The International Biomedical Research Alliance invited esteemed guests to University College London (UCL) to commemorate the eminent achievements of our 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Professor Jonathan Roiser.
Event Highlights:
Attendees had the opportunity to engage in a guided tour of UCL, offering a fascinating glimpse into the institution’s rich history and innovative endeavors. This event brought together alumni, faculty, and notable guests alike. Following the tour, attendees partook in a delightful lunch, fostering camaraderie and networking opportunities.
About Professor Jonathan Roiser:
Professor Jonathan Roiser stands as a beacon of excellence, exemplifying the transformative impact of interdisciplinary research and academic pursuit. Graduating as the first Scholar from the University of Cambridge arm of the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program in 2005, Professor Roiser’s journey has been marked by profound dedication and groundbreaking contributions to the field of neuroscience.
Under the mentorship of Prof. Barbara Sahakian and Dr. Wayne Drevets, Professor Roiser embarked on a pioneering exploration into the neurobiological underpinnings of emotion processing in depression. His groundbreaking psychopharmacological neuroimaging experiment paved the way for a deeper understanding of serotonin modulation in the brain, charting new pathways for innovative treatments.
Following his graduation, Professor Roiser embarked on a post-doctoral position at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London (UCL). Guided by world-renowned experts in neuroimaging, Professor Roiser swiftly ascended to a faculty position at the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, where he established the Neuroscience and Mental Health group—a testament to his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence.
In 2013, Professor Roiser’s pioneering contributions were further recognized when he became the youngest ever Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator, receiving a £1 million grant to spearhead extensive research programs focused on motivational dysfunction in depression and innovative treatment modalities. His groundbreaking work in computational psychiatry has cemented his status as a global leader in the field of biological psychiatry, shaping the trajectory of research and innovation for generations to come.
Professor Roiser’s enduring legacy extends beyond his research endeavors, as he continues to mentor and inspire future generations of scholars. His instrumental role in founding and directing two prestigious PhD programs—the UCL-NIMH Joint Doctoral Training Program in Neuroscience and the UCL-Wellcome 4-year PhD in Mental Health Science—underscores his unwavering commitment to nurturing the next wave of scientific innovators.
Join Us:
Join us in celebrating the remarkable achievements of Professor Jonathan Roiser—an exemplary scholar, visionary leader, and tireless advocate for scientific excellence. Together, let us honor his legacy and chart new pathways toward a future defined by innovation, collaboration, and discovery.
In an era defined by rapid advancements in biomedical research and innovation, cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders has never been more crucial. Recognizing this imperative, we designed a Career Development and Exploration Initiative for the NIH Oxford-Cambridge, Gates-Cambridge, and Rhodes Scholars to AstraZeneca. This Initiative aimed to empower Scholars to showcase their research, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and chart bold new pathways in biomedical research and industry.
A Day of Insight and Inspiration:
Against the backdrop of AstraZeneca’s state-of-the-art facilities in Cambridge, UK, eleven exceptional Scholars embarked on an engaging journey of exploration and enlightenment. Dr. Richard Goodwin, Principal Scientist & Mass Spectrometry Imaging Lead at AstraZeneca, set the tone with an illuminating overview of the company’s mission, values, and pioneering initiatives. As the Scholars absorbed his insights, their anticipation for the day’s events grew.
The highlight of the morning was a mesmerizing tour of the Discovery Centre (DISC), where Scholars were immersed in a world of scientific wonder. Led by alumna and IBRA Alumni Director Dr. Coralie Viollet and Dr. Andreas Dannhorn, the tour offered a firsthand look at AstraZeneca’s innovative research efforts.
Following a luncheon, the Scholars took center stage, showcasing their research prowess through captivating presentations. Each Scholar’s project offered a unique window into the vast landscape of biomedical inquiry, underscoring the depth and diversity of talent within the NIH Oxford-Cambridge, Gates-Cambridge, and Rhodes Scholars Programs.
As the day progressed, Scholars delved into the realm of postdoctoral opportunities, guided by esteemed professionals whose personal anecdotes and sage advice illuminated the path forward. The afternoon session culminated in a riveting discussion featuring AstraZeneca’s Early Career Scientists, who shared their invaluable insights and firsthand experiences, inspiring Scholars to pursue their aspirations with vigor and determination.
Fostering Connections and Collaboration:
Scholars seized the opportunity to forge meaningful connections during a vibrant networking session. Bonds were forged, ideas were exchanged, and aspirations were nurtured, laying the groundwork for future collaborations and partnerships.
As the day drew to a close, Scholars departed AstraZeneca feeling inspired and hopeful about the possibilities ahead. The transformative experiences of the day served as catalysts for growth and exploration, propelling Scholars toward a future defined by innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellence.
Charting a Course for the Future:
The collaboration between IBRA, the Scholars and AstraZeneca signifies a significant advancement in the field of biomedical research with academia, nonprofits, and industry. Through immersive experiences, insightful discussions, and valuable networking opportunities, Scholars are equipped to realize their full potential and undertake meaningful journeys of discovery. This partnership lays the groundwork for future advancements in biomedical innovation. With a strong commitment to excellence, today’s Scholars are well-positioned to contribute to scientific progress and shape the future of the industry.
For Further Information:
For further information about the Career Development and Exploration Initiative or upcoming events, please visit our website or contact our Director of Communication, Education, and Professional Development, Alexandra Ambrico, directly at ajambrico@biomedalliance.org. Together, let us continue to explore new horizons and redefine the boundaries of possibility in biomedical research and industry.
In a significant partnership with the International Biomedical Research Alliance (IBRA), leading biotechnology company Regeneron recently hosted an exclusive Career Development and Exploration Initiative for NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars in New York. The two bodies posed challenging scientific and medical queries to the participating Scholars and considered their ideas on pushing scientific boundaries.
Scholars with aspirations to forge new pathways in science and steer potential cures through the clinical process journeyed to New York. Here they visited Regeneron’s facilities and met with the alumni of the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program who are currently based at prominent research centers including Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the Flatiron Institute.
In the course of the initiative, fourth-year Scholars John Hancock, Asmay Gharia, Sahba Seddighi, and Kritika Singh had the opportunity to meet and glean advice from program alumni like Drs. Dan Bronder, Mike Gormally, and Sonya Hanson. They shared their transition experiences from graduate students to working professionals in the science field. Furthermore, Dr. Anita Gola welcomed the Scholars to Rockefeller University for a tour and discussion session with other resident scientists.
At Regeneron, Scholars were presented with the company’s history by Dr. Susan Croll, along with information about the Postdoctoral Program opportunities. Regeneron scientists, Drs. Craig Meagher, Joe Odeochu, Sarah Ebstein, and Dylan Kwart, also gave insights into working within the biotech firm and joined a lunch session with co-founder, President, and CSO, Dr. George Yancopoulos. The visit underscored Regeneron’s unrivaled capacity for consistently turning scientific theory into medical practice, a prowess that has led to a myriad of FDA-approved treatments for a wide spectrum of diseases. The Scholars rounded off their visit with presentations of their own work and plans for possible future collaboration with Regeneron.
In summing up the visit, IBRA Director Dr. Ralph Korpman hosted a riveting cocktail and dinner party co-hosted with IBRA Chairman Mr. Steve McLean, welcoming both Scholars, Alumni, and prominent scientists and physicians, some of whom were Nobel laureates.
This year marked the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the launch of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Intramural Research Program. This year’s annual symposium featured intramural trainee talks on diverse topics, a provider-patient session, the annual Jeffrey M. Trent Lecture in Cancer Research presented by Dr. Todd Golub (Director of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT), and two poster sessions encompassing 125 posters, amongst other events.
With travel award funding from IBRA, Marya Sabir, a final-year NIH-Oxford Scholar, was able to attend the symposium in person at the Natcher Conference Center in Bethesda, MD. The two-day meeting started with a choreographed dance to Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night” (from the Barbie movie), setting a high-energy tone for the entire meeting.
Marya was one of ten trainees selected to give a lightning talk at the symposium, describing her research using one slide in two minutes.
After the lightning talk, she presented her research describing novel mouse and cell-based disease models for a rare lysosomal storage disorder called free sialic acid storage disorder. During the poster session, she was able to discuss her work with attendees from diverse research backgrounds and expertise, ranging from postbac trainees to principal investigators. One of the poster attendees even commented that they might consider using a mouse model her team generated for their own studies in an entirely different field. She was awarded a Best Poster Award in the “Traditional Scientific” section, one of ten awardees.
In addition to presenting her work, she and a few other trainees were allowed to participate in a trainee lunch with the keynote speaker, Dr. Todd Golub. In addition to sharing her research focus with the group, she had the opportunity to learn about Dr. Golub’s career and wise words of encouragement.
When asked about this experience, Marya expressed “Attending the NHGRI Symposium this year was a brilliant experience. The ability to interact with so many people from diverse backgrounds and expertise across the entire institute was invaluable, an experience that is difficult to recapitulate in the virtual setting. I learned about the range of work the institute does while also getting feedback on my thesis research. Thank you to the IBRA for funding me to attend this meeting which would not have been possible without their support.”
If you are interested in applying for a travel award, please reach out to Alexandra Ambrico, Director of Communication, Education, and Professional Development, at ajambrico@biomedalliance.org, for the eligibility requirements and application.
This fall, the NIH Oxford-Cambridge (OxCam) Scholars were invited to Boston, MA for a Career Development and Exploration Initiative. Scholars curious about entrepreneurship and creating the next disruptive life science startup had the opportunity to visit Flagship Pioneering. Their goal is to create, resource, and build life sciences companies that invent breakthrough technologies to transform health care and sustainability. While at Flagship, Dr. Brad Coleman provided an overview of the Fellowship Program, which offers an unparalleled opportunity to apply scientific expertise, entrepreneurial talent, and a self-starter mentality toward creating the next world-changing startups and ventures in human health and sustainability. The Scholars met with previous Flagship Fellows and presented their research to current Flagship Associates. Following presentations, Former Flagship Fellow and Associate Director, Product Concept Explorations & Clinical Development at Pioneering Medicines Dr. Krystian Kozek invited the Scholars to tour Pioneering Medicines and answered their questions about his experiences and career path as an MD/PhD.
We asked the Scholars to consider how they could use the power of data science with AI/ML, genetics/genomics, and human-based experimental models. To better understand these intersections, the Scholars visited Flagship-founded Vesalius Therapeutics. Their goal is to elegantly combine human data, genetics and genomics information, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and proprietary experimental models to redefine how we think about and treat common illnesses. Vesalius Therapeutics leadership Dr. Chris Austin and Dr. Ben Munoz provided an overview and organized a meet and greet with their scientists. Dr. Chris Austin, who served most recently as the founding director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), shared his vast experiences through clinical medicine, academia, and industry over the last 30 years and provided insight for the Scholars.
The Scholars had the opportunity to converse with NIH OxCam Alumni throughout their time in Boston. Dr. Lynda Truong, Strategy Lead at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research arranged a tour for the Scholars. Drs. Brennan Decker, Michael Chen, Andrew Ishizuka, Molly Perkins, and Andrei Ramirez-Valdez chatted with the Scholars, sharing their experiences in industry, venture capital, entrepreneurship, and residency. MD/PhD Scholar Yasemin Cole and PhD Scholar Henry Taylor remarked on Brennan Decker’s reinforcement of staying connected to the NIH OxCam Program even upon graduation. Even though he graduated multiple years ago, Brennan keeps in touch with many OxCammers in Boston (not just those from his time in the Program) and has even helped several start their companies! PhD Scholar Christian Lantz shared that keeping a network of extremely impressive people will only help in the future!
Alumnus Dr. Stan Wang, CEO & Founder of Thymmune Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a machine learning-enabled thymic cell engineering platform to restore normal immune function in aging and disease, met with the Scholars at LabCentral, a first-of-its-kind shared laboratory space designed as a launchpad for high-potential life-sciences and biotech startup. MD/PhD Scholar Dalton Hermans shared, “Meeting with Stan was a highlight of the trip for me. I feel, as an alumnus of the program, the tone of the conversation was a bit more candid. For that reason, I feel we learned a lot more about the technical aspects of start-up. I wrote down something Stan said that I have been thinking a lot about ever since, which is essentially, ‘In academia, scientists start with a solution that they have come up with and try to apply that to a disease and/or problem they can use it for. In biotech, scientists start with a need and/or problem for which there is a current therapeutic or economic gap and then try to come up with a solution to that need and/or problem.’ PhD Scholar Ray Smith remarked on the opportunities to learn about the intersection of biotech and academia and appreciated the range of experiences of the Alumni throughout the trip.
The International Biomedical Research Alliance is committed to providing Career Development and Exploration Initiatives to Scholars in the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. These initiatives aim to ignite Scholar thinking around career opportunities where they can play a key role in the future of biomedical research enterprise. Please contact Alexandra Ambrico, Director of Communication, Education, and Professional Development, at ajambrico@biomedalliance.org if you would like to be involved in hosting future exposure visits.
