Vaccine Science Portfolio Advisory Council (VSPAC)
MVI makes routine use of external experts to move its research and development (R&D) strategy forward. As part of a carefully developed portfolio review process, MVI has established a Vaccine Science Portfolio Advisory Council (VSPAC), which is comprised of eminent malaria scientists and vaccinologists who meet at least once a year to provide strategic input and advice on MVI’s portfolio and overall R&D program.
Members
John Adams, PhD
John Adams is a Professor in Global Health, College of Public Health and researcher with the Global Health Infectious Disease Research (GHIDR) program at the University of South Florida, Tampa. His current research program focuses on gaining a better understanding of the biology of malaria parasites to foster development of new anti-malarial therapies that target blood and liver stages of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. These are primarily studies on malarial ligands that mediate parasite invasion of host cells and functional genomic approaches for target validation. Other scholarly activities include serving as editor of Infection and Immunity, service on various grant review panels and advisory boards, and active participation in professional societies, such as the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene.
He earned a MSc and PhD in Veterinary Medical Sciences, studying parasitic protozoa and hemotropic diseases of veterinary importance from the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to transferring his research program to USF, he was a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame du Lac (1991-2007), a senior staff fellow in the Malaria Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIH (1987-1991) and a post-doctoral research fellow, Department of Parasitology, University of Queensland, Australia (1986-1987).
Fred Binka, MB ChB, PhD
Professor Fred Binka is project manager for the INDEPTH Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance (MCTA). Before assuming this position, he was executive secretary of the INDEPTH Network. Professor Binka became an associate professor of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health at the University of Ghana in 2001. His previous positions include public health specialist at the Ministry of Health, medical officer at the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, director of the Navrongo Health Research Centre in the Ministry of Health, and epidemiologist and head of fieldwork at the Ghana Vitamin A Supplementation Trials. Professor Binka served as a member of the National Malaria Advisory Committee from 1996 to 1998. From 1994 to 1999, he was honorary research fellow in epidemiology and population sciences at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
He has served in various key committees of the WHO, including the following: Member, WHO Tropical Disease Research Task force on the Integrated Management of the Sick Child, Malaria; Member, WHO Tropical Disease Research Task force on Research Capability Strengthening; Chairperson, WHO Tropical Disease Research Task force on Malaria and Health Sector Reform; Chairperson, Multilateral Initiative of Malaria and WHO/TDR Task Force on capacity strengthening in Africa; and Member WHO/TDR, Steering Committee on Proof of Principle (PoP) and Steering Committee on Implementation Research (IR). Professor Binka has also served on several committees of other international NGOs.
He was the first recipient of the Rudolf Geigy Award. The 2001 award from the R. Geigy Foundation in Basel, Switzerland was extended for excellence in science and for dedication and outstanding contributions to malaria control and health development in Africa. He received his medical degree, an MB. ChB, with a credit in community health, from the University of Ghana, Legon, and an MPH with distinction from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He later received his PhD in epidemiology, summa cum laude, from the University of Basel in Switzerland.
John Boslego, MD
Dr. Boslego directs PATH’s vaccine development program, which seeks to identify and facilitate the development of safe, effective, affordable vaccines against select major disease threats in the developing world. Dr. Boslego’s career spans 30 years of service to private industry and the United States government. Before joining PATH, he served as executive director of Biologics, Clinical Research, at Merck & Co., Inc. His portfolio at Merck included clinical development of a Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine, a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, an influenza DNA vaccine, a pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, various pediatric combination vaccines, a rotavirus vaccine, and a human papillomavirus vaccine.
For nearly two decades, Dr. Boslego worked for the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in vaccine research—both in the laboratory and in clinical trials. He also directed the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences in Thailand for three years.
Dr. Boslego received his medical education at George Washington University after graduating from the United States Military Academy.
Brendan Crabb, PhD
Professor Brendan Crabb is a research scientist with a special interest in infectious diseases, especially those caused by parasites and viruses. In recent years, the major focus of his laboratory has been the investigation of molecular, immunological, and epidemiological aspects of the major cause of human malaria, the protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The primary driver for his research is the development of a malaria vaccine and the identification of new targets for therapeutic intervention. Professor Crabb has just stepped down as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal for Parasitology. He holds Professorial appointments at The University of Melbourne and La Trobe University. Until his appointment as Director of the Burnet Institute in 2008, he was a Senior Principal Research Fellow at the National Health & Medical Research Council and an International Research Fellow at the US-based Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Professor Crabb has a strong interest in education currently through involvements in educational and curriculum development activities for High School students and teachers. He was formerly a lecturer in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne. He also has a long-standing involvement in building the capacity of malaria researchers around the world, especially in countries where this disease is endemic.
Tom Monath, MD
Dr. Monath is a Partner, Pandemic and Biodefense Fund at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. He is also Adjunct Professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. Between 1992 and 2006, Dr. Monath was Chief Scientific Officer and an Executive Director at Acambis (a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company), where he directed R&D on dengue, West Nile, Japanese encephalitis (using yellow fever as a live vector), yellow fever, Clostridium difficile vaccines, as well as smallpox vaccine for defense against bioterrorism. Dr. Monath received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and MD from Harvard Medical School and trained in internal medicine at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston. COL Monath retired from the US Army in 1992 after 24 years in the uniformed services (Army and US Public Health Service). Between 1973 and 1988, he was Director of the Division of Vector-Borne Viral Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control, Fort Collins CO. From 1989 to 1992, he was Chief of the Virology Division at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID).
He is on the editorial board of five scientific journals. He received the Nathanial A. Young Award (1984), the Richard M. Taylor Award (1996), and the Walter Reed Medal (2002) from the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene and was President of that Society (2004-05). He has served on numerous government and international committees on infectious diseases, biosecurity, World Health Organization expert committees and the National Vaccines Advisory Committee (USA). Dr. Monath has published 375 papers and edited 6 books on the epidemiology, immunology and pathogenesis of viruses and on vaccine development.
Moriya Tsuji, MD, PhD
Moriya Tsuji is an Aaron Diamond Associate Professor and Staff Investigator within the HIV and Malaria Vaccine Program at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center (ADARC), an affiliate of Rockefeller University in New York. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Medical and Molecular Parasitology at the New York University School of Medicine.
Dr. Tsuji holds a M.D. from The Jikei University School of Medicine in Japan and a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Medicine. In 1987 he joined the Department of Medical and Molecular Parasitology at New York University School of Medicine as a Postdoctoral Fellow. Soon he was promoted to Assistant Professor and, in 1998, became an Associate Professor with tenure. After spending his sabbatical at ADARC in 2002, he remained there continuing his research on HIV and malaria. In his career, Dr. Tsuji published over 90 peer-reviewed research articles and reviews describing the immunology of malaria and HIV. He also serves as an editorial board member of several journals, including “Journal of AIDS” and “Virology: Research and Treatment.”
Rino Rappuoli, PhD
Dr. Rino Rappuoli is Global Head of Vaccines Research for Novartis Vaccines. Previously, he was Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President, Vaccines Research, Chiron Corporation. He joined IRIS, the Chiron S.p.A. Research Institute in 1992 and obtained various leadership positions in vaccine discovery and research within the company. Prior to that, he was a Head of the Laboratory of Bacterial Vaccines at the Scalvo Research Center and a visiting scientist at Harvard Medical School and the Rockefeller Institute.
Dr. Rappuoli was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences, the European Molecular Biology Organization, and was awarded the gold medal by the Italian President for contributions to public healthcare in 2005. He is the author of more than 300 original papers in peer-reviewed journals and has served as reviewer for numerous scientific publications. Dr. Rappuoli obtained his doctoral degree in biological sciences at the University of Siena in Italy, delivering his experimental thesis on the use of NMR in biological systems. He has recently been awarded the Albert Sabin Gold Medal in recognition of his work in the field of vaccine discoveries.
David Salisbury, MD (Ped)
Professor David Salisbury is Director of Immunization UK Department of Health, with responsibility for the UK national immunization program. He also works extensively on the WHO’s Global Program for Vaccines. He chairs the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Vaccines and the European Region Certification Commission for Poliomyelitis Eradication. Professor Salisbury is a member of both the Eastern Mediterranean Polio Elimination Certification Commission and the South East Asian Polio Elimination Certification Commission. He is an adjunct member of the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety and is a Liaison Member of the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the US National Vaccine Advisory Committee. He is co-chairman of the Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Group for the Global Health Security Action Group of G7 countries. He chairs the European Vaccine Advisory Group for the European Centre for Disease Control and is a member of the Policy and Practice Committee of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.
Professor Salisbury graduated from London University in 1969. He trained as a pediatrician at Oxford and at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health. He has an honorary Chair at Imperial College, London. Professor Salisbury was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the Queen’s 2001 Birthday Honours. Professor Salisbury has written roughly 80 publications on immunization and pediatric topics.
Kathryn C. Zoon, PhD
Kathryn C. Zoon is the Director of the Division of Intramural Research (DIR) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH). The DIR conducts basic and clinical research related to infectious diseases, immunology, and allergy with the ultimate goal of contributing to the development of new and improved therapies, diagnostics, and vaccines to improve human health. She also serves as the DIR’s Chief of the Cytokine Biology Section, which conducts research on the structure and function of human interferon alphas.
Kathryn Zoon has more than 35 years of experience in the area of biomedical research and product development, of which almost a decade was spent as the Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at the Food and Drug Administration, an organization responsible for the licensing of hundreds of biological products. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine, an associate editor of the Journal of Interferon Research, and the Federal Liaison to the Board of the International Association of Biologicals. In addition, she serves on the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization, the Department of Defense Malaria Vaccine Program Scientific Advisory Board, and the USAID Vaccine Development Scientific Consultants Group. She earned her PhD in biochemistry from Johns Hopkins University.
Observers
Vasee Moorthy, MD, PhD
Dr. Vasee Moorthy serves as the malaria vaccine focal point for WHO in Geneva. He acts as secretariat for two WHO malaria vaccine advisory committees —MALVAC and JTEG, which provide recommendations to WHO about malaria vaccine research and development and clinical evaluation. He facilitates the global Malaria Vaccine Funders Group and works to find synergies among funders to accelerate development of malaria vaccines for developing countries. His role includes coordination of development of global norms and standards within malaria vaccine development. He has previously served as senior program officer in clinical vaccinology at the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative.
Dr. Moorthy has 15 years of experience covering clinical infectious diseases and tropical medicine, five years based in sub-Saharan Africa conducting malaria vaccine field trials and clinical malaria research. He serves on various Data and Safety Monitoring Boards and Scientific Advisory Committees, is an editorial board member of PLoS ONE, reviews articles from academic journals, including The Lancet and Lancet Infectious Diseases. He holds a BA (first class) in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, a clinical medicine degree from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in malaria immunology from the Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford.
