Gregory Ford, Ph.D.
* ******* ***** ***** ********, NJ 08558
609-***-**** acgi0f@r.postjobfree.com
MEDICAL COMMUNICATIONS EXPERIENCE
Clinical Insights, Inc., New York, NY 2010-2012
Consultant, Oncology Medical Communications
• Worked with Pharmaceutical clients (BMS and Roche) to develop publications focused on targeted cancer
drugs. Contributed to publication strategies. Two of the publications were focused on lung cancer
treatment trends in the elderly and the implementation of biomarkers in clinical practice, respectively.
• Created slide kits to educate Oncology MSLs and health-care providers about cancer mechanisms and key
clinical issues associated with small molecule and antibody targeted therapies for solid tumors (lung,
colorectal) and leukemia (CML).
• Generated ASCO conference summary slide kits for Bristol-Myers Squibb clinical and medical affairs
senior clinicians and executives. Slides provided brief but thorough overviews of competitor clinical data.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, NJ 2001-2009
Senior Research Investigator, Immunology Drug Discovery
• Co-led small molecule and antibody discovery programs for MS and other autoimmune diseases
• Helped lead discovery programs by setting program goals and running working group meetings
• Presented new drug target proposals to senior management after evaluating clinical/preclinical data
• Led biomarker development and generated important efficacy data critical to a successful IND filing
• Generated data for and wrote pre-clinical pharmacology sections of pre-IND and IND documents
• Supervised (direct reports) and mentored research associates in the areas molecular/cellular
immunology and assay development for drug candidate screening
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 1998-2001
Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Medicine, Immunology and Rheumatology with Garry Fathman, MD
• Performed immunology research to characterize GRAIL, a gene important in regulating T cell activation
• Supervised the research of a graduate student and an undergraduate honors student
Worked with Stanford colleagues and the legal group to write and obtain US patent “Anergy-Associated
Genes” US 6,709,840 (Ford, Gregory et al. March 23, 2004) based on some of my research
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Ridge High School, Basking Ridge, NJ 2013-2014
Biology Teacher
• Developed and delivered novel instructional methods using technology, social media and laboratory
inquiry to help students achieve learning objectives. Achieved NJ Certification as a Highly Qualified K-
12 Teacher of Biology.
Kean University, Union, NJ 2012
Adjunct Professor, College of Natural, Applied and Health Sciences
• Developed and taught a unique upper-level undergraduate course titled, “The Biology of Drug
Discovery.” Student teams developed and presented case studies for the discovery and development of
drugs for autoimmune disease and cancer.
Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 2009-2012
Visiting Professor, Masters in Business and Science (MBS) Program
• Developed Personalized Medicine course and got it approved by the Graduate School
• Taught an innovative course in 2010 titled “Drug Discovery Through Pre-Clinical Development.”
Student teams developed hypothetical research plans for the discovery/development of drugs for
autoimmune disease. Students interacted with guest speakers from the pharmaceutical industry.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology. Rutgers University/UMDNJ New Brunswick, NJ 1998
• Research focused on T cell and B cell biology
• Dissertation: "Regulation of CD40L expression and roles for CD40L in T cell-B cell interactions."
• Teaching assistant (1994-1996) for Undergraduate courses in Immunology, Genetics and General Biology
B. S. in Biology. Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA. 1991
• Graduated with honors. Degree minor in Psychology.
• Participated in Microbiology research collaboration with NASA.
AWARDS
Bristol-Myers Squibb (2006). “Triumph DOC Award” for the transition of an Immunology drug
•
discovery program (CCR2 antagonist) to clinical development
Bristol-Myers Squib (2003, 2005, 2008). STAR Awards for the development of key cell-based assays
•
Stanford University (1999-2001). NIH Immunology Training Grant Fellowship Award
•
PUBLICATIONS
Anandasabapathy, N., Ford, G. S., Bloom, D., Holness, C., Paragas, V., Seroogy, C., Hollen-Horst, M., Fathman, C.
G., and L. Soares. GRAIL: an E3 ubiquitin ligase that inhibits cytokine gene transcription is expressed in anergic
CD4+ T cells. (2003) Immunity. 18(4):535-47.
Ermann, J., Szanya, V., Ford, G. S., Paragas, V., Fathman, C. G., and K. Lejon.
CD4 CD25 T cells facilitate the induction of T cell anergy. (2001) J. Immunol. 167:4271-5.
Barnhart, B., Kosinski, P. A., Wang, Z., Ford, G. S., Kiledjian, M., and Covey, L. (2000). Identification of a
complex that binds to the CD154 3'-untranslated region: implications for a role in message stability during T cell
activation. J. Immunol. 165:4478-4486.
Barnhart, B., Ford, G., Bhushan, A., Song, C., and Covey, L. (2000). A polymorphic CD40 ligand (CD154)
molecule mediates CD40-dependent signaling but interferes with the ability of soluble CD40 to functionally block
CD154:CD40 interactions. Immunol. 99:54-61.
Ford, G., Barnhart, B., Shone, S., and Covey, L. (1999). Regulation of CD154 (CD40 Ligand) mRNA stability
during T cell activation. J. Immunol. 162:4037-4044.
Ford, G., Yin, C., Barnhart, B., Sztam, K., and Covey, L. (1998). CD40 ligand exerts differential effects on the
expression of Iγ transcripts in subclones of an IgM+ human B cell lymphoma line. J. Immunol. 160:595-605.