Philip J. Brooks
Philip J. (P.J.) Brooks is the Deputy Director of NCATS’ Division of Rare Diseases Research Innovation. He also is the working group co-coordinator for the NIH Common Fund program on Somatic Cell Genome Editing, one of the leaders of the Platform Vector Gene Therapy (PaVe-GT) pilot project and the co-chair of the Bespoke Gene Therapy Consortium(link is external). He also represents NCATS in the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC). In May 2022, Brooks was selected as the recipient of the 2022 Sonia Skarlatos Public Service Award(link is external) by the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy for consistently fostering and enhancing the field of gene and cell therapy. Brooks received his doctorate in neurobiology from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship at The Rockefeller University, he became an investigator in the NIH intramural program, where he developed an internationally recognized research program focused on two distinct areas: the molecular basis of alcohol-related cancer, and rare neurologic diseases resulting from defective DNA repair.
Stephanie M. Davis
Stephanie M. Davis, Ph.D. has served as the Small Business Program Lead in the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Innovation and Commercialization Office (I&C) since December 2020. Before joining the I&C, Stephanie was selected for the 2019-2020 Executive Branch AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellows Program, where she served as a Program Manager in the National Institute on Aging Office of Strategic Extramural Programs. She received her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2012 from Florida Southern College. She received her M.S. in Medical Sciences (2015) and her Ph.D. in Molecular Pharmacology (2016) from the University of South Florida. Stephanie was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Kentucky in the Department of Neurology. In addition to her postdoctoral appointment, she also interned part-time with the UK Office of Technology Commercialization from January to July 2019.
Jessica Forbes
Jessica Forbes, Ph.D. is an accomplished clinician-scientist and policy advocate who currently serves as a Health Program Specialist for the Small Business Program at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). In her role, Dr. Forbes leads outreach and company engagement for the Small Business Program, conducting presentations to accelerators and federally and state-funded technology programs. She also provides guidance on the grant process to applicants, with a portfolio that includes the first-time Applicant Assistance Program and the Diversity Administrative supplement. Dr. Forbes’ work in these areas has been instrumental in promoting innovation and inclusivity, ensuring that small businesses from diverse backgrounds have equal access to funding and support. In 2021, Jessica received her Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Howard University and went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Florida in the department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology where she studied essential voice tremor. Jessica is a part of the 2022-2023 class of AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellows Program, which introduced her to the world of small business at the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Xing-Jian Lou
Xing-Jian Lou Ph.D. is a Program Director in the Small Business Innovation Research Development Center at the National Cancer Institute. She manages SBIR & STTR awards, as well as actively engages in developing targeted solicitations, guiding small businesses to develop applications and facilitating interaction between awardees and potential investors and partners. Dr. Lou has over 15 years experience in research and product development for diagnosis and drug development. Prior to joining NCI she held a variety of scientific and management positions in pharmaceutical and biotech companies, including Johnson & Johnson, LumiCyte, Applied Biosystems (now part of Thermo Fisher Scientific corporation) and diaDexus. Dr. Lou received her PhD degree in Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology from University of Miami and completed her postdoctoral training at Stanford University.
Mike Minnicozzi
Mike Minnicozzi, Ph.D. is a senior Program Officer for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH. In his current position, Mike works in the Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation (DAIT) where he administers and oversees a research portfolio of grants, cooperative awards and contracts on topics such as; Allergy, Asthma, Atopic Dermatitis and Sepsis. In addition to his oversight of the typical award mechanisms associated with the NIH e.g., R01s, Mike represents the DAIT as the primary contact point for all the division’s interests Small Business applicants, including clinical trial proposals. Prior to working for the NIAID, Mike worked at the Schering Plough Research Institute as a Senior Principal Scientist, where his projects included; small animal model development for allergic and non-allergic airway inflammatory diseases, the use of these animal models for the identification of novel inhibitory compounds of disease progression (e.g., anti-IL5, PDE4, anti-VCAM, inhaled steroids), in vitro antibiotic drug screening, novel immune-assay development, in vitro analysis of lipid metabolism, development of biomarkers for use in monitoring disease progression, in-licensing candidate evaluations and as a project manager for drug development. Dr. Minnicozzi holds a Ph.D. in medical physiology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (formerly known as UMDNJ-School of Biomedical Sciences).