Temple University Graduate School

None  Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of hirings, firings and retirings throughout the industry. Please send the good word—or the bad—from your shop to Max Bayer or Gabrielle Masson, and we will feature it here at the end of each week. Voyager returns to Biogen’s orbit, plucking another executive Voyager Therapeutics You can always count on Al Sandrock to have his finger on the pulse of Biogen. The 21-year vet of the neuroscience pharma has returned (metaphorically speaking) to his old haunting grounds, leaving with fresh talent. Voyager announced it was hiring Toby Ferguson, M.D., as its chief medical officer, effective March 25. Ferguson was most recently vice president and head of neuromuscular development at Biogen, where he joined in 2013. He started as a medical director and advanced to executive medical director, before taking his current position.  His claim to fame was leading the team that produced SOD1 ALS med Qalsody, which received FDA accelerated approval based on the reduction of a disease biomarker. In light of Amylyx’s recent late-stage failure, Qalsody is arguably the most significant ALS treatment advancement in recent years. Voyager is currently working on a SOD1 gene therapy that’s entering IND-enabling studies.  Before joining Biogen, Ferguson was an assistant professor of neurology at Temple University in Philadelphia. Release Pfizer names new CSO for anti-infectives research unit  Pfizer  Despite Pfizer making its oncology ambitions clear, the New York pharma does in fact have additional assets elsewhere, including anti-infectives. Much of that work centers on COVID treatment Paxlovid, with additional candidates aimed at RSV infection and complicated urinary tract infections.  Now, the company is bolstering that team, hiring Isabel Najera, Ph.D., as chief scientific officer of the anti-infective research unit. She previously was the head of research for infectious disease at Janssen, before the pharma dismantled and divested from the work altogether.  Najera cut her teeth at Roche, where she spent a total of 19 years across a number of different positions. She started in 1999 as a research scientist working on hepatitis C virology and spent the last four years there as the deputy head of discovery and head of clinical microbiology for inflammation, immunology and infectious diseases. Rigel hires ex-Sangamo CMO for the same role  Rigel Pharmaceuticals Lisa Rojkjaer, M.D., is joining Rigel as executive vice president and chief medical officer, the biotech announced this week. She joins from Sangamo where she held the same role. Rojkjaer at Sangamo for less than a year, from May 2023 to March 2024. She spent more than six-and-a-half years at two prior CMO gigs, with Viracta Therapeutics and Nordic Nanovector, respectively. She’s also spent more than six years across two stints at Novartis. Release > FibroGen has tapped Deyaa Adib, M.D., to serve as the oncology company’s SVP and chief medical officer. Before joining FibroGen, Adib was Triumvira Immunologics’ CMO and previously held roles at Rain Therapeutics, Blueprint Medicines, Baxalta, ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Aventis, Sanofi and Astellas Pharma. Release > Jullian Jones, Ph.D., has joined MOMA Therapeutics to serve as the platform company’s chief business officer. Jones comes from Monte Rosa Therapeutics, where she also held the CBO title and oversaw the biotech’s recent partnership with Roche Pharmaceuticals. Release > Capsida Biotherapeutics has promoted Rob Murphy from his role as VP of technical operations to chief manufacturing and quality officer. Murphy joined the biotech in 2020 and helped design, build and staff Capsida’s state-of-the-art gene therapy manufacturing site. Release > Apellis Pharmaceuticals is appointing Philip Ferrone, M.D., to serve as the company’s chief medical retina adviser, effective March 18. Ferrone currently is, and will continue to be, the director of clinical research at Vitreoretinal Consultants in New York. Release > Tim Clackson, Ph.D., is taking the top spot at IDRx, replacing founding CEO and co-founder Ben Auspitz, while Brad Dahms will step on as chief financial officer and chief business officer. Clackson and Dahms both join IDRx from Theseus Pharmaceuticals, where they served as CEO and CFO, respectively. Release > GSK’s head of biologics and devices manufacturing Bill Dawson has been appointed the new chair of the Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership, an organization representing medicines manufacturers in the U.K. Dawson has been with GSK for nearly 8 years, and worked at Novartis before that, according to his LinkedIn. Release > Corinne Le Goff has resigned from her position as IMUNON’s president and CEO, exiting to pursue another business opportunity. Executive Chair Michael Tardugno, who served as CEO before Le Goff, will assume daily leadership responsibilities until a successor is selected. Release > VC 4BIO Capital has promoted Natalie Johnston, Ph.D., to principal, while appointing Abbas Hussain and Leszek Lisowski, Ph.D., to its advisory board. Previously, Johnston served as an investment associate for 4BIO, while Hussain most recently worked at Vifor Pharma and Lisowski helped establish two gene therapy companies: Exigen Biotherapeutics and Sendatu Therapeutics. Release > Y-mAbs Therapeutics EVP, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer Bo Kruse is resigning, effective as of the day a successor is appointed or July 31, 2024. Kruse has been with the company for nearly nine years, according to his LinkedIn profile. Release > Endeavor BioMedicines is bringing on two new leaders, appointing Enoch Kariuki as president and Vishaal Turakhia as chief financial officer. Kariuki most recently served as CEO of Lengo Therapeutics (acquired by Blueprint Medicines), while Turakhia was previously managing director at Piper Sandler’s healthcare investment banking group. Release > Joseph Bertelsen is joining U.K.-based biotech Nuclera as chief commercial officer. He previously worked at the Institute for Protein Innovation, a research site in Massachusetts, where he was the director of commercialization. Release

TORONTO, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Little is known about the willingness of sexual minority adults--people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or other nonheterosexual orientation identities--to use digital health tools. A new study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research by Dr Wilson Vincent of Temple University, has shed light on this question in the context of public health screening and tracking. The research challenges assumptions about the uptake of such technologies, particularly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Vincent notes that past studies have seldom looked into how willing sexual minority groups are to use digital health tools, particularly in relation to pandemics or non-HIV prevention measures. In the COVID-19 era, use of cutting-edge mHealth tools such as smartphone apps for screening, monitoring, and treating the virus has skyrocketed, marking a thrilling advancement in health care technology. Yet, how enthusiastic are people about embracing these new technologies? To answer this question, Dr Vincent used data from the COVID Impact Survey, which was conducted during the height of the COVID-19 response in the United States and surveyed over 2000 people. A deep dive into this publicly available data set revealed that sexual minority adults showed a greater willingness to use digital health tools for screening and tracking compared to heterosexual adults. Interestingly, there were no notable differences in this group in terms of age, gender, or race/ethnicity. On the flip side, White heterosexual adults showed a disproportionately low willingness to use such tools. The findings show how important it is to make digital health tools work for everyone. Diverse populations should be considered in the development and implementation of digital health strategies, particularly during public health crises. By understanding and meeting the needs of sexual minority adults, policymakers and health care workers can make health strategies better and fairer for all. The study also highlights the need for ongoing research into the digital divide among different demographic groups. Gaining insights into the factors that shape one's readiness to interact with digital health tools can guide the creation of tailored interventions aimed at closing current disparities in health care accessibility and adoption. Future studies that delve into the various dynamics involved can help create health care solutions that work for everyone, no matter their sexual orientation or other demographic factors. Please cite as: Vincent W. Willingness to Use Digital Health Screening and Tracking Tools for Public Health in Sexual Minority Populations in a National Probability Sample: Quantitative Intersectional Analysis J Med Internet Res 2024;26:e47448 doi: 10.2196/47448 URL: About JMIR Publications JMIR Publications is a renowned publisher with a long-standing commitment to advancing digital health research and progressing open science. Our portfolio includes a wide array of prestigious open access, peer-reviewed journals dedicated to the dissemination of high-quality research in the field of digital health. JMIR Publications is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024 as the leading open access, digital health publisher. To learn more about JMIR Publications, please visit jmirpublications.com or connect with us via X (Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Head office: 130 Queens Quay East, Unit 1100, Toronto, ON, M5A 0P6 Canada Media contact: [email protected] The content of this communication is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, published by JMIR Publications, is properly cited. This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise™. For more information, visit . SOURCE JMIR Publications

CHELTENHAM, Pa., March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Bohdan Minczak is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member for his contributions to the Medical field. Dr. Bohdan Minczak is a distinguished emergency medicine physician with a rich background in healthcare, research, and academia. With expertise in emergency medicine, physiology, public speaking, and lecturing, he has made significant contributions to the field of medicine and continues to inspire others through his work. Dr. Minczak is a renowned specialist in the realm of emergency medicine, with a deep understanding of physiology and biophysics. His multifaceted expertise extends to public speaking and lecturing, enabling him to effectively communicate complex medical concepts to diverse audiences. His dedication to research further enriches his medical practice. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Minczak has established affiliations with prestigious healthcare institutions, including Hahnemann University and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals. His role as an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine underscores his commitment to education and academic excellence. Dr. Minczak's academic journey is a testament to his passion for healthcare. He holds a Bachelor's degree from St. Joseph's College and pursued a Master's Degree in Physiology and Biophysics at Hahnemann University. His thirst for knowledge led him to earn a PhD in Cardiopulmonary Physiology and an MD from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. His residency in emergency medicine was completed at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University/TJUH. Dr. Minczak's dedication to his field is further exemplified by his board certification in Emergency Medicine, awarded by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) in 2009. Beyond his medical pursuits, Dr. Minczak is known for his generous spirit and commitment to family. He cherishes moments spent with his loved ones and enjoys playing the piano and guitar. He mentions his wife Christine and expresses his gratitude for her love and support. He also credits mentors like Dr. Bruce Hart and Dr. Robert McNamara for shaping his career. His commitment to treating patients like family and embodying honesty and kindness reflects his compassionate approach to healthcare. Dr. Minczak's contributions to the medical community include published clinical and scientific papers and research in cardiac resuscitation. His dedication to advancing medical knowledge is evident in his body of work. Dr. Minczak's future aspirations include engaging in speaking engagements and lecturing to physicians, residents and medical students and various healthcare students where he can continue to share his knowledge and passion for medicine with a broader audience. Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE The Inner Circle