Key Opinion Leaders

Experienced & Trusted

Look No Further for Scientific or Medical Influencers. Engage Us for Access to Experts in Other Fields.

Diagnostics
Nanomaterials

Tony Hu, PhD

Expertise
Dr. Hu's work focuses on the development of highly sensitive diagnostics for diseases like pediatric TB and assorted cancers. He is Tulane's Weatherhead Presidential Chain in Biotechnology Innovation, and a prolific scientist and inventor.
PubMed
Transposons
Genetics
Cancer
Evolution

Victoria Belancio, PhD

Expertise
Broadly recognized for her original contributions to understanding the impact of retrotransposons on genome stability and disease. Her primary research interests are focused on genetic instability and cellular responses associated with the activity of mammalian retroelements.
PubMed
Colorectal Surgery
Robotic Surgery

Jacquelyn Turner, MD

Expertise
Colorectal surgeon Dr. Turner is focused on leveraging technology to improve patient outcomes and medical education for trainees.
PubMed
Sex-Based Medicine
Diabetes
Obesity

Franck Mauvais-Jarvis, MD, PhD

Expertise
Dr. Mauvais-Jarvis is known globally for his work in sex-based biological research and the role of sex hormones in diabetes, obesity, and COVID-19. He is the Director of Tulane's Center of Excellence in Sex-Based Biology & Medicine, where his expertise in basic research, translational approaches, and clinical studies come together with the goal of developing sex-based tools and therapies.
PubMed
Immunology
Vaccine Development
Adjuvants

James McLachlan, PhD

Expertise
An expert in mucosal immunity, Dr. McLachlan is interested in how the body responds to antigens at the mucosa and ways to modify vaccines and develop adjuvants to ensure protection against mucosal infections, especially intracellular bacteria like Salmonella. He also studies sex-based differences.
PubMed
Cardiovascular
Women's Health

Sarah Lindsey, PhD

Expertise
Sex is a major determinant for CV health, and Dr. Sarah Lindsey is an expert in the role of sex hormones like estrogen in maintaining vascular function.
PubMed
Cardiovascular
Hypertension
Health Equity

Keith Ferdinand, MD

Expertise
Focuses largely on cardiac risk factor evaluation and control, especially hypertension and hyperlipidemia, including communities of racial and ethnic minorities. Expertise includes improving patient care and eliminating health disparities by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or gender.
PubMed
Aerobiology
Model Systems
Microbiology
Select Agents

Chad Roy, PhD

Expertise
A career aerobiologist focused on respiratory health and the aerobiology of airborne infectious diseases; specifically, on gaining a better understanding of aerosol infection in the context of the development and application of preclinical disease models; including nonhuman primate models.
PubMed
Virology
COVID-19

Robert Garry, PhD

Expertise
A leading expert in virology, and served as part of the team decoding the genome of the coronavirus to determine its origins and how it possibly evolved from bats and pangolins. Garry leads Tulane’s Center of Excellence in the Global Virus Network, an organization of leading medical virologists from 25 countries dedicated to fighting pandemic viral threats through collaborative research, training and advocacy.
PubMed
Immunology
Fungal Biology
Microbiology

Mairi Noverr, PhD

Expertise
An expert in fungal immunology and infection, Dr. Noverr leverages her expertise in these areas to investigate the role of trained innate immunity as a general protective against inflammatory processes like sepsis.
PubMed
Nephrology
Hypertension

Robert S. Hoover, Jr. MD

Expertise
Section Chief of Nephrology and Hypertension Dr. Hoover is focused on dietary and lifestyle interventions that can improve hypertension and stave off kidney disease. He is also focused on medical education.
PubMed
Stroke
Neuroscience
Neurovascular Disease

Greg Bix, MD, PhD

Expertise
Cerebrovascular diseases like stroke are the major area of focus for Dr. Bix, Tulane's Vada Odom Reynolds Chair in Stroke Research and Director of the Clinical Neuroscience Research Center.
PubMed
Pulmonary Infection
Microbiology
Immunology
Vaccine Development
CF

Jay Kolls, MD

Expertise
Physician-Scientist Dr. Kolls focuses his research on the immunobiology of lung diseases and infections. His special expertise is in lung fibrosis and the interplay between fibrotic disease and infection.
PubMed
Microbiology
Immunology
Allergy
Fungal Biology

Chad Steele, PhD

Expertise
Chair of Microbiology and Immunology Dr. Steele is an expert in fungal sensitization leading to asthma.
PubMed
Lyme Disease
Microbiology
Immunology
Vector-Borne Diseases

Monica Embers, PhD

Expertise
An expert on Lyme disease pathogenesis, vaccines, and therapeutics and a member of federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, Dr. Embers is often sought out as one of the key national experts on Lyme disease, especially therapeutics to eradicate the bacterium which causes Lyme disease from the body, and persistent Lyme disease.
PubMed
Vaccine Development
Adjuvants
Microbiology

Lisa Morici, PhD

Expertise
An expert bacteriologist with an interest in vaccine development. Dr. Morici has developed a vaccine platform and adjuvant system (T-vant) with her long-time close collaborator Dr. McLachlan.
PubMed

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James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP

Chief Business Officer

Bio

James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP, (’95, Tulane Law) returned to Tulane in 2015 after establishing the open science functions for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus, one of the most innovative experiments in scientific research. His career also includes functioning as a chemist for Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, launching the “new media” division for the syndicated daily news show EXTRA, elevating knowledge transfer and corporate partnerships at the University of Illinois, and founding the Innovation and Engagement functions at the University of Louisville. With a career defined by creating new divisions that propel organizations forward, he could not pass up the chance do so for the institution (and in the city) that is always closest to his heart. As Chief Business Officer, he serves as the principal biotech business development strategist and connectivity officer to industry, venture capital and other external collaborators; as well as overseeing marketing & communications, working on change-oriented special projects, and crisis management. Currently on the executive committee of the AAIH Board and co-chair for BIO's technology transfer committee, his former service include Chair of the Board of ATTP (the international organization for knowledge transfer professional accreditation), as well as the Boards of AUTM, NACRO and The BioJudiary Project. Seeing the world through the collaborative and forward-thinking lens of “What if we…”, he works closely with all other departments at Tulane to develop win-win endpoints and ensure an optimal enterprise experience.

Elaine Hamm, PhD

Executive in Residence

Bio

Elaine Hamm, PhD, is the CEO of the pharmaceutical accelerator, Ascend BioVentures where she manages early stage life science startups and evaluates the commercial potential of life science technologies, and as the Executive in Residence for the Tulane SoM she shares her expertise to elevate the connectivity between the Tulane and our corporate and investor community. Prior to joining Tulane and Ascend BioVentures, Dr. Hamm was the COO of Accele BioPharma and served as management for a portfolio of early stage pharmaceutical companies ranging from diabetes to hearing loss to infectious disease. Dr. Hamm has 13 years of professional leadership experience in the commercialization of early stage pharmaceutical therapeutics and diagnostics with experience in technology transfer, market analysis, and commercialization of preclinical and clinical stage products. She has designed and served as the Director for several, statewide start-up accelerator programs. Dr. Hamm also has experience in equity and nonequity funding of early stage companies and has been directly involved in closing almost $30M in equity investment deals, with a focus in the pharmaceutical industry and recently closed a $100M+ deal with a large pharmaceutical partner. In addition to her commercialization experience, Dr. Hamm has also worked a Senior Protein chemist in discovery and pre-clinical development of new chemical entities. Dr. Hamm received her PhD in Microbiology from the University of Oklahoma and holds several licensed US and International patents.

Kaylynn Genemaras, PhD

Business Development Associate

Bio

Kaylynn Genemaras, PhD, (22', Tulane Bioinnovation PhD Graduate) joined the team in early 2022 as the office’s first Business Development Fellow. After completing her Bachelor’s in Science in Bioengineering at Lehigh University (’15), Kaylynn—a New Orleans native—moved back to the city to pursue her PhD in Tulane’s Bioinnovation Program. While completing her PhD, she gained real world experience via various internship opportunities that included working at the Food and Drug Administration as a Research Analyst and working at the New Orleans Bioinnovation Center as a Commercialization Intern. Her interests encompass the junction between biomedical research and commercialization, with expertise in infectious disease diagnostics and global health technologies. Kaylynn’s ultimate career goal is to tap into the translational research potential of her city by way of Tulane University assets and collaborations.

Carolyn Scofield, MPS

Asst. Director, Marketing & Communications

Bio

Carolyn Scofield, MPS, (’21, Tulane School of Professional Advancement) joined Tulane University in 2015 after more than 14 years as a television news reporter. Her initial role in public relations often brought her to the School of Medicine to cover stories about groundbreaking research and connect media with leading experts. As the Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications at the School of Medicine, Carolyn is continuing that work overseeing the team that reports on research and expertise and ensures that departments, programs and people share their discoveries and solutions with the world. She has a special talent for bringing science to life through a variety of media and ensuing that everyone (from business development executives to the general public) can understand what the latest groundbreaking research at Tulane could mean for them. Carolyn has a master’s degree in emergency management, a field that studies everything from natural disasters to reputational crises. She has an extensive background in television and radio broadcasting, journalism and social media.

Maryl Wright Ponds, MS

Business Development Fellow

Bio

Maryl Wright Ponds, MS, joined the team in 2023 as an intern for the Business Development team as she completes her PhD in Tulane's Bioinnovation Program. Maryl, a New Orleans native, received her Bachelor's in Biological Sciences at the University of New Orleans ('10) and her Master's in Microbiology and Immunology at Tulane University ('15). The Bioinnovation program provided Maryl with formal knowledge of business models, intellectual property, technology transfer, and technology readiness assessment. She also gained knowledge of the drug and medical device regulatory processes through an FDA internship. Maryl’s interests include translational research, health disparities, and commercialization, with expertise in cancer model development. Her ultimate career goal is to work at the interface between academia and commercialization in the New Orleans Metropolitan area and Southeast Louisiana region.

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