Scientific Advisory Boards

Alan F. Schatzberg is an American psychiatrist. He was the 136th president of the American Psychiatric Association (2009–2010). Since 1991, he has been the Kenneth T. Norris Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, and he was chair of the department from 1991 to 2010. He has received multiple national and international awards for his work as an investigator in the biology and treatment of depression. He is also the co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Psychiatric Research, along with Florian Holsboer. He received an honorary doctorate from the Medical University of Vienna in 2011.

Sanjay J. Mathew is the Marjorie Bintliff Johnson and Raleigh White Johnson, Jr. Vice Chair for Research and Professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. He graduated from Dartmouth College and Baylor College of Medicine, and trained in psychiatry and research at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

Prior to his current Baylor position, he served as faculty at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he co-directed the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program. His research program focuses on experimental therapeutics and pathophysiology related to treatment-resistant mood and anxiety disorders and PTSD, with a particular focus on rapid-acting glutamate-modulating agents such as ketamine.

Dr. Mathew has authored or co-authored over 150 manuscripts and book chapters, and serves on the editorial board of several journals. In 2016, he co-edited (with Carlos Zarate, Jr.) the book “Ketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression”. He serves on the Board of the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Madhukar H. Trivedi, M.D., is a Professor of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he leads the Division of Mood Disorders and directs the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care. He holds the Betty Jo Hay Distinguished Chair in Mental Health and the Julie K. Hersh Chair for Depression Research and Clinical Care. Dr. Trivedi specializes in depression treatment and is renowned for his research in developing biosignatures for depression and investigating various treatment modalities. He has authored over 500 scholarly articles, contributed to numerous books, and holds leadership roles in several psychiatric organizations, including serving as President of the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology.

Dr. Joan Busner, with over 35 years of experience in academic clinical psychiatric research, has been Principal Investigator for 49 industry-sponsored trials and Sub-Investigator for 35 more. She has contributed extensively to psychopharmacology literature with over 140 peer-reviewed articles and international presentations. Formerly directing clinical trials units at major medical schools, she currently serves as Affiliate Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University and Signant Health’s Expert Presenter and Scientific Lead for US and multinational studies. Dr. Busner's expertise spans pediatric, rare diseases, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and child and adolescent psychiatric indications, with a focus on ethical practices and clinical trial methodologies.

Dr. Busner has over 35 years of experience as an academic clinical psychiatric researcher. She has served as the Principal Investigator for 49 industry-sponsored psychiatric clinical trials and Sub-Investigator for 35 additional clinical trials. She has served continuously on University Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) for the 20 years that preceded her move to Signant Health. Dr. Busner is an active contributor to the psychopharmacology literature and has authored or co-authored over 140 peer-reviewed articles and national or international scientific presentations. Prior to Signant, Dr. Busner directed the psychiatric clinical trials units of two major medical schools. Dr. Busner has held medical school faculty appointments since 1985 and is currently Affiliate Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University. She serves as Signant’s Expert Presenter and Scientific Lead for US and multinational studies of pediatrics, rare and orphan diseases, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and all child and adolescent psychiatric indications. She has trained thousands of psychiatric clinical trial investigators across the globe and lectures frequently on the application of objective rating scales in the assessment of diagnosis and efficacy in psychopharmacology, ethics in psychiatric research, the placebo effect in psychiatric research and techniques for its minimization, the role of IRBs and clinical trial methodology. Dr. Busner received her PhD in Experimental Social Psychology and her MA in General Psychology from Adelphi University. She is licensed to practice psychology in Pennsylvania, Missouri and New York.

Jeffrey L. Cummings, MD, ScD, is Founding Director of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas and Cleveland, and Professor of Medicine (Neurology) at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. He leads the NIH/NIGMS-funded Center for Neurodegeneration and Translational Neuroscience. Dr. Cummings is globally recognized for his pioneering Alzheimer’s disease research and leadership in clinical trials. His accolades include the Henderson Award from the American Geriatrics Society (2006), the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Award from the Alzheimer’s Association (2008), and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology (2017). He has authored 43 books, published over 725 papers, and continues to focus on advancing therapies for brain diseases and exploring neuroscience's societal impact.

Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, a board-certified neurologist with the Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program at Barrow Neurological Institute, specializes in diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders. He earned his medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine and completed neurology residency at Baylor College of Medicine, followed by a geriatric neurology and dementia fellowship at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Sabbagh is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and serves as editor-in-chief of Neurology and Therapy. He is a leading investigator in national Alzheimer’s clinical trials and contributes extensively to Alzheimer’s research through his editorial roles and numerous publications.

Dr. Mary Sano is a Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Alzheimer's Disease Research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She also serves as Director of Research and Development at the Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital. A neuropsychologist by training, Dr. Sano leads national multi-center studies such as CLASP (Cholesterol Lowering in Alzheimer's Disease to Slow Progression). She has a distinguished career in designing and conducting clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and mild cognitive impairment. Dr. Sano's pioneering work includes directing landmark trials that evaluated vitamin E and Selegiline in Alzheimer's disease, for which she received the Veris Award in 1998. Her current research focuses on clinical trial methodologies, pharmacological treatments' impact on cognitive function, and exploring home-based assessments for dementia prevention. She has also investigated the cognitive effects of head injury, Sickle Cell disease, and mitochondrial disorders.

Professor Ritchie is currently Professor of the Psychiatry of Ageing at the University of Edinburgh having moved from his role as Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Mental Health at Imperial College London in October 2014.

He is a leading authority on Clinical Trials in Dementia and has been senior investigator on over 30 drug trials of both disease modifying and symptomatic agents for that condition. He has published extensively on the topics of dementia and delirium including clinical trials and meta-analyses. He sits on several advisory boards for major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as well as The Wellcome Trust and the Public Health Steering Group for the Alzheimer’s Society. He is also one of the leading editors in the Cochrane Collaboration’s Dementia Group with a particular specialism in Diagnostic Test Accuracy reviews and is Assistant Editor for the journal International Psychogeriatrics.

Dr. Au’s research interests are focused on aging and dementia, and include relating cardiovascular risk factors, brain MRI measures, and neuropathology to cognitive performance. She is also interested in merging research and technology as the path toward innovative science.

Dr. Daniel Weintraub is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Institute of Aging. He completed medical, psychiatry residency, and geriatric psychiatry fellowship training at the University of Maryland. His areas of research interest include the psychiatric and cognitive complications of Parkinson’s disease. He is current recipient of a 5-year Career Development Award (K23) from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) titled "Depression Diagnosis and Treatment in Parkinson Disease." In addition, he is currently Coordinating Investigator for a multi-site international industry-sponsored study of the frequency and correlates of impulse control disorders in PD. Dr. Weintraub has also served on three Movement Disorder Society (MDS) task forces to revise and make recommendations for the assessment of non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, and is a member of the Scientific Review Committee of the Parkinson Study Group.

Dr. Alberto Espay holds the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Endowed Chair for Parkinson's Disease at the University of Cincinnati, where he leads research and clinical initiatives. He is a prolific author with over 300 research articles and 8 books, including the award-winning "Common Movement Disorders Pitfalls" and "Brain Fables." Dr. Espay has held leadership roles in the American Academy of Neurology and the Parkinson Study Group, and currently serves as Chair of the Task Force on Technology for the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (MDS), and President-Elect of its Pan-American Section.

Dr. Benjamin Greenberg graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Arts and earned his Masters Degree in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. He received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and completed his neurology residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Greenberg joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins, specializing in neuroimmunology and co-directing the Transverse Myelitis and Encephalitis Centers. In 2009, he moved to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where he serves as Deputy Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program and Director of the Transverse Myelitis and Neuromyelitis Optica Program. Dr. Greenberg is an international authority on rare autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system, focusing on diagnosis, treatment, and biomarker research. He leads clinical trials and biorepository initiatives aimed at advancing neurologic care and serves as Vice Chair for Clinical and Translational Research in the Department of Neurology.

Dr. Miller is a geriatric psychiatrist by training. He has over 25 years of experience in patient care, clinical research, teaching, and even served as a principal investigator for dementia studies. David currently serves as the Chair of the Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable.

Dr. Benjamin Greenberg received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University and his Masters Degree in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended medical school at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Then, he completed an internship in medicine at Rush Presbyterian-St. Lukes Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois before going on to his residency in neurology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He then joined the faculty within the division of neuroimmunology at Hopkins and became the co-director of the Transverse Myelitis Center and director of the Encephalitis Center. In January of 2009 he was recruited to the faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center where he was named Deputy Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program and Director of the new Transverse Myelitis and Neuromyelitis Optica Program. That same year he established the Pediatric Demyelianting Disease Program at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.

Dr. Greenberg is recognized internationally as an expert in rare autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system (e.g. transverse myelitis, neuromyelitis optica, ADEM and autoimmune encephalitis). He splits his clinical time between seeing both adult and pediatric patients. He routinely consults on the inpatient units of Clements University Hospital, Parkland and Children’s. His research interests are in both the diagnosis and treatment of transverse myelitis, neuromyelitis optica, encephalitis, multiples sclerosis and infections of the nervous system. He is actively involved in developing better ways to diagnose and prognosticate for and treat patients with these disorders. He has led an effort to improve biorepository development and has created uniform protocols for sample handling and analysis. As part of this initiative his research has identified novel biomarkers that may be able to distinguish between patients with various neurologic disorders. He also coordinates Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials that study new treatments to prevent neurologic damage and restore function to those who have already been affected. He currently serves as the Vice Chair for Clinical and Translational Research for the Department of Neurology.

Professor Julian Gillmore
Amyloidosis and Rare Diseases, UCL

Julian Gillmore gained his medical degree at University of London. He trained in nephrology and undertook MD and PhD degrees in the field of amyloidosis. His research interests include pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of amyloidosis.

Professor Tim Meyer
Oncology, UCL

Tim Meyer, MD PhD, is Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine at UCL Cancer Institute and Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology at the Royal Free Hospital. He is the Director of the Royal Free London Clinical Research Facility and Clinical Lead for the hepatocellular carcinoma service at the Royal Free Hospital where he leads a large portfolio of clinical trials. He sits on the Executive Committee of the International Liver Cancer Association and is Chair of the ILCA Systemic Therapy Guideline committee. He is secretary of HCC UK, a member of the NCRI Hepatobiliary Working Group and is the European representative on the NCI Hepatobiliary Taskforce.

Professor Wisia Wedzicha
Respiratory Medicine, Imperial College London

Wisia Wedzicha is Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, UK. She qualified from Somerville College, Oxford University and St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College, University of London. She was elected as Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci) in 2013 and is an NIHR Senior Investigator. She was awarded the Helmholtz International Fellow award in 2014.

Professor Wedzicha has a major interest in the causes, mechanisms, impact and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, and in the role of bacterial and viral infection in COPD exacerbations. She directs an active research group specialising in COPD exacerbations, and has published extensively on this topic.

Dr. Elias Ketiar serves as the Clinical Vice President, Science & Medicine, at Signant Health. Dr. Ketiar draws on his wealth of more than 20 years of academic and clinical experience to advise on clinical trial design, execution, and governance.

He has extensive experience in General Internal Medicine and Cardiology and is a Member of Royal College of Physicians (London), UK. Dr Ketiar has been engaged in academic research and was involved in a pioneering project investigating genetic causes of congenital heart disease, which culminated in a Medical Doctorate with St George’s University of London, UK.

He also has peer reviewed papers published. He has always been involved in all phases of clinical development and interested in global clinical trial solutions.

Todd Everhart, MD, FACP, is the internal medicine leader at Signant. Dr. Everhart is board-certified in internal medicine and a fellow of the American College of Physicians with over 23 years of experience in the practice of medicine and over 12 years of experience in clinical development. Prior to joining Signant, Dr. Everhart held positions of Vice President, Medical Affairs and Vice President, Medical Informatics at Chiltern and Covance, and consulted independently in the areas of medical monitoring, medical data review, data analytics, and physician adoption of technology. He has worked in all phases of clinical development in numerous therapeutic areas including allergy & immunology, cardiovascular, hematology & oncology, infectious disease & HIV, neurology, ophthalmology, psychiatry, respiratory, and rheumatology.