Medical Project

Christopher Joseph O’Brien

Contacts: Address:

C 215-***-**** 7523 Tremendo Drive

**********@*****.*** Houston TX 77083

EDUCATION

****-**** ****** ******* ** MEDICINE

Resident, Department of Neurology

2005-2006 UMDNJ ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON COOPER UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Medical Intern, Department of Internal Medicine

1997-2005 THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY

Doctor of Medicine, Neurology Major

1997-2005 THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY

Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and Neurosciences

1991-1995 YALE UNIVERSITY

Bachelor of Arts, History of Science and History of Medicine with concentration in Biology

EXPERIENCE

08/11-02/13 Latin American Family Practice Center

Clinician; Care and follow up under the supervision of the medical director in this primarily Spanish speaking family practice center with patients ranging in age from 6 months to 93 years old.

08/10-08/11 D&S Clinic

Clinician, Manager; Focused on rehabilitation of the injured or debilitated patients and managed the office employees in this poly-modal therapeutic center.

06/95 08-96 Richwood Pharmaceutical Company

Sales Associate; Represented the interests of this pharmaceutical company throughout the New York metropolitan region.

RESEARCH

1999-2005 Thomas Jefferson University College of Graduate Studies, Graduate Student

Developed and characterized a transgenic mouse model of Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA). Investigated molecular mechanisms that lead from a mutant androgen receptor ultimately to neuronal death.

Presented to the American Society of Human Genetics (2001/2002) and to the HDF HD: 2002 (2002).

1993-2005 Hereditary Disease Foundation, Huntington’s Disease Venezuela Project, Research Associate

Gathered and Analyzed data from an ongoing project which examines the mutant Huntingtin and its effects in an isolated population in rural western Venezuela under Dr. N.S. Wexler of Columbia University.

1993-1995 Yale New Haven Hospital Department of Transplant Surgery, Research Associate

Researched adhesion molecule expression as a marker of rejection in liver and renal allograft recipients.

SERVICE

2004-2007 Hereditary Disease Foundation Mt. Everest Expedition 2005; Raising Awareness and Funding HD research

1999 Dareda Mission Hospital; Dareda Kati, Tanzania

1997-2005 JeffHOPE; Director, St. Columba House Outreach

1997-2000 International Medicine Society; Director

1997 Pheriche Mountain Clinic; Khumbu, Nepal

1997 Missionaries of Charity Hospital; Calcutta, India

1996 Sapodilla Home for Orphaned Children; Grenada, West Indies

HONORS

2005 Jefferson Medical College; Outstanding Student in the Field of Neurology

2005 Jefferson Medical College; Outstanding Student in the Field of Research

1999-2005 Thomas Jefferson University; Foerderer Foundation Research Scholar

1991 Boy Scouts of America; Eagle Scout

INTERESTS

1996-2005 Mountaineering; Ascents of peaks on five continents, Cho-Oyu Himalaya;

2005 OBriens-Everest 2005 HDF Expedition Organizer/Climber

1997-2004 Match Secretary; Jefferson / PCOM Rugby Football Club

1991-1994 Yale Varsity Swimming Team; Ivy League Champions 1993

1987-2011 Proficient in Spanish, MS Office, Excel, Photoshop

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Chevalier-Larsen ES., O’Brien CJ., Wang H., Jenkins SC., Holder L., Lieberman AP. and Merry DE. Castration Restores Function to Aged Symptomatic Males in a Transgenic Mouse Model of SBMA. Journal of Neuroscience. 2004 May 19;24(20):4778-86.

Wexler NS., Lorimer J., Porter J., Gomez F., Moskowitz C., Shackell E., Marder K., Penchaszadeh G., Roberts SA., Gayan J., Brocklebank D., Cherny SS., Cardon LR., Gray J., Dlouhy SR., Wiktorski S., Hodes ME., Conneally PM., Penney JB., Gusella J., Cha JH., Irizarry M., Rosas D., Hersch S., Hollingsworth Z., MacDonald M., Young AB., Andresen JM., Housman DE., De Young MM., Bonilla E., Stillings T., Negrette A., Snodgrass SR., Martinez-Jaurrieta MD., Ramos-Arroyo MA., Bickham J., Ramos JS., Marshall F., Shoulson I., Rey GJ., Feigin A., Arnheim N., Acevedo-Cruz A., Acosta L., Alvir J., Fischbeck K., Thompson LM., Young A., Dure L., O’Brien CJ., Paulsen J., Brickman A., Krch D., Peery S., Hogarth P., Higgins DS Jr., Landwehrmeyer B., U.S.-Venezuela Collaborative Research Project. Venezuelan Kindreds Reveal that Genetic and Environmental Factors Modulate Huntington’s Disease age of onset. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 101(10):3498-503, 2004 Mar 9.

ABSTRACTS

O’Brien CJ., Chevalier-Larsen ES., Wang H., Jenkins SC., Holder L. and Merry DE. Sex Specificity in a Mouse Model of Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy. American Society of Human Genetics. 2002.

O’Brien CJ., Chevalier-Larsen ES., Wang H. and Merry DE. Modeling Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy in the Mouse. Hereditary Disease Foundation HD2002: Changes, Updates and Good News. 2002.

O’Brien CJ., Chevalier-Larsen ES., Wang H., and Merry DE. A Transgenic Mouse Model of Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy. American Society of Human Genetics. 2001.

Re: Support Letter for Christopher Joseph O’Brien

**********@*****.***

To Whom It May Concern:

I have known Christopher O'Brien for over two decades. He is truly an extraordinary person. Chris first worked in our office to help organize the Venezuelan data. He then participated for many years in the Venezuela Project in many different roles and responsibilities. As he is proficient in Spanish, he could work with the Huntington's disease families, help with the clinical examinations, help with cognitive testing, help with tissue sampling and help with quality control; all in a very chaotic environment. Chris understood that people were anxious and upset. He helped them to feel warm, accepted and calm.

Venezuela is often the sieve which separates scientists who have the right combination of brilliance, empathy, warmth and caring from those who respond with horror and even disgust, on occasion. We have had to send some investigators home because they were too traumatized by their surroundings. Their judgment was clouded and they threatened to ruin the research program.

For Chris's Ph.D. dissertation, he took on a very challenging research project on Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA). He created an animal model with SBMA. He then cured it. He worked with a superb neuroscientist, Dr. Diane Merry. Dr. Merry recognized that he had taken on a very difficult project for his dissertation. She appreciated his intellectual and scientific curiosity and willingness to conquer a complex task and not give up. Chris accomplished his dissertation and graduated with many honors from a quite competitive medical school. Chris has recently gained some additional clinical experience in neuro-rehabilitation.

Chris is articulate, interactive, and warm. He embodies wonderful interpersonal skills, integrity and values. He can explain complex information to the scientific and lay audience with eloquence and clarity. He is so patient, a required trait for anyone trying to change the world. To change the world is Chris's passion.

In any company, Chris is the perfect representative for the position of Medical Science Liaison. From his years of neurology and clinical medical training, Chris understands the symptoms and the science behind that presentation. He will fully comprehend all of the potential research endeavors undertaken by your company. Chris has a complete grasp and experience of both the value and difficulties of basic and clinical research. Chris will be a spectacular emissary to the field. He has the essential integrity and intelligence that success in this field requires.

I would be happy to talk to anyone about Chris as a Medical Science Liaison and answer any questions. I think having Chris represent you as a Medical Science Liaison is a match made in heaven.

All best wishes,

Nancy

Nancy S. Wexler, Ph.D.

Higgins Professor of Neuropsychology

Columbia University

1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 6, PI Annex 371

New York, NY 10032

212-***-****, fax 212-***-****

*******@**.****.********.***

President, Hereditary Disease Foundation

212-***-****, fax 212-***-****

www.hdfoundation.org

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