Our
Team
We purposefully operate as a lean organization in order to prioritize spend directly to drug development per the vision of our founders. We pride ourselves on being a nimble, highly functional and efficient, and high-capacity organization.
Our talented, passionate team combines their collective pharma, biotech, academia and clinical site experiences to provide optimal execution. Our team’s deep, expansive expertise, coupled with the flexibility of BVD’s model, has created a unique and dynamic opportunity to translate novel science and biology into potentially breakthrough medicines to address significant unmet patient needs.
Team
Board of Directors
Jessica Box, BS
Senior Scientist, Translational Sciences
Jessica Box is a Senior Scientist in the Translational Sciences group at Biomed Valley Discoveries. Prior to joining Biomed Valley Discoveries, Jessica was the Laboratory Manager at IntelligeneCG, where she oversaw the genomics laboratory and accessioning department.
She has experience in several facets of research including: basic biomedical research, clinical research, and industry. Jessica received a BS degree in biology from Baker University.
Corey Burton, MS
Clinical Data Analyst
Corey Burton is a Clinical Data Analyst at Biomed Valley Discoveries. Prior to joining Biomed Valley Discoveries, Corey was a Research Assistant at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he leveraged statistical tools and high performance computing to analyze bacterial recombination rates. Previously, he was a Special Forces Communications Sergeant at the U.S. Army, where he was responsible for managing military and civilian computer systems, performance metrics, and operations.
Corey is a data scientist with vast experience in computational biology, evolutionary biology, and machine learning. He holds an MS and BS in biology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Caroline Emery, PhD
Director, Translational Sciences
Dr. Caroline Emery is a Director of Translational Sciences at Biomed Valley Discoveries. Previously, Carrie held a position in early pharmaceutical development at Novartis Oncology, where she supported the evolution of novel agents into the clinic.
She earned her PhD in developmental genetics from the University of Oxford, UK, and completed postdoctoral training at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard University, where she studied mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapies in melanoma. Carrie received a BSc degree in pathology and microbiology from the University of Bristol, UK.
Barry R. Frankel, MBA
Director, Business Development
Barry Frankel serves as Director of Business Development for Biomed Valley Discoveries. Barry has over 40 years of experience in the life science industry, including company formation and operations, investment research, strategic planning, licensing/mergers/acquisitions, and commercialization. Barry’s recent business development and financing experience includes oncology (Nanocare, BioConvergent, Cireca), inflammation (Metriopharm), infection (Micreos), neurology (NBO, Sedor) and digital health (Elexo/Qey). Barry serves as an Advisor for Marathon Asset Management.
Previously, Barry was Founder of Frankel Group, a global boutique life science strategy consulting firm (acquired by Huron Consulting Group); Partner and President of SJ Weinstein Associates Inc., a healthcare advertising and marketing strategy firm (exited into Bates Healthcare); held senior management positions at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals; and was a Senior Research Officer Life Sciences for Citibank Investment Management Group.
Anna Groover, PhD
Senior Scientist, Translational Sciences
Dr. Anna Groover is a Senior Scientist in the Translational Sciences group at Biomed Valley Discoveries, where she manages day-to-day clinical operations for clinical trials involving BVD-523, a selective, reversible, ERK1/2 inhibitor.
Anna joined Biomed Valley Discoveries after completing her PhD in anatomy and cell biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She received a BS degree in biology from Baylor University.
Deborah Knoerzer, MS
Director, Translational Sciences
Deb Knoerzer is a Director of Translational Sciences at Biomed Valley Discoveries. Prior to joining Biomed Valley Discoveries, Deb was Vice President of Research Operations for Horizon Discovery where she led the research operations for multiple sites within the US.
She has a vast range of experience in both small and large organizations, serving as Chief Operating Officer at SAGE labs and holding a variety of senior positions during her 19 years within the pharmaceutical industry including positions at Pfizer, Pharmacia, Searle, and Monsanto. Deb received a BS in biological sciences from Illinois State University and a MS in biological sciences from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Brent L. Kreider, PhD
President, Biomed Valley Discoveries, Inc.
Dr. Brent L. Kreider serves as President of Biomed Valley Discoveries. After nine years in a dual role as COO of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and COO of Biomed Valley Discoveries, Brent has focused solely as President of Biomed Valley Discoveries since 2022. In his previous position as Vice President and Global Head of Scientific Operations at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Brent provided senior management oversight to scientific support functions at Institute sites throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.
Prior to joining Novartis, he held senior leadership positions at three biotech companies. Brent received a PhD in microbiology from the University of Pennsylvania and performed postdoctoral research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Martin Teresk, PhD
Director, Chemistry
Dr. Martin Teresk is a Director of Chemistry at Biomed Valley Discoveries. Prior to joining Biomed Valley Discoveries, Martin served as Director of Process Development at Orbis Biosciences, where he led the development and manufacturing scale-up of the company’s particle engineering technology.
He previously held key positions in process research and development at Gilead Sciences, providing scientific and technical leadership in developing scalable chemical processes for the manufacture of drug substances from preclinical development through commercialization. Martin received a BS in Chemistry from Purdue University and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin.
David Tung, PhD
Associate Director, Translational Sciences
Dr. David Tung is an Associate Director of Translational Sciences at Biomed Valley Discoveries. With over 25 years of drug discovery experience, he is the lead for CMC, regulatory affairs, translational pharmacology, and clinical operations of the C. novyi-NT program. He also serves as the translational pharmacology lead for two antibody projects and is responsible for indications exploration for ERK and C. novyi-NT. Prior to BVD, he held positions at Pfizer, Sirna, Isis, Chiron (Novartis), and Celera. His translational pharmacology experience covers allergy and respiratory, osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, oncology, multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and fracture healing.
Dr. Tung received his PhD from UCSD’s Biomedical Engineering department. He completed his postdoctoral training in a joint fellowship at Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical and Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School.
Abby Freeman
Former Executive Vice President For Administration, Stowers Institute For Medical Research
Ms. Abby Freeman is the former Executive Vice President for Administration at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Freeman held positions at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas including Director of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Equal Opportunity and Minority Affairs Officer, and Vice President for Human Services Administration.
Ms. Freeman previously held leadership positions with the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). Ms. Freeman earned a BA in business administration from Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas. She serves as a member of the Boards of Directors of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and American Century Companies.
Daniel Flynn
Founder and Retired Chief Scientific Officer, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Flynn founded Deciphera Pharmaceuticals in 2003 and served as the company’s Chief Scientific Officer. He has more than 35 years of experience within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. Before founding Deciphera, Dr. Flynn held senior roles with various biotechnology and pharmaceuticals companies, including Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Amgen, and Monsanto Company, G.D. Searle Unit. Dr. Flynn is currently Adjunct Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Kansas-Lawrence. He has served as the National Chair for the Division of Medicinal Chemistry of the American Chemical Society, and is founder of the Medicinal & Bioorganic Research Foundation.
Dr. Flynn earned both his B.S. in pharmacy and Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry from the University of Kansas, and he completed post-doctorate training in synthetic organic chemistry at Indiana University.
Charles German
Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Stowers Resource Management
Charles German was appointed Co-General Counsel of the Stowers Group of Companies in 2020. Before joining Stowers, Charles was a founding shareholder of the law firm of German May PC. As a trial lawyer, his primary practice areas have been internal and governmental investigations, corporate governance, biotech, capital markets, and professional liability. German served as outside independent counsel for Biomed Valley Discoveries from 2018 to 2019, and is an adjunct professor of corporate litigation at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.
German earned a B.A. from Drury University and a J.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, and served as the law clerk for Honorable William R. Collinson of the Western District of Missouri. He has served as a director and board chair at The Midwest Innocence Project and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. He was a founder and chair of the Kansas City Metropolitan Homelessness Task Force, a multi-disciplinary, inter-governmental entity that is now a permanent section of the Mid-America Regional Council. German has also been a board member of Drury University and of the Missouri Lawyers Trust Account Foundation. His past awards include the LAWMO Coburn Community Service Award, the KCMBA Deans of the Trial Bar, KCMO Legal Leader of the Year, Missouri Lawyers Media ICON Award, and the Downtown Council Urban Hero Award.
Clifford W. Illig
Former Vice Chairman and Co-founder, Cerner Corporation
Mr. Clifford W. Illig is the former Vice Chairman of the Board and Co-Founder of Cerner Corporation, one of the world’s largest suppliers of healthcare information technology solutions, healthcare devices, and related services.
He focused on growing and expanding Cerner’s market-oriented business units, key strategic relationships, and priority corporate initiatives. Mr. Illig serves some significant regional civic boards and organizations. Mr. Illig received a degree in accounting and business administration from the University of Kansas.
Brent L. Kreider
President, Biomed Valley Discoveries, Inc.
Dr. Brent L. Kreider serves as President of Biomed Valley Discoveries. After nine years in a dual role as COO of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and COO of Biomed Valley Discoveries, Brent has focused solely as President of Biomed Valley Discoveries since 2022. In his previous position as Vice President and Global Head of Scientific Operations at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Brent provided senior management oversight to scientific support functions at Institute sites throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.
Prior to joining Novartis, he held senior leadership positions at three biotech companies. Brent received a PhD in microbiology from the University of Pennsylvania and performed postdoctoral research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Eric Olson
Founding Chair, Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern
Dr. Olson is Chair of the Department of Molecular Biology and Director of the Hamon Center for Regenerative Science & Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He also directs the Wellstone Center for Muscular Dystrophy Research at UT Southwestern. Dr. Olson holds the Robert A. Welch Distinguished Chair in Science, the Annie and Willie Nelson Professorship in Stem Cell Research, and the Pogue Distinguished Chair in Research on Cardiac Birth Defects.
Dr. Olson is an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His work on the mechanisms of muscle development and disease has been recognized by numerous national and international awards and has been cited over 220,000 times in the scientific literature. He was named one of “The World’s Most Influential Minds 2014” by Thomson Reuters, which ranks global scientific impact. He has co-founded multiple biotechnology companies to design new therapies for heart muscle disease.
Dr. Olson received a B.A. in biology and chemistry and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Wake Forest University and postdoctoral training at Washington University School of Medicine.
Dr. Olson serves on numerous advisory boards and is the current Chair the Medical Advisory Board of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Scientific Advisory Board of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research.
Jonathan S. Thomas
Chair, Board of Directors
Mr. Jonathan S. Thomas is President and Chief Executive Officer of American Century Investments. Mr. Thomas joined American Century in 2005 as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, and a member of the American Century Companies Board of Directors. He became CEO in March 2007.
Prior to joining American Century, Mr. Thomas was Global Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of the Investment Management division at Morgan Stanley in New York City. Mr. Thomas received a BA in Economics from the University of Massachusetts and a MBA from Boston College.