Team Category: Scientific Advisors

Dr. Michael Palfreyman has more than four decades of successful drug discovery and development experience with two major pharmaceutical companies and several biotechnology companies. He is currently chief scientific officer at Amorsa Therapeutics, a director of Oculogics, and scientific advisor to Jasco Pharmaceuticals, and he is responsible for research and development diligence at Torrey Pines Investment Ventures. Previously he was chairman of Amakem Therapeutics and Opthakem, vice president of drug development and program management at EnVivo (now Forum) Pharmaceuticals, and senior vice president of research and development at Scriptgen (now Anadys) Pharmaceuticals. Michael also held executive positions at Marion Merrell Dow (MMD) Research Institute (now Sanofi), including vice president of research (North America), and was a key member of the team that developed DFMO (eflornithine). Prior to MMD, Michael was the head of biochemical pharmacology at Beecham Pharmaceuticals (now GlaxoSmithKline). He received his BPharm, MRPharmS, PhD, and DSc from the University of Nottingham. He is co-inventor on 45 US and European patents and three pending patents, and has coauthored over 150 scientific articles and book chapters.

Stephen Baylin, M.D., is Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor of Oncology and Medicine, Co-Director of the Cancer Biology Division and Associate Director for Research Programs of The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. Steve attended Duke University, where he earned his medical degree in 1968 and completed his internship and first year residency in internal medicine. He then worked for two years at the National Heart and Lung Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In 1971, Baylin joined the departments of oncology and medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

His research interests include cellular biology and genetics of cancer, specifically epigenetics or genetic modifications other than those in DNA that can affect cell behavior, and silencing of tumor suppressor genes and tumor progression. His research has looked at the mechanisms through which variations in tumor cells derive, and cell differentiation in cancers such as medullary thyroid carcinoma and small cell lung carcinoma. Dr. Baylin has served on the American Association for Cancer Research Board of Directors from 2004 through 2007, and is an associate editor of Cancer Research. He has also presented frequently at AACR conferences and chaired the special conference on “DNA Methylation, Imprinting and the Epigenetics of Cancer.” Baylin has authored or co-authored more than 425 publications.

Dr. Lewis is a physician-scientist, who was formerly a faculty member of the Harvard Medical School and Stanford Medical School, President of Discovery Research at Syntex Corp, Head of US R&D at Aventis Pharmaceuticals, and presently a consulting professor at Stanford. He is an independent consultant and a member of several other scientific advisory boards. His principal expertise is in immunology and cell biology. Dr. Lewis received his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Rochester in 1971.

Philippe Bey, PhD, is currently senior VP of R&D at Thrasos Therapeutics, a private Canadian, clinical-stage biotechnology company. Prior to joining Thrasos Therapeutics, from July 1999 to January 2003, he was CSO and senior VP of R&D of ArQule, a combinatorial chemistry biotechnology company. Previously Dr. Bey was at Hoechst Marion Roussel (HMR), now Sanofi, and its parent companies, from 1971 to 1999. He served in numerous science and management leadership positions both in Europe and the United States. His last position was U.S. senior VP of R&D and member of the HMR management team.

During his career, Dr. Bey has participated in and led teams responsible for more than 30 INDs in several therapeutic areas, including oncology. He also was responsible for bulk drug supply for preclinical and clinical studies. Philippe received his BS and PhD in chemistry from the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, France. He was a post-doctoral trainee at the California Institute of Technology for two years and an adjunct professor of medicinal chemistry at the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg for twelve years. He has authored nearly 100 publications, 21 book chapters, and holds 63 issued patents. Dr. Bey is the inventor of difluoromethylornithine, (DFMO), the standard of care for African sleeping sickness.