Fundamentals of Medical Research Seminar
July 15-16, 2014
Speakers’ Biographical Sketches
ALAN B. ZUBROW, MD, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Drexel University College of Medicine and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children
Dr. Zubrow received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He
was a Pediatric Resident at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and then he completed his NeonatalPerinatal Medicine fellowship at Babies Hospital, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (now Morgan
Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York, Columbia University Medical Center). Dr. Zubrow joined the
one of the predecessors of Drexel University College of Medicine in 1984. He has contributed to the
medical literature on topics dealing with blood pressure regulation in the fetus and newborn and on
topics related to brain injury in the fetus and newborn.
Dr. Zubrow has been very active in the medical school serving and chairing many committees. He is
involved in medical education at every level. At present, he is Program Director for the NeonatalPerinatal Medicine Program at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. He is also Director of
Fellowships at St. Chris. Dr. Zubrow has been involved with teaching and organizing the Fundamentals
of Medical Research Course since 2010.
STEVEN BOGEL, MS
Information Services Librarian
Steve is the Information Services Librarian at Drexel University Health Sciences Libraries, Hahnemann
Library, and is the Library Liaison to the College of Medicine. He provides research assistance and
library instruction for programs in the School of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health
Professions.
Steve began his career in the health sciences as a clinical physician assistant and worked for many
years as the operations director of an international medical assistance company. He received a
Masters in Library and Information Science from Drexel University in 2005 and worked as the clinical
librarian at Pennsylvania Hospital before starting his position at Drexel.
Speakers’ Biosketch Summary
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GARY M. CHILDS, MS
Education Librarian
Gary Childs is the Education Librarian/Reference Librarian at Drexel University’s Hahnemann Library.
In this role he provides library instruction for Health Sciences programs and is the Library Liaison for
the Creative Art in Therapies, Nursing, Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation, Physician Assistant, and
Psychology programs.
Gary obtained a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth in 1998. While
completing his degree he worked at the Claire T. Carney University Library in many departments,
including the RFK Assassination Archive. Gary also received a Masters of Library & Information Science
from Drexel University in 2000. He received the Nathaniel Alston Service Award from the Physician
Assistant Program in 2010 and the Department Chair Award from the Doctor of Nursing Practice
Program in 2011.
Outside his activities at Drexel, Gary volunteers as the Treasurer for the Philadelphia Chapter of the
Medical Library Association and at the ACCT animal shelter in N. Philadelphia. He is a member of the
Dog Behavior Team, a participant in the “Pen Pal” Program, and the coordinator of the Volunteer
Mentor Program and the Get Your ACCT Together dog training workshop series.
DAVID COOPERBERG, MD
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS
DREXEL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
Dr. Cooperberg obtained his medical degree and completed his pediatric residency training at Emory
University School of Medicine. After three years in primary care pediatrics, he worked as a pediatric
hospitalist in a community hospital for nine years. In 2009, Dr. Cooperberg joined St. Christopher’s
Hospital for Children as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Dr. Cooperberg has received additional training in process improvement as a Lean Leader at St.
Christopher’s Hospital for Children. He has received advance training in quality improvement
methods—having completed Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center’s 9-month Advanced
Improvement Methods (AIM) course. He has led or co-led 12 national workshops on QI and patient
safety, has authored one book chapter and published 3 manuscripts related to quality improvement
and care transitions.
Dr. Cooperberg is co-creator and leader of the nationally-recognized pediatric resident QI curriculum
at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. He is the principal investigator for the AAP Section on
Hospital Medicine’s Improving Pediatric Patient-Centered Care Transitions Multi-Site QI Research
Collaborative.
EDWARD J. GRACELY, PHD
Associate Professor of Family, Community, and Preventive Medicine
Associate Professor of Public Health
Dr. Edward Gracely received his Ph.D. from Temple University in 1987 and has been a faculty member
at MCP and now Drexel University College of Medicine since then. He teaches statistics and research
design to students in several programs, provides consultation to researchers in a wide range of basic
science and clinical fields, and has a substantial number of publications reflecting collaborative work
Speakers’ Biosketch Summary
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with primary researchers. His research interests include the logic of multiple comparisons, statistics
education, and ethical philosophy. Dr. Gracely is a member of the American Statistical Association,
and newsletter editor for the ASA Section on Teaching Statistics in the Health Sciences, and
webmaster for the ASA Committee on Scientific Freedom and Human Rights.
JAY HORROW, MD
Professor, Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine
Jay earned a degree in Electrical Engineering at Princeton University and a Medical degree from the
University of Pennsylvania. He completed anesthesiology training and Cardiothoracic Anesthesia
Fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. In 2001, he received a Master’s degree in
Statistics from Villanova University, in Pennsylvania. Following postgraduate medical training, Dr.
Horrow was Instructor in Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston.
He returned to Philadelphia as the Director of Cardiac Anesthesia at Hahnemann University (now
DUCoM), then as Clinical Service Chief. He chaired the Institutional Human Research Board for several
years.
In 1998, Dr. Horrow began a career in pharmaceutical medicine, first at IBEX Technologies in Malvern,
PA, then at AstraZeneca. Jay interrupted his industry career briefly from 2005 to 2008, when he
served as Chairman of Anesthesiology at DUCoM. He returned to AstraZeneca to lead drug
development first for ticagrelor (Brilinta®), then for established neuroscience brands, including six
local anesthetics and propofol (Diprivan®). Jay left AstraZeneca in April, 2014 to continue developing
cardiovascular medicines at Merck. Throughout his industry career, he has provided clinical anesthesia
care to patients and taught medical students and residents at Hahnemann Hospital /DUCoM.
Dr. Horrow has published more than 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals as well as 37 book
chapters, 12 Editorials, and over 100 other minor publications. He has served the American Board of
Anesthesiology as a volunteer oral examiner since 1987. Jay enjoys hiking, running, and cycling.
MICHELE KUTZLER, PHD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & HIV Medicine
Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs & Professional Development
Dr. Kutzler is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Disease & HIV Medicine
and holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Drexel
University College of Medicine (DUCOM). She is a faculty member of the Institute of Infectious Diseases
and Molecular Medicine, as well as the Research Center of Excellence for Immunology and Vaccine
Science. Prior to joining Drexel, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of
Pennsylvania (UPENN) in the lab that is considered the founder of the area of DNA-based vaccines. At
UPENN she carried out preclinical experiments that led to the clinical development of the
prophylactic Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) vaccine PENNVAX-GP now in Phase I testing
sponsored by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, the HIV Vaccine Trial Network and co-sponsored by NIH. Her
recruitment from the UPENN to DUCOM as a tenure track faculty member in July 2007 was strategic to
bolster translational research capabilities in the Department of Medicine, as well as for her
commitment to graduate education, teaching and mentoring in the classroom and lab settings. Dr.
Kutzler’ s laboratory has demonstrated a record of successful and productive research projects for the
development of effective vaccines that target a wide range of pathogenic organisms including
Influenza virus, HIV, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), as well as the nosocomial bacterium Clostridium
difficile. Her research focus ranges from basic research that aims to further understand the
mechanisms by which long-lasting protective immunity against pathogenic organisms is acquired, to
concepts in the development of novel platforms, modified antigenic design, novel delivery methods
Speakers’ Biosketch Summary
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and use of adjuvants to boost efficacy. Dr. Kutzler was named Drexel’s “REACH: Drexel’s up and
coming Next Generation Junior Faculty”, received the Faculty Young Scientist Award at DUCOM
Discovery Day 2013, and was a 2014 nominee for the Angelo Pinto Basic Science Educator Award. In
addition to leading her research program in vaccine science, Dr. Kutzler is the Assistant Dean of
Faculty Affairs and Professional Development where she works with the Vice Dean to implement
resources in professional career development and leadership skills to faculty in medical and scientific
disciplines through seminar series, networking events and training programs.
LAUREN MAY, MPH
Director of Research Program Development
Lauren May is the Director of Research Program Development in the Office of the Vice Dean for
Research at Drexel University College of Medicine. In this role, Lauren works in the creation,
management, and administration of research programs at the College.
Lauren obtained a B.S. in Chemistry in 2003 and a Master of Public Health in 2011, both from Drexel
University.
JACK MEDENDORP, MS, BSN, CIP
Director Human Research Protection Program at Drexel University
Jack Medendorp is the Director for Human Research Protection, Drexel University. Within this role
Jack provides oversight of the Drexel University IRBs and their administrative activities, educational
in-services and training, guidance and oversight for compliant research practices to investigators and
applicants to the Institutional Review Boards, and is a member of the Investigator Initiated Study
Advisory (IISA) Committee.
Jack’s previous roles within the institution have included Assistant Director Office of Regulatory
Research Compliance, Clinical Research Nurse Manager of the Clinical Research Group (CRG), Chair of
the Clinical Research Coordinators Committee, Pulmonary/critical care research Nurse Coordinator,
clinical trials contracts negotiations, and staff nurse for Hahnemann University Hospital, Medical ICU.
Jack is a Certified Institutional Review Board Professional (CIP), received a Master of Science in
Clinical Research and Organizational Management, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and is a volunteer
firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician
NEILANJAN NANDI, MD
Assistant Professor Drexel Gastroenterology
Dr Nandi attended Rice University and received his medical degree from the Feinberg School of
Medicine at Northwestern University where he received the Dr Frederick Stenn Award for Outstanding
Humanism in Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at Thomas Jefferson University
Hospital and was a teaching attending in Internal Medicine at Thomas Jefferson & Methodist Hospitals.
While there, he received several teaching awards as a resident and attending physician. Subsequently,
he completed his Gastroenterology Fellowship at the University of Miami where he served as Chief
Fellow and received the James H Johnson Award from the Florida Gastroenterologic Society for clinical
excellence. Dr Nandi has a tremendous passion for teaching and the education of both patients and
healthcare professionals alike. His clinical interests include Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis,
Clostridium difficile colitis, probiotic nutritional therapy, and investigating the role of fecal
microbiota transplantation in the context of modulating chronic illness
Speakers’ Biosketch Summary
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VANESSA PIRRONE, PHD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Dr. Pirrone received her undergraduate degree from Temple University and her Ph.D. from Drexel
University College of Medicine. As a graduate student, Dr. Pirrone developed expertise in HIV-1
pathogenesis and microbicide development. Dr. Pirrone performed her post-doctoral fellowship under
the guidance of Dr. Brian Wigdahl. For the past 5 years Dr. Pirrone has worked intimately with HIV-1infected patient samples from a large and growing cohort here at Drexel University College of
Medicine (DREXELMED HIV/AIDS Genetic Analysis Cohort; currently with an enrollment of over 500
patients with more than 1,500 longitudinal visits and expanding). One of her primary responsibilities
was also the creation and oversight of the clinical database (REDCap) for this cohort. Dr. Pirrone, as
well as other investigators on a number of research initiatives, utilize this large and ever-growing
database. Some of these projects attempt to identify HIV-1 nucleic acid signature sequences,
signaling pathway interactions, HIV-1 transcriptional control mechanisms, and immune activation
interactions between cellular and viral components that may be useful in defining the impact of HIV
disease on a number of conditions including human aging, and substance abuse, and within this
context, predicting those patients that may be more prone to HIV disease progression and HIV-induced
neurocognitive impairment.
KENNY J. SIMANSKY, PHD
Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology
Vice Dean for Research, College of Medicine
Dr. Simansky received his undergraduate degree from Queens College of the City University of New
York and his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Psychology (Biopsychology) from the University of Iowa. He
completed a postdoctoral fellowship in behavioral neurosciences at the Cornell University College of
Medicine (now Weill Medical College of Cornell University). Dr. Simansky received an individual
fellowship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his postdoctoral research and was funded
continuously by NIH for more than 20 years. He has generated $5.5 million for PHEC as Principal
Investigator on NIH projects and wrote the first application from the institution for federal funds to
support capital improvements to the research infrastructure. This grant obtained $940,000 from NIH.
His most recent awards from NIH supported research on the cellular mechanisms involved in the
regulation of eating. These brain mechanisms are known to be relevant for understanding obesity,
drug addiction and some mental disorders.
Dr. Simansky has published over 150 scientific papers, reviews and abstracts on these topics. He has
been invited to present his work at numerous universities and conferences and has organized
international symposia, including the prestigious Fuller Symposium of the American Society for
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics on “Obesity: Targets and Tools for the 21st Century.
The National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Drug Abuse, Mental Health and
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism awarded him a multi-year conference grant to bring international
authorities together to analyze the roles of brain mechanisms of reward in obesity, substance abuse
and other psychiatric disorders. He has chaired peer review panels at NIH for investigator-initiated
research and for fellowship training in the neurosciences. He was elected President of the Society for
the Study of Ingestive Behavior, which is an international society of scientists who investigate
mechanisms related to obesity and related public health problems.
Dr. Simansky is very active in the community developing academic-industry partnerships. He is a
member of the Life Sciences Advisory Committee for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the
Scientific Advisory Committee of the University City Science Center. He also represents the College
and the University at PaBio and at the Association for Academic Health Centers.
Speakers’ Biosketch Summary
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As Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology, Dr. Simansky has received the Basic Scientist Award and
the Graduate Student Association Teaching Award from Drexel University College of Medicine. He also
received recognition for teaching medical students, developed and directed numerous courses,
directed two doctoral programs and served as Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate Studies. Dr.
Simansky has been with the college since 1982.
ARNOLD J. SMOLEN, PHD
Associate Dean for Information Technology
Associate Professor of Neurobiology & Anatomy
Dr. Smolen earned his B.A. from Haverford College in 1970, an M.S. in Neuroanatomy in 1972 from
Hahnemann Medical College and a Ph.D. in Anatomy in 1976 from Temple University College of
Medicine. Subsequently, Dr. Smolen did postdoctoral training at the Medical College of Pennsylvania
(MCP) and at the National Institute for Medical Research in London. Dr. Smolen joined the faculty of
the Department of Anatomy at MCP in 1979 and he served as Course Director for the Gross Anatomy
course for first year medical students from 1984-1994. In 1981, Dr. Smolen was appointed Director of
the College Computer Center at MCP, and in 1999 was appointed Associate Dean for Information
Technology. Currently in this role, Dr. Smolen oversees the Technology in Medical Education division,
responsible for the creation and maintenance of web based resources to support medical education,
and the Educational Resources division, responsible for providing audiovisual and videoconferencing
support. Dr. Smolen served on the Steering Committee of the Association of American Medical
College’s Group on Information Resources (GIR) from 2007-2009.
DARIO TORRE, MD, MPH, PHD
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE
Dario M. Torre, MD, MPH, PhD, currently is associate professor of medicine at Drexel University College
of Medicine where he also serves as Vice Chair for education, Associate Program director for the
Internal Medicine residency and medicine sub-internship course director.
Dr. Torre received his medical degree from the University of Rome La Sapienza, graduating summa
cum laude. He completed his internal medicine residency at Hahnemann University Hospital and was
selected to be a chief resident in internal medicine. Dr. Torre was awarded a 3-year fellowship in
general internal medicine at Johns Hopkins University, where he participated in medical education
research and coursework and earned an MPH in epidemiology. He joined the faculty at the Medical
College of Wisconsin, where he was third year clerkship director for 6 years. In 2009, he received a
PhD in adult education with focus on assessment, cognition and technology-based learning from the
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Dr. Torre is nationally recognized as an innovator and leader in the medical education community. He
has Authored or coauthored more then 40 articles in peer-reviewed journals in the field of medical
education, he has been the recipient of several regional and national medical education awards, and
serves as a reviewer for Academic Medicine, JAMA, and Teaching and Learning in Medicine. He has
been the editor in chief of a textbook of medicine for medical students published by Lippincott
Williams and Wilkins in 2009. He is currently the chair of the AMEE Research program planning
taskforce, aimed at fostering international medical education research around the world.
Speakers’ Biosketch Summary
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CHRISTOPHER VINNARD, MD, PHD,
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Dr. Vinnard attended Amherst College and received his medical degree from the Tulane University
School of Medicine, along with a Masters of Public Health in Tropical Medicine. He completed his
Internal Medicine residency at New York University and his fellowship in Infectious Diseases from the
University of Pennsylvania. While a fellow at Penn, Dr. Vinnard received a Master’s of Science in
Clinical Epidemiology and conducted original research in the areas of HIV and tuberculosis. Currently,
he leads investigations of the pharmacokinetics of tuberculosis drugs in patients with HIV infection,
and is working to develop a novel method to perform therapeutic drug monitoring for tuberculosis
treatment in resource limited settings.
Speakers’ Biosketch Summary
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