Group Leader and Administrative Core Leader: Dr. Larry Walker, Director of the National Center for Natural Products Research. Dr. Walker is responsible for personnel management, resource allocation, and overall scientific direction of the NCNPR program that has an annual operating budget in excess of $7 M and a staff of 24 PhD level research scientists. Prior to assuming the position of Director of the NCNPR, Dr. Walker had more than 10 yrs of experience in research project management/administration, and was a crucial member of the team that developed natural products research and drug discovery at the University of Mississippi.
Bioassay Core Leader: Dr. David Pasco, Assistant Director, NCNPR. Dr. Pasco is a molecular biologist with 20 years experience in development of assays related to molecular mechanisms for discovery and characterization of anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulator drugs. He has worked for the past 7 years leading the bioassay development and screening team at the NCNPR, which involves 6 research scientists and 8-10 students, postdoctoral researchers and technical staff. Dr. Pasco’s research has been funded by a variety of sources, including NCI and NCCAM, for development of novel molecular bioassays for screening of natural products. In addition, he is currently leading the NCNPR’s work on characterization of toxicological effects of botanical dietary supplements.
AP1 Leader: Dr. Marc Slattery, Associate Professor of Pharmacognosy. Dr. Slattery has 10 years of grant-related project management/administration skills. His laboratory is nationally-recognized in the field of marine chemical ecology and biodiversity assessment. Currently he directs the National Institute of Undersea Science and Technology, Ocean Biotechnology Center and Repository, a NOAA NURP-funded project to identify biotechnological uses of marine invertebrates from US coral reefs using environmentally guided approaches to sourcing. Dr. Slattery is very familiar with the host-country environment (he lived in Jamaica for 10 years), and he has a good working relationship with many local officials and scientists.
AP2 Leader: Dr. Norman J. Quinn, Director of the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory of the University of the West Indies, Jamaica. Dr. Quinn is an experienced marine ecologist who has worked with or directed projects in coastal zone management in Caribbean and South Pacific islands and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. As Director of the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory research station since 2000, he supervises a staff of 26, along with hundreds of visiting scientists and students. He has worked extensively with local fishermen, NGOs and scientists in projects aimed at fisheries improvement, coastal water quality improvement, protection of marine resources, and conservation strategies.
AP3 Leader: Dr. Mark Hamann, Associate Professor of Pharmacognosy. Dr. Hamann has 10 years of grant-related project management/administration skills. His laboratory is nationally recognized in the field of marine natural products isolation, structure elucidation and lead optimization. His funding has been primarily related to drug discovery and development from marine natural products and includes a current NIH RO1 for infectious diseases as well as several industrial contracts. Dr. Hamann has made multiple collecting trips to Jamaica and has a good working relationship with many local officials and scientists.
Other Key Personnel: