Working Group Members

This is the trans-NIH Working Group that oversees the development, implementation, communication, and assessment of the Common Fund program.

Co-Chairs:

Co-Chairs are Institute or Center (IC) directors or IC senior staff who lead the Working Group and have the authority to approve major activities and funding actions.

  • Jon Lorsch, Ph.D. 
    Director
    National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
     
  • Santa Tumminia, Ph.D.
    Deputy Director
    National Eye Institute (NEI)

Leadership Team & Points of Contact:

Coordinators, Program Leaders, and Project Team Leaders serve as the day to day leadership for the program and the Working Group. Also included here are points of contact for areas of program management.

Working Group Coordinators: 

  • Preethi Chander, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Salivary Biology and Immunology Program
    National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
     
  • Paula Flicker, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Biophysics Branch
    National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
     
  • Mary Ann Wu, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Biomedical Technology Branch
    National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Common Fund Program Leader:

  • Ravi Basavappa, Ph.D.
    Program Leader
    Office of Strategic Coordination
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)
     

Points of Contact:

  • Ellie Murcia, M.Ed.
    Business Operations and Analysis Contact
    Program Specialist
    Office of Strategic Coordination
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)
     
  • Veronica Taylor, Ph.D.
    Strategic Planning, Evaluation, and Communications Contact
    Health Science Policy Analyst
    Office of Strategic Coordination
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)
     

Members:

The Working Group Members are staff from multiple NIH Institutes and Centers who provide input from their Institute or Center’s perspective.

  • Anowarul Amin, Ph.D. (Contractor) Primary 
    Program Director
    Structural Biology and Molecular Applications Branch 
    Division of Cancer Biology
    National Cancer Institute (NCI)
     
  • Jake Basson, Ph.D.
    Program Analyst
    Division of Data Integration, Modeling, and Analytics
    National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
     
  • Liliana L. Brown, Ph.D.
    Director
    Office of Genomics and Advanced Technologies
    Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
    National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
     
  • Denis B. Buxton, Ph.D.
    Associate Director for Basic and Early Translational Research
    National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
     
  • Jue Chen, Ph.D.
    AIDS Program Cardiovascular Team Leader
    National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
     
  • Jennifer Couch, Ph.D. (Alternate)
    Chief
    Structural Biology and Molecular Applications Branch
    Division of Cancer Biology
    National Cancer Institute (NCI)
     
  • Lyn B. Jakeman, Ph.D.
    Director
    Division of Neuroscience
    National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
     
  • James Luo, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Advanced Technologies & Surgery Branch
    National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
     
  • Stefan Maas, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Cancer Cell Biology Branch
    Division of Cancer Biology
    National Cancer Institute (NCI)
     
  • David McDonald, Ph.D.
    Program Officer
    Division of AIDS
    National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
     
  • Michael Sakalian, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Biophysics Branch
    National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
     
  • Salvatore Sechi, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases
    National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
     
  • George K. Essien Umanah, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Channels, Synapses, and Circuits
    National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
     
  • Kiran Vemuri, Ph.D.
    Program Officer
    Chemistry and Pharmacology Branch
    National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
     
  • Jason Wan, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Mineralized Tissue Physiology Program
    National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
     
  • Guanghu (Jeff) Wang, Ph.D, M.B.A.
    Health Scientist Administrator
    Office of Research Infrastructure Programs
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)
     
  • Ronald Warren, Ph.D.
    Program Director
    Molecular, Cellular & Systems Blood Science Branch
    National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
     
  • Chuck Wright, Ph.D.
    Program Analyst
    Division of Extramural Science Programs
    National Eye Institute (NEI)

This page last reviewed on April 26, 2022