On February 24th, 2023, sixteen NIH Oxford-Cambridge (OxCam) Scholars, from first- to final-year graduate students, had the opportunity to visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). IBRA Board Director Dr. Kathryn Zoon, who served as the FDA CBER Principal Deputy Director (and first female Director) from 1992-2002, paved the path for the NIH OxCam Scholars to visit the FDA as a Career Development and Exploration Initiative. Scholars had the opportunity to learn about CBER’s role in integrating innovative science with regulations to protect public health. In addition to Dr. Zoon, included on the career exploration planning team were Scholar-lead organizer, Marya Sabir, NIH OxCam Scholars Program leadership, Dr. Kristi Porter, Dr. Racquel Collins, Kara Rothberg, Dr. Elodie Ghedin, Dr. Sonja Best and FDA’s Dr. Karen Elkins and Dr. Monica (Burts) Young. Alexandra Ambrico, Director of Communications, Education, and Professional Development represented the sponsor International Biomedical Research Alliance on the planning committee.
CBER is the Center within FDA that regulates biological products for human use and both protects and advances public health by ensuring that biological products are safe, effective, and available to all. Dr. Karen Elkins, CBER’s Associate Director for Science and Principal Investigator, provided welcome remarks and gave an overview of the FDA and CBER, including its history and current-day operations. Within CBER, there are 65 lead investigators whose research ranges from basic to targeted therapy studies. She described the different phases of drug approval and shared how less than 10% of drugs make it past the New Drug Application (IND) phase. IND is a request from a clinical study sponsor to obtain authorization from the FDA to administer an investigational drug or biological product to humans and is the first submission on the drug development timeline.
Following Dr. Elkins’ talk, the Scholars embarked on tours of the laboratories and research facilities. Scholars had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more from the research staff, engaging in small group discussions with CBER Principal Investigators with a range of expertise from vaccines to blood/blood products. “I never knew the extent of the collaborative research that the FDA performed until today,” remarked Class of 2018 Ph.D. Scholar Taylor Farley.
Dr. Young provided an overview of training and career opportunities at the FDA, beginning with the organization of the FDA. She highlighted professional career paths at the FDA, mission-critical occupations, how to apply for these fellowships and jobs, and the different paths to the FDA. Poorva Jain, a Class of 2022 M.D./Ph.D. Scholar commented, “This visit helped me better understand the dynamics of how a career at the FDA looks and also the people involved in monitoring and assessing novel therapies. It made the FDA go from a black box entity to a really comprehensive and dynamic research and regulatory institute. It was an unparalleled opportunity to network with some outstanding scientists”.
To conclude the Career Development and Exploration Initiative at the FDA, a training and careers panel and networking session was held. The panel discussion included postdoctoral fellows, biologists, reviewers, and investigators to share their backgrounds and current research. The networking session included panelists and additional principal investigators to engage with the scholars. Marya Sabir, a Class of 2019 Ph.D. Scholar notes, “I left inspired by the innovative research and fundamental regulatory work being done by CBER investigators. Not only are they safeguarding the public’s health with their work, but they are also pushing the frontiers of science – it is truly a unique place.”
The International Biomedical Research Alliance is committed to providing Career Development and Exploration Initiatives to Scholars in the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. The goal of these initiatives is to ignite Scholar thinking around career opportunities where they can play a key role in the future of biomedical research enterprise. Please reach out to our Director of Communication, Education, and Professional Development, Alexandra Ambrico, at aja@biomedalliance.org if you would like to be involved in hosting future exposure visits.
The Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences, Inc. (FAES) is a nonprofit organization committed to lifelong learning and professional development. Located at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, FAES was created in 1959 to foster collaboration and community among scientists – allowing the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas and access to the latest knowledge, tools, and techniques to move science forward.
FAES and IBRA have partnered over the last two decades to address trainees’ housing and educational needs. This collaboration has fostered the development of innovative programs, providing crucial support to students and researchers. Together, we continue to expand opportunities, ensuring a thriving environment for the next generation of biomedical research leaders.
The Founders’ House
In recognition of the long-standing commitment of IBRA, FAES dedicated the first of six newly built student houses just off the main campus of the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. The house, located at 5209 West Cedar Lane, was unveiled as the “International Biomedical Research Alliance Founders’ House” in an outdoor ceremony on September 13, 2022. The Founders’ House celebrates 18 years of financial support IBRA provided to the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. The NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program is a highly selective, novel international collaboration between the National Institutes of Health and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge wherein exceptional research students pursuing their Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. are jointly trained.
The event brought together the IBRA founding members, Chair Stephen McLean, Treasurer Alan Jones, and Board Director Dr. Ralph Korpman. Joining them in this dedication were fellow International Biomedical Research Alliance Board Directors, members of the FAES Board of Directors, NIH administrators, students, and other distinguished guests.
A highlight of the event was the unveiling of the dedication plaque honoring two visionaries: NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program co-founder, Dr. Michael Lenardo, and the late Fuad El-Hibri. Their devotion to creating graduate housing near the NIH was unyielding. Mr. El-Hibri’s family was present to witness the completion of The Founder’s House, celebrating his monumental efforts in bringing this project to fruition.
NIH acting principal deputy director Dr. Tara Schwetz, FAES CEO and Executive Director Christina Farias, FAES Board Chair and NIH alumna Dr. Barbara Alving, and IBRA Board Chair Stephen McLean provided remarks. A ribbon cutting followed the ceremony with tours of the Founder’s House.
FAES, the non-profit education partner to NIH, has offered academic programs as well as networking and cultural events since its founding in 1959. The organization supports intramural scholars with essential services, including housing and health insurance, during their research programs at NIH.
FAES initially acquired residential property from NIH alumnus and Nobel Laureate Christian B Anfinsen, Jr. Dr. Anfinsen was one of 11 NIH scientists to cofound FAES, and he deeded his home and property to the organization. In July 2021 FAES demolished four single-family homes on the property to make way for six new dwellings that would provide turnkey accommodations for NIH fellows and trainees. The new Scholar houses are approximately 4,000 square feet, including 5 private bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, and are located within a stones-throw from the NIH campus entry gate. FAES plans to build additional dwellings along Cypress Avenue at the northern part of its property to increase from 30 to 65 new units for NIH fellows.
ALL PHOTOS: BETH CALDWELL/BETH CALDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY
Last week, a group of NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars traveled to Boston for a Career Development and Exploration Initiative. Scholars who were curious about entrepreneurship and thinking about careers outside of academia were invited to attend from October 26-28, 2022. The goal was to visit a range of companies, from incubator spaces to Series A and B biotech to an international pharmaceutical company that became a household name during the Covid-19 pandemic.
LabCentral, Kelonia Therapeutics, Korro Bio, Atlas Venture, Pfizer, …what do these places have in common? You may have heard of them before but may not have realized that we have NIH OxCam Program Alumni at each of these locations!
On DAY 1, the Scholars visited Pfizer, which is more than a pharmaceutical company – biotechnology is its foundation and benefiting patients is its goal. Innovation, pharmaceutical development, and the most dedicated team of clinical researchers are how they do it. Former Scholars Program Scientific Director, Dr. Thomas Wynn is now Pfizer’s Vice President, Discovery; Group: Inflammation and Immunology. He shared his perspectives on research at “big pharma” versus academia. Dr. Wynn hosted the group along with Alum Trey Gieseck, Ph.D., the Discovery Group Head, Leukocyte-Tissue Interface (R7) at Pfizer. Elena Spencer gave an overview of research at Pfizer Kendall Square and Dr. Gieseck led a panel discussion with Pfizer colleagues David von Schack, Ph.D., Dave Martin, M.D., Ph.D., Jem Gale, Ph.D., and Katherine Hales, Ph.D. They discussed a range of questions, including discovery to clinical development and Drs. Gieseck and Hales provided a lab tour of Pfizer facilities.
LabCentral is a first-of-its-kind shared laboratory space designed as a launchpad for high-potential life sciences and biotech startups. Alum Stan Wang, M.D., Ph.D. has had not one, but two successful companies launch out of LabCentral. He is currently the Founder and CEO of Thymmune Therapeutics and was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in 2018. He hosted the Scholars for a lab tour and intro to entrepreneurship. Following the visit to LabCentral and Pfizer, the Scholars had dinner with Boston-based Alumni.
On DAY 2, Alum Steven Robinette, Ph.D., a Venture Partner at Atlas Venture hosted the Scholars with his colleague Aimee Raleigh, Ph.D., and introduced them to venture capital. Atlas Venture builds breakthrough biotech companies with remarkable life science entrepreneurs and has over 3 billion USD in assets under management.
Following Atlas Venture, Alum and Alliance Alumni Director Matt Maciejewski, Ph.D. hosted the Scholars at Korro Bio where he is the Vice President and Head of Data Science. Korro Bio was founded to turn extraordinary scientific insights into life-altering new treatments for patients and hit the high notes, completing $116M Series B financing to expand the frontier of genetic medicine through its pipeline of RNA editing programs.
Alum Molly Perkins, Ph.D. is the VP of Research and Co-Founder of Kelonia Therapeutics which launched with a $50 million Series A financing to usher in a new era of genetic medicines for a wide range of diseases in April. She had a candid chat with the Scholars about starting a company, having a family, life during and after NIH OxCam, and answered all of their pressing questions. Before the Scholars headed back to the NIH, they shared a meal with Boston-based Alumni.
The career of a physician-scientist is a unique one. Physician-scientists, also known as MD-PhDs, experience the passion of solving a patient’s medical struggles while pursuing research that may define the mechanism of that patient’s disease. This may ultimately translate into a clinical cure for the disease.TheMD-PhD path integrates scientific and medical education and trainees have three different tracks for pursuing these degrees. The most common path (Track 1) is for students to begin their medical school training for two years, pursue their PhD for about four years, and then return to medical school for the final two years. Jonathan Liang shares his experience as an MD-PhD Scholar in the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program and describes the benefits of the MD-PhD National Student Conference.
After his first two years of medical school at the Yale School of Medicine, Jonathan left behind his classmates and joined his PhD labs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Cambridge as a Scholar in the prestigious NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. Jonathan shared that the path of an MD-PhD student can sometimes leave them feeling separated from their medical school classmates. However, he believed that MD-PhDs are still able to find community, which he experienced in the Scholars Program and at the 37th Annual MD-PhD National Student Conference in Copper Mountain, Colorado.
Jonathan’s path to this conference began nearly 15 years ago while he was in high school. As a student in Montgomery County, Maryland, he worked in the laboratory of Dr. John O’Shea studying mechanisms that control gene expression in T cells. As an undergraduate at Yale University, Jonathan worked in Dr. Ronald Breaker’s lab studying riboswitches, unique RNA-based sensors that bacteria use to regulate their metabolism. With the support of a Goldwater Scholarship, he then completed an MPhil at the University of Cambridge in computational biology. It was through this experience that he was introduced to the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. He joined theScholars Program as an MD-PhD Scholar where he would complete his medical training at the Yale School of Medicine and doctoral training at the NIH and the University of Cambridge.
During his PhD work, Jonathan returned to his immunology roots. He decided to study a different immune cell, the macrophage, under the joint mentorship of Dr. Iain Fraser at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) at NIH and Prof. Clare Bryant at the University of Cambridge. His work focused on how the NLRP3 inflammasome, an important inflammatory pathway in macrophages, is activated by saturated fatty acids. He has identified new connections between the NLRP3 inflammasome and other stress-sensing pathways that may be more direct sensors of excess saturated fat. In the future, this research could lead to more targeted treatments or preventative measures for people at risk of obesity-related diseases such as fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis. A number of projects in which Jonathan collaborated have been published as peer-reviewed articles (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009395, https://doi.org/10.1126/scisignal.abe0387), and further publications are forthcoming.
At the Annual MD-PhD National Student Conference, Jonathan met more than 100 fellow MD/PhD students at all stages of their training. In the beautiful setting of the Colorado mountains, this diverse group exchanged scientific ideas, advice about finishing the PhD, and stories of spectacularly failed experiments. After delivering his scientific talk, Jonathan was particularly excited to meet some fellow macrophage scientists with whom he discussed ideas for specific experiments and potential new collaborations. Yet not all the conversation was related to science. During social events such as the Saturday evening dinner, the conversation ranged from stories of late nights in the medical wards to favored board games and sports. In addition to students, conference attendees included faculty from residency programs who hosted panels and small-group discussions about the transition to residency and the path ahead for physician-scientists. Jonathan and the other later-stage students at the conference received valuable guidance about their upcoming applications.
In recent months, Jonathan has returned from his doctoral research to medical school to pursue the final stage of his MD-PhD training, the advanced clinical electives. He is in the process of applying for a residency position in pediatrics, where he plans to use his background in immunology to treat children with inflammatory diseases such as juvenile-onset lupus. In addition, he hopes to maintain an active research practice with a focus on the origins of non-infectious inflammatory diseases. He is excited about this upcoming new stage of his training and equally excited to see future NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars attend the Annual MD-PhD National Student Conference to benefit from it as he did.
Acclaimed American poet, educator, activist, and autobiographer, Maya Angelou, once said that in order to be an effective mentor, one must care. She went on to say that an effective mentor should care about what they know, and care about the person they are sharing it with.
A mentor is many different things on different days but is always endlessly interested in the quality of the learning experience and the well-being of their mentee. In short, they care.
It has been a long-standing tradition of the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program to pause each year to recognize an outstanding mentor among the many faculty members who serve the Program across the NIH, and at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Nominations for this honor come from those who are the fortunate recipients of outstanding mentoring – the mentees.
This year, this award recognized two Outstanding Mentors, Dr. Javed Khan and Professor Alex Bullock. They are leaders who are fiercely dedicated to mentoring the next generation of scientists, equipping them with the necessary tools to tackle humanity’s greatest health challenges.
Dr. Javed Khan was nominated by his mentee, Katherine Masih. In submitting this nomination, she wrote: “I’ve been a student in Javed’s lab since my research year in the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program. While I’ve been fortunate to have worked with several outstanding scientific mentors, I can without a doubt say he is the best mentor I’ve ever had. Javed is a true role model for a physician-scientist, promoting the values of compassion, integrity, and drive both in the laboratory and the clinic. He values each team member’s contributions to a project or accomplishment and facilitates a truly collaborative lab atmosphere where we go out of our way to help each other to improve everyone’s science. He makes a point of getting to know what each trainee’s goals are and provides us with speaking and writing opportunities, and never shies away from elevating us for awards or recognition for our work. While he’s never at a loss for great ideas or encouragement, Javed has always given me the freedom to make my own scientific decisions for my projects, while still pushing me to think critically about what and why I’m doing experiments. His steadfast support has given me the confidence to spearhead projects and gain independence as a scientist. Without his encouragement and valuing my scientific training over expedience, I would not be where I am today, and I consider him a lifelong mentor at the bench, in the clinic, and in life.” Thank you, Dr. Khan, for going above and beyond for your trainees.”
Exceptional mentorship continues to be a cornerstone feature of the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program since its inception in 2001.
