ParagaonDx

Scientific Advisory Board

ParagonDx has assembled a world-class scientific advisory board of leading scientists, each well-recognized experts in their respective fields. Each of these members adds insight into the genomic developments within the pharmaceutical industry and the diagnostic market. ParagonDx has the most seasoned, experienced and recognized expertise of any company in the pharmacogenomics space.


WILLIAM E. EVANS, PHARM.D

Dr. Evans is generally regarded as an international leader in the area of pharmacogenomics, is the editor of the journal Pharmacogenetics, and has authored more than 250 scientific papers on basic, clinical and translational research. Dr. Evans’ translational research program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis, TN; affiliation noted for identification purposes only) has been continuously funded by NIH since 1978, and he has twice received NIH MERIT Awards. Dr. Evans earned his Pharm.D. from the University of Tennessee.

PAUL A. ANDREWS, PH.D

Dr. Andrews is Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs at Eisai Medical Research Inc. where he manages the nonclinical regulatory strategy for Eisai’s clinical pipeline in the US.  Prior to joining Eisai, Dr. Andrews was at Patrys Ltd. where he helped transition lead IgM monoclonal antibody candidates into clinical development; ImClone Systems where he managed nonclinical development programs for pipeline candidates and supervised the creation of their GLP nonclinical bioanalytical laboratory; Aton Pharma where he was a key participant on the team that developed the first-in-class histone deacetylase inhibitor Zolinza (vorinostat); and Cato Research where he provided expertise on nonclinical regulatory issues and oncology drug development strategies to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. During his six year tenure at the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Andrews served first as a Reviewer and then as the Pharmacology Team Leader in the Division of Oncology Drug Products.  Dr. Andrews received his Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Maryland at Baltimore and a B.A. in Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University.

JANICE H. KURTH, M.D., PH.D

Dr. Kurth is well known in the field of genomics and has worked previously at Pharsight Corporation, Phenogenex LLC, Genset Corporation and Sequana Therapeutics. Dr. Kurth holds a Ph.D. in human molecular and population genetics from Stanford University and a M.D. from the University of Arizona.

ANDREA GAEDIGK, M.S., PH.D

Dr. Gaedigk's work encompasses basic and translational research at Children's Mercy Hospital & Clinics, where she directs the Pharmacogenetics Core Laboratory within the Division of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology and Medical Toxicology. Dr. Gaedigk is considered a specialist on the pharmacogenetics of drug metabolizing enzymes, in particular, the cytochrome P450s. She has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers and presented her work in over 100 abstracts at national and international scientific conferences. She also serves as a co-investigator on numerous NIH-funded projects. Dr. Gaedigk received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Stuttgart, Germany and received her postdoctoral training at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.

JORGE LEON, PH.D

Dr. Leon is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in molecular diagnostics. He holds a Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology from New York University, and completed his postdoctoral studies at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg and Columbia University in NYC. Dr. Leon’s subsequent academic research focused on developing monoclonal antibody-based tumor marker assays and radio-immuno imaging devices, which are currently in wide use. In the early 1990s, he transitioned into industry, playing an integral role in establishing and leading the molecular diagnostics laboratories at Quest Diagnostics. Dr. Leon spent twelve years developing Quest’s molecular diagnostics strategy, which is now the world’s largest molecular diagnostics service laboratory. In 2003, he founded Leomics Associates, Inc. a consulting firm committed to helping develop molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine (pharmacogenomics) in the United States and globally.

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