2015
Wednesday Wed
Successes and Challenges in Private-Public Partnerships
Promising Technologies in Biosecurity
Increasing our capability to develop and produce new medicines rapidly and less expensively in emergency situations is vital. New technologies which include vaccines, medications, and systems for rapid viral and molecular detection will improve our country’s ability to detect and respond to a biological threat and fight infectious disease outbreaks. Recent experience with developing countermeasures against Ebola will be discussed. Highlights of some of the most promising technologies will be discussed. Dr. Robinson will also provide perspective on the US efforts in developing technologies which protect our country against the threat of biological terrorism. Successes and Challenges in Public-Private Partnerships will be discussed. Preparing for and limiting the effects of biological weapons could not only prevent casualties but reduce the incentives for an attack. This session will promote the importance of partnerships between the government, academia and industry in the development of therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics and devices. We will assess the process for the creation of these countermeasures and analyze the successes and challenges in the development process Will review successful public-private partnerships’ management of complex arrangements or issues such as Intellectual Property, legal issues, manufacturing responsibilities; highlight experiences implementing a complex, multi-site, multi-product research and manufacturing enterprise; discuss potential solutions that will help lead to success.
Location
291 Campus Dr.
Palo Alto, CA 94305
USA
Li Ka Shing Learning & Knowledge Center (LKSC)
291 Campus Dr.Palo Alto, CA 94305
Speaker
Robin Robinson, PhD. Director, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
Robin Robinson, PhD: Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response U.S. Department of Health and Human Services federal agency, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within HHS by the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2006. BARDA develops and provides medical countermeasures to man-made and natural threats including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, pandemic influenza, and emerging infectious diseases. BARDA meets this mission by supporting product innovation, advanced development, acquisition and stockpiling, and building manufacturing infrastructure. Dr. Robinson led the nation’s effort to develop and manufacture the largest amount of vaccine in U.S. history in response to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
Dr. Robinson previously served from 2004-2008 as the Director for the Influenza & Emerging Disease Program within BARDA and its predecessor agency at HHS.
Dr. Robinson was recruited by HHS from the vaccine industry in May 2004 to establish a Manhattan-like program with scientific and technical experts to implement the strategic plans and policies for medical countermeasures outlined in the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza (Nov. 2005). These tactical measures included development, acquisition and establishment of national medical countermeasure stockpiles, and expansion of domestic manufacturing surge capacities for influenza vaccines, antiviral drugs, rapid diagnostics, and non-pharmaceutical countermeasures including respiratory devices. For his leadership in this role, Dr. Robinson was the recipient of the Department of Defense’s Clay Dalrymple Award in 2008 and a finalist for the Service to America Medal in 2009.
Dr. Robinson received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Millsaps College in 1976, a Doctoral degree from the University of Mississippi Medical School in medical microbiology under the mentoring of Dr. Dennis O’Callaghan in 1981 with a dissertation on herpesvirus oncogenesis, and completed in 1983 a NIH postdoctoral fellowship with the State University of New York at Stony Brook in molecular oncology under the mentoring of Dr. Arnold Levine on p53 tumor suppressor gene and tumor virus activation of cellular genes. While on faculty in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School from 1983-1990, his laboratory investigated the molecular pathogenesis of herpesviruses and HIV gene expression. Later at the NIH National Cancer Institute 1990-1992, he studied the regulation of negative repressor factors on HIV replication. Subsequently for 12 years in the pharmaceutical industry as Director of Vaccines at Novavax, Inc., he developed patented platform vaccine technologies including virus-like particles and subunit protein vaccines for human pathogens including malaria, human papilloma, hepatitis, and influenza and for prostate, melanoma, and cervical cancers. Dr. Robinson also serves on World Health Organization (WHO) international expert teams on pandemic influenza vaccines. Additionally, he continues to serve as an editorial board member and reviewer for several professional scientific and technical journals on virology, vaccines, public health, and biotechnology.