People

SRI's innovative thinking depends directly on the individuals who work here. Meet members of our team and learn why they joined SRI - you may discover that you would like to join the team, too. Visit Careers @ SRI for descriptions of current openings.

Focus @ SRI:
Vaccines for the treatment of infectious diseases

Title:
Senior Director, Vaccine and Biotherapeutics Development

Day in the Life @ SRI:
Juggling responsibilities! Writing grant proposals, reviewing plans in the area of emerging infectious diseases and biodefense for colleagues, contacting local biotech companies with which we might partner on business opportunities, preparing study designs for vaccine safety and immunogenicity, and helping to prepare FDA documents to start clinical trials in humans (investigational new drugs - - INDs).

Before SRI:
I spent sixteen years at Chiron Corporation. As the Senior Director of Virology, I led a program to develop vaccines primarily against herpes viruses, and was involved in HBV, HIV HCV, DPT and other vaccine programs. I was the founder, and for five years a principal, of a consulting group, Biotechnology Solutions, where I worked on vaccines for infectious diseases, cancer, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis.

Academics:
B.S. in chemistry, University of Nevada, Reno
Ph.D. in microbiology, State University of New York at Stony Brook
Postdoctoral Studies, University of California, San Francisco, Department of Biochemistry

Why SRI?:
I had worked as a consultant for SRI so I had a glimpse of the breadth and depth of capabilities here. Now, with the explosive interest in vaccines and therapies for infectious diseases and biodefense applications, I can play a far larger role within SRI.

Inspiration (what motivates you):
Vaccines are the most effective mechanism we can harness to prevent and control infectious diseases. Helping to develop new vaccines to treat chronic diseases or novel threats is extremely satisfying. I want to help partner SRI's unique capabilities with those of local companies and academic investigators to translate their discoveries into new vaccines and therapeutics.

Away from the Office:
I enjoy a rich family life. To escape, my husband and I sail, and last fall we sailed from San Francisco to the tip of Baja California in Mexico.

Languages:
I am always struggling with Spanish.

Proudest Accomplishment:
I collaborated with Dr. Larry Stanberry to prove the concept that a vaccine could be used to treat a chronic infectious disease first in animal models and then in human clinical trials. We coined the term" immunotherapy" to describe this process.

Words of Wisdom for New SRI Team Members:
The vision and capabilities of SRI staff are impressive. Cross-division collaborations can bring diverse talents to the solving of critical problems.

Favorite Authors/Movies:
Two recently read and entertaining books reflect my interests: "Years of Wonder" by Geraldine Brooks, a novel about a plague epidemic in a small village in 16th-century England, and "Voyage for Madmen" by Peter Nichols, about the first nonstop, round-the-world sailing race of singly manned boats.