning and implementing programs and strategies across all administrative functions. Ms. Pero has a diverse professional background that includes over fifteen years in the healthcare sector in both for-profit and not-for-profit environments. Specifically, Ms. Pero has focused on operating effectiveness in organizations experiencing rapid growth.

Prior to the TB Alliance, Ms. Pero was Senior Vice President, Corporate Administration at Endo Pharmaceuticals where she built organizational capabilities to enable rapid growth, and led a six-fold expansion of the workforce over a four year period. As a member of the Executive Team, Ms. Pero contributed to the establishment and execution of corporate strategy for the business, and she had direct responsibility for a wide range of areas including organizational planning, information technology, communications, company affairs procurement, human resources and organizational development.

Currently, Ms. Pero is as a member of the Board of Trustees for Christiana Health Care System, one of the largest healthcare systems in Mid-Atlantic region. She serves on the Executive Compensation Committee, which responsible for executive compensation and leadership succession and development. Ms. Pero has also served on the Board of Crittenton Services and Directions, as well as on the on United Way Vision Council, which oversees the strategic planning and long term direction of the organization.

Ms. Pero holds a Master of Arts in Management and Bachelor of Science.

Mel Spigelman, M.D.
Director, Research and Development Dr. Spigelman is the Director of Research and Development for the TB Alliance. A highly regarded expert in domestic and international drug research and development, Dr. Spigelman previously spent a decade managing drug R&D at Knoll Pharmaceuticals (a division of BASF Pharma). As Vice President of R&D at Knoll, Dr. Spigelman directed clinical development and supervised all R&D activities from basic discovery to regulatory approval. He established global R&D processes as part of Knoll's senior R&D management team, oversaw a marked increase in US regulatory filings and approvals, and supervised joint R&D programs with pharmaceutical companies.

Starting as Director of Oncology and Immunology in 1989, Dr. Spigelman became Vice President of R&D at Knoll until its acquisition by Abbott Laboratories in 2001. Dr. Spigelman received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his medical degree from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine where he specialized in Internal medicine and Neoplastic Diseases. Dr. Spigelman holds board certifications from the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American Board's Subspecialty Board of Medical Oncology, and the American Board of Preventive Medicine and was the recipient of the American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Career Development Award (1985-1988).

Karen Ackermann
Administrative Assistant (Pretoria, South Africa) Ms. Ackermann joined the TB Alliance Africa office in May 2007 as an Administrative Assistant, after a 10-year career in the Payroll Software Industry, where she worked mainly in Training, and later in Marketing as a Graphic Design Assistant. She has also had training in Information Technology. Ms. Ackermann spent 2 years in the United Kingdom helping develop an Integrated Health Care Facility in Kentish Town, London, which aims to combine a variety of Primary Health Care Services into a single facility. This facility is currently under construction, and is scheduled to open in January 2009. Ms. Ackermann believes that the experience gained in helping with this project laid the foundation for her decision to move from the corporate environment to the TB Alliance, and she is very excited about her involvement in the TB Alliance’s mission to develop new, better, faster-acting TB drug regimens.

Derek Ambrosino, M.A.
Assistant, Communications Mr. Ambrosino joined the TB Alliance team in March of 2007 as Assistant to the Communications Department. He holds a B.A. in Sociology and an M.A. in Urban Affairs, both from Queens College. He has experience in communications, having worked in public relations, as well as working in the Training and Development department of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. He also has worked as a Housing Discrimination Investigator for the Open Housing Center, and for Major League Baseball.

Asmita Barve, M.A., M.B.A.
Grants Analyst Ms. Barve joined the TB Alliance in April 2006, and is responsible for reporting on existing grants and supporting fundraising activities. Previously, she worked at the Foundation Center in New York as a research associate. There she co-authored reports on foundation funding and expense patterns. Ms. Barve originally developed an understanding of drug development and pharmaceutical licensing while an analyst at Madison Keats, a boutique investment bank focused on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

A native of India, Ms. Barve's interest in international health dates back to her experience covering public health issues for a non-profit publication in Mumbai. Ms. Barve has an M.B.A. from North Carolina State University and a M.A. in Health Communications from the University of Kentucky. Ms. Barve received her Bachelors of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Mumbai.

Ketty Belizaire
Clinical Operations Manager Ketty Belizaire is the Clinical Operations Manager at the TB Alliance, helping to oversee the operational activities of the Alliance's clinical trial programs. She joined the TB Alliance in August, 2006, and brings over 13 years of experience in the clinical research industry. Ms. Belizaire has international expertise in the execution, and operational management, of large, complex trials. She also has a wealth of experience in directing clinical operations across multiple therapeutic indications, some of which include HIV/AIDS, Asthma, Trauma, Liver Transplantation, Intracranial Hemorrhage, Hemophilia and Hypertension.

Prior to joining TB Alliance, Ms. Belizaire held the position of Clinical Project Team Leader at Novo Nordisk, where she worked for five and a half years at their US affiliate office and at their Headquarters in Denmark. Ms. Belizaire has a background in Health Sciences, with an emphasis on Health Policy and Administration. She has a B.S. degree in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In addition to English, Ms. Belizaire is fluent in French and Haitian Creole.

Cynthia Brewster
Assistant Controller Ms. Brewster joined the TB Alliance team in July 2007 as Assistant Controller. She holds a B.B.A in Accounting from Baruch College in New York. She brings to the TB Alliance over 25 years of experience in Financial Operations and Grant Management of various non-profit organizations. Most recently, Ms. Brewster was the Senior Fiscal Officer of East Side House, Inc. where she oversaw the Fiscal Department. Prior to that, she served as Grants Manager at Project Renewal Inc. where she was responsible for the external reporting of $30 million in Federal, State and City Grants.

Serdar Elmali
Information Technology and Networking Consultant Mr. Elmali brings to the TB Alliance extensive expertise in the design and management of information technology systems in small businesses and non-profit environments. Prior to working in information technology, he was Vice President of a commercial real estate appraisal firm for 10 years. Mr. Elmali holds a B.A. in Corporate Finance from Baruch College and an Associate Degree in Computer Science from Rutgers University. He is also certified in MCSE and holds a certificate in networking from New York University.

Melissa Enson, M.S.
Executive Assistant to the CEO and President Melissa Enson joined the TB Alliance in September 2008 as Executive Assistant to the CEO and President. Melissa came to the TB Alliance from a Connecticut-based life sciences company focused on oncology where she served, for the past five years, as Executive Assistant to the CEO. She has extensive experience managing schedules and travel, planning meetings, writing correspondence, and representing the CEO’s office both internally and externally. Melissa is an accomplished administrative professional with a B.A. in English from Tulane University. She completed her M.S. degree at Southern Connecticut State University.

Nicholas Garrett
Assistant, R&D Nicholas Garrett joined TB Alliance in September 2008 as an Assistant to the Research and Development Department. He has over seven years experience supporting executive level team members and has a background in project and office management. Previously, he worked for DOV Pharmaceutical supporting the VP of Biostatistics, Data Management and Medical Writing. Nicholas earned his Associate Degree from Bergen Community College and is currently pursuing a B.A. in organizational management.

Ann Ginsberg, M.D., Ph.D.
Head of Clinical Development Dr. Ginsberg is the Head of Clinical Development for the TB Alliance. Prior to joining the TB Alliance in June 2004, Dr. Ginsberg was Director for Project Management at Merck & Co., Inc. for two years. A highly regarded TB expert, Dr. Ginsberg brings 15 years of experience at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Ginsberg began her NIH career in the National Cancer Institute as a Medical Staff Fellow and Resident in Anatomic Pathology. She subsequently joined the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases as a Senior Staff Fellow in the Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology. In 1995 she joined NIAID as Program Officer for Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases and was appointed Chief of the Respiratory Diseases Branch in 2000.

Trained as a molecular biologist and Board Certified Anatomic Pathologist, Dr. Ginsberg holds a B.A. from Harvard University, an M.D. from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from Washington University. She is the author of numerous scientific publications and recipient of several prominent awards, including the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service in 2000. She has served on multiple global health committees, and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation.

Ciara Goldstein, M.A.
Senior Policy Specialist Ms. Goldstein officially joined the TB Alliance in March 2007, as a Policy Associate, based in the Brussels office, following a year serving as a consultant. She is actively involved in the TB Alliance's efforts to increase support for accelerating research and development of new TB drugs, especially among the European Union and Member State governments. Ms. Goldstein holds a M.Sc. in Development Studies from the London School of Economics & Political Science. She received her B.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Ms. Goldstein has previously worked in Brussels at the European Commission in the Directorate for Development's Human & Social Development Unit, for the Tropical Health & Education Trust in London, and with Amnesty International USA in New York. She is fluent in French and Spanish, and is learning German.

Heather Ignatius, M.A.
Policy Officer Since joining the TB Alliance in 2004, Ms. Ignatius has worked in the Policy Department focusing on the design and implementation of advocacy and policy strategies to influence donor governments. She is also currently responsible for market availability and adoption research and leads the TB Alliance’s community engagement programs. From 2004 – 2007 Ms. Ignatius served as the Secretariat of the Stop TB Partnership Working Group on New Drugs and was instrumental in the development of the group's contribution to the Global Plan to Stop TB 2006 - 2015.

Prior to joining the TB Alliance, Ms. Ignatius worked for the United Nations Foundation on peace and security issues, including a program to engage the private sector in post-conflict environments. She has also worked at the National Endowment for Democracy in the Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows program. Ms. Ignatius holds an M.A. in International Affairs from the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and a B.A. in Political Science/International Relations from the University of California at San Diego.

Yvette Jones
Assistant, R&D Ms. Jones joined the TB Alliance in November 2006 as an Assistant to the Research and Development Department. She has worked over eight years in the non-profit area with NYU School of Medicine — Finance Dept. as well as two years at the University. She also has extensive experience as an administrative assistant and financial analyst with Lucent Technologies. Ms. Jones has a background in Finance and Accounting. She has earned her Associates from Berkeley College and pursing a BA in Accounting.

Takushi Kaneko, Ph.D.
Project Leader, Research Dr. Kaneko is a Project Leader of Research at the TB Alliance, where he is responsible for evaluating discovery projects for inclusion in the TB Alliance portfolio and overseeing current drug discovery projects with Dr. Zhenkun Ma, Head of Research. He is an expert medicinal chemist with a specific background in infectious diseases, oncology, and natural products and over thirty years of experience in preclinical discovery and drug development. Prior to joining the TB Alliance in October 2007, Dr. Kaneko was a Research Fellow in the Antibacterial Drug Discovery Team and Manager of the Natural Product Discovery Group at Pfizer Global Research and Development Division in Groton, CT. Prior to working at Pfizer, Dr. Kaneko was a Research Fellow in the Anti-tumor Drug Discovery Team at Bristol-Myers Pharmaceutical Research and Development Division in Wallingford, CT.

In academia, Dr. Kaneko trained as a Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Chemistry, Harvard University, and was a faculty member in the Chemistry Department at Texas A&M University. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and has served as a member of the society’s Long-term Planning Committee in the Medicinal Chemistry Division. Dr. Kaneko is an author of more than 120 publications and patents. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Missouri and an M.S. and Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Michigan.

Martino Laurenzi, M.D., MPH
Clinical Research Scientist Dr. Laurenzi, an expert in clinical development and community health, is a Clinical Research Scientist at the TB Alliance, where his responsibilities include the oversight of clinical trials. Dr. Laurenzi has long been involved in public health research; the Gubbio Study, which he started in 1982 in the Italian town for which it is named, is one of the longest standing population-based epidemiological studies for the screening of cardiovascular risk factors.

Prior to joining the TB Alliance, Dr. Laurenzi spent twenty-five years at Merck & Co., most recently as Executive Medical Director, Specialty Products. While at Merck, he managed protocol development and implementation for a wide range of projects in several therapeutic areas, and provided medical input and guidance to clinical research programs from Phase II through Phase V trials. He was also extensively involved in Clinical Research Operations, and managed Merck Research Laboratories' Medical Departments in the Middle European Region and in Middle East Africa. From 1990-1993 Dr. Laurenzi was Director, Medical Affairs and Epidemiology, at Merck's facility in Rome, Italy. Since 1987, Dr. Laurenzi has served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University.

Born in the U.S., Dr. Laurenzi grew up in Italy, where he received his Doctorate of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Rome. He obtained his Masters of Public Health from Columbia University in 1981. His research and his interests have led him to many different countries. He has lived in the U.S. since 1993.

Erica Lessem
Grants Writer Ms. Lessem joined the TB Alliance in November 2008. As Grants Writer, she is responsible for donor reporting, researching fundraising prospects, and preparing grant proposals. Ms. Lessem gained experience in international health grant writing and project management while working in the Republic of Georgia for the Joint Distribution Committee. Prior to that, she was awarded an Urban Fellowship where she was placed in the Communications department at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Ms. Lessem holds a B.A. in Spanish and Psychology from Georgetown University. She is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Italian and Georgian.

Zhenkun Ma, Ph.D.
Head of Research As Head of Research at the TB Alliance, Dr. Ma guides the selection of new potential tuberculosis drug candidates and oversees preclinical development programs. An expert in medicinal chemistry, Dr. Ma was formerly Director of Chemistry at Cumbre Inc., a Dallas-based biotechnology firm specializing in antibacterial drug discovery research. Prior to his experience at Cumbre, Dr. Ma worked at Abbott Laboratories for eight years, where he, as Senior Group Leader, directed anti-bacterial programs and oversaw the medicinal chemistry for macrolide and novel antibacterial programs. In 1997, he received the Chairman's Award for the discovery of Cethromycin, a novel ketolide antibiotic currently in late-stage clinical development.

A native of northeastern China, Dr. Ma studied Chemistry and Organic Chemistry at Beijing University, and holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Connecticut, Storrs. The holder of more than 40 U.S. patents and patent applications, Dr. Ma has also authored and co-authored more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and meeting presentations.

Khisimuzi Mdluli, Ph.D.
Project Leader, Research Dr. Mdluli is a Project Leader of Research at the TB Alliance, responsible for evaluating discovery projects for inclusion in the TB Alliance portfolio and overseeing current drug discovery projects with Dr. Zhenkun Ma, Head of Research. A native of Swaziland, Dr. Mdluli brings over a decade of drug discovery expertise in academia and industry, and is a highly regarded expert in the microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A three-year Visiting Fellowship at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) resulted in a number of seminal publications by Dr. Mdluli in 1998 that describe the mechanism of action and a potential target of isoniazid, a cornerstone drug.

Dr. Mdluli's industry experience includes two years at Cumbre Inc., a Texas based biotech, and six years at Chiron Corporation as a Senior Scientist where he helped establish and manage major antimicrobial discovery programs for the identification and validation of drug targets and drug candidates. Dr. Mdluli holds a B.S. from the University of Swaziland, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Victoria in Canada. He is the author of numerous scientific publications and is a member of a Small Business Research Initiative (SBIR) Study Section on antibiotic drug discovery at the National Institutes of Health.

Raisa Y. Medina
Junior Accountant Ms. Medina joined the TB Alliance in July, 2006. As Junior Accountant, she is responsible for accounts payable, general ledger and payroll. Prior to working at the TB Alliance, Ms. Medina worked in the Law Office of I. Michael Schwartz, where she oversaw day to day accounting and human resources issues, and all paralegal aspects of a $10 Million law practice. There she successfully cut turnover by over 15%, and significantly reduced accounts payable. Ms. Medina holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Baruch College and a Pharmacy Technician Certificate; she is also a Notary Public.

Marie Messina, M.S.
Assistant, R&D Ms. Messina provides administrative support to the R&D Department. After a background in the corporate sector, Ms. Messina is pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the mission of the TB Alliance.

Fran Pappas, M.A.
Director, Clinical Operations Fran Pappas joined the TB Alliance in November, 2008, as Clinical Operations Director, bringing over 25 years of experience in the clinical research industry. As Clinical Operations Director, she is responsible for planning and oversight of clinical trials. Prior to joining the TB Alliance Ms. Pappas spent 28 years at Merck & Co. Inc where she was involved in the planning, execution and management of large international clinical trials in multiple therapeutic areas including lipids, endocrinology and infectious diseases. She was also involved in the preparation of global regulatory documentation including Clinical Study reports, major Common Technical Document (CTD) Summaries (Safety and Efficacy) and responses to Regulatory Agencies. Ms. Pappas has a B.A. and M.S. in Biology from the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Ingrid Payne
Operations Manager Ms. Payne has been with the TB Alliance since 2004, and is responsible for the Finance and Administration functions of the organization. Prior to the TB Alliance, Ms. Payne held various positions in the marketing sector, the latest being Project Manager at Sandboxbrands, a marketing and design firm where she managed the client accounts of Gap Inc., Old Navy and Starbucks Coffee Co. A native of Panama, Ms. Payne speaks Spanish and Italian, and holds a B.A. in International Relations and International Political Economy from Florida International University, a Certificate in International Business and Management from the School of International Studies in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and an Associates of Arts in Italian from Miami Dade College.

Doris Rouse, Ph.D.
Portfolio Project Manager With support from NIAID, Dr. Rouse works with the TB Alliance as the project manager for development of PA-824 and analogs. In 2000 Dr. Rouse served as secretariat for the working group that wrote The Economics of TB Drug Development, the TB Alliance publication that surveyed the cost of developing new drugs and development options.

Currently, Dr. Rouse is the Principal Investigator for the NIAID Tuberculosis Technology Transfer Support contract, a program to link public and private sectors to make available new treatments for tuberculosis. She also serves as Director of Global Health at RTI International, managing the application of RTI's diverse technical disciplines to address major global health needs.

Dr. Rouse's work in drug development began at Burroughs Wellcome, after a stint in the Peace Corps in Liberia. Dr. Rouse received both her undergraduate degree in Chemistry and her Ph.D. in Physiology and Pharmacology from Duke University.

Stephanie S. Seidel
Community Engagement Specialist Ms. Seidel joined the TB Alliance in June 2005 as Assistant to the Public Affairs Department. Prior to that, Ms. Seidel studied at Yale in the School of Medicine's Physician Associate program, where she focused on the treatment of infectious diseases. She also worked for Planned Parenthood of Connecticut as a dedicated patient advocate and clinical assistant, where she provided counseling for patients on issues related to women's health, STD prevention and treatment, and family planning. Ms. Seidel has worked in documentary film production, editing a variety of programs that included several health-related topics. She holds a B.A in Cultural Anthropology and Latin American Literature from Earlham College, and completed Post-Baccalaureate pre-medical studies at SUNY Purchase. She is fluent in Spanish.

Gerald J. Siuta, Ph.D.
Consultant, Business Development Dr. Siuta is the President of Siuta Consulting, Inc., a pharmaceutical licensing consulting firm established in 1995 to provide worldwide in- and out-licensing services to pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, universities and research institutes. Prior to starting his consulting business, Dr. Siuta spent 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry with the Medical Research Division of American Cyanamid Company, first as a synthetic organic chemist and then in New Product Licensing.

With more than 22 years of experience in pharmaceutical licensing, he has established an extensive network of licensing contacts at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the United States, Europe and Japan as well as at Technology Transfer Offices in universities and research institutes in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Israel and Australia. Dr. Siuta received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Chemistry from Hunter College of The City University of New York and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Fordham University.

Anna Upton , Ph.D.
Project Leader, Biology Dr. Upton joined the TB Alliance in September 2007 as Scientific Liaison to the Stop TB Partnership Working Group on New Drugs. After a year of serving as the Secretariat for the Working Group, she transitioned to the research and development side of the TB Alliance, currently acting as a Project Leader of Biology.

Dr. Upton brings expertise in the microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). Prior to joining the Alliance, Dr. Upton worked for five and a half years as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Rockefeller University, where her research focused on identifying potential targets for drugs to treat persistent TB infection.

A native of England, Dr. Upton received her Ph.D. from Oxford University for work towards understanding how M.tb becomes resistant to the cornerstone drug, isoniazid. Dr. Upton carried out some of her Ph.D. research at GlaxoSmithKline, and, through this, developed an interest in the process of drug development. Dr. Upton holds a B.A. in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry from Oxford University.

Almarie Uys, Ph.D.
Senior Clinical Research Associate (Pretoria, South Africa) Dr Almarie Uys joined the TB Alliance in May 2007. She has done extensive work in the field of cancer research. She earned her Masters degree from the University of Pretoria, and focused her studies on patients with colon cancer and her Ph.D while working with cancer patients with febrile neutropenia, in a private oncology practice in Johannesburg. Dr. Uys is looking forward to facing new challenges, and excited about working to eradicate an infectious disease that is a global burden.

Christo van Niekerk, M.D.
Clinical Research Scientist (Pretoria, South Africa) Dr. van Niekerk, a Pharmaceutical Physician and Pediatric Specialist, is a Clinical Research Scientist at the TB Alliance, helping to oversee clinical trials in endemic countries. Dr. van Niekerk spent three years as Clinical Research Manager at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in South Africa, where he managed the clinical trial program in the largest Clinical Research Department in all of Africa.

From 2000 to 2002 he worked as Medical Director at Aventis Pharma, where he was responsible for all medical matters including provision of medical expertise within Aventis, and management of Drug Regulatory Affairs including new product registration. During his time at Aventis he conducted 49 phase III studies involving 527 investigators and 2617 enrolled patients, and brought 7 new products to approval for registration. As Medical Director at Hoechst Marion Roussel Limited, he was instrumental in bringing effective tuberculosis therapies to the South African market for, including a powder formulation for children with tuberculosis. During his time at HMR he oversaw clinical product development with clinical study operations, drug regulatory affairs and medical services. He ran 17 studies involving 92 investigators and 1860 enrolled patients, and saw over 10 new products approved for registration.

A native of South Africa, Dr. van Niekerk received his Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Cape Town, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. He is a Member of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom.

Omar Vandal, Ph. D.
Scientific Liaison to the Stop TB Partnership Working Group on New Drugs Dr. Omar Vandal joined the TB Alliance in September of 2008 as Scientific Liaison to the Stop TB Partnership Working Group on New Drugs (WGND). The WGND serves as a platform for interaction among partners working in all stages of TB drug R&D, to increase efficiencies and decrease risk for the development of effective and affordable new therapies for TB. Dr. Vandal acts as the Secretariat for the Working Group, managing the efforts of a variety of stakeholders, from academia, industry and international health agencies, to coordinate global TB drug R&D.

Prior to joining the TB Alliance, Dr. Vandal was a post-doctoral fellow and graduate student at Cornell Weill Medical College, where he studied host immunity and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) resistance pathways in an effort to identify new drug targets for the treatment of tuberculosis. His work led to insights into how M.tb is able to persist within the host environment and expanded the field of host-pathogen interactions. Dr. Vandal has published in leading journals and has received numerous fellowships and awards for his work.

Dr. Vandal received his B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from The College of Wooster, where he researched rotaviral disease. A native of Pakistan, Dr. Vandal has been in the U.S since 1996.

Gerry Waters, Ph.D.
Senior Project Leader M. Gerard (Gerry) Waters recently joined the TB Alliance as a Senior Project Leader. He earned a Ph.D. in Cell Biology from The Rockefeller University, undertook post-doctoral work at Princeton University and Sloan Kettering Institute, and went on to Assistant and Associate Professorships in the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. While in academia he studied intracellular protein traffic, was awarded Life Sciences Research Foundation and Markey Fellowships, and was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the American Cancer Society. In 2002 he moved to Merck Research Laboratories as a Director in the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, where his efforts were directed towards understanding and treating atherosclerosis. His responsibilities included early discovery and medicinal chemistry programs, leadership of a team performing early clinical work, and championing basic research studies in support of a late-stage clinical candidate that recently received marketing approval in the European Union.

William Wells, M.I.A., Ph.D.
Director, Market Access Dr. Wells is Director, Market Access, with responsibility for planning and oversight of the TB Alliance's market readiness approach. The resulting research, intelligence, analysis, and stakeholder engagement has an end goal of ensuring successful adoption, availability, and affordability of future products arising from the work of the TB Alliance and its strategic partners.

Prior to joining the TB Alliance in May 2007, Dr. Wells worked as a consultant in Cambodia and Sudan for organizations including amfAR, CARE, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WHO. The resulting evaluations and grant proposals helped guide and fund HIV and maternal health projects. He has also worked previously as News Director at Rockefeller University Press, where he established news sections in two major biomedical journals. This built on his previous work as a freelance science journalist with clients such as New Scientist, Forbes magazine and the US National Academy of Sciences.

A native of Australia, Dr. Wells received his Ph.D. in cell biology from the University of California, San Francisco, and a Master of International Affairs, with a focus on economic and political development and public health, from Columbia University in New York.

Karen M. Wright
Senior Advisor With more than 25 years in administrative and research program management at the National Institutes of Health, Ms. Wright spearheads special scientific and managerial projects for the TB Alliance. Prior to her work with the Alliance, Ms. Wright served as the principal administrator and managerial advisor to the Scientific Director of NIH's National Eye Institute. In that capacity, she also developed plans to establish new laboratory and clinical research programs in Intramural Research, coordinated technology transfer activities, and handled a wide range of regulatory, policy and procedural requirements. Prior to that time, Ms. Wright was the Institute's Personnel Officer. With a B.A. from American University, Ms. Wright also received a Certificate in International Business Management from Georgetown University.