Board of Directors

Current Members:

Allen B. Reitz, Ph.D.; PDDI President, Chairman of the Board, and Founding Member: Dr. Reitz is CEO of the Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center, Inc. (FCCDC), and ALS Biopharma, LLC.  He has three decades of experience in the area of medicinal chemistry, including 26 years with Johnson & Johnson.  He led the medicinal chemistry efforts in the area of diseases of the central nervous system for 16 years at the J&J facility in Spring House, PA, which accounted for the introduction of seven new drug candidates into human clinical evaluation.  He has 60 issued U.S. patents and 140 scientific publications.  In addition, Dr. Reitz is the Founding Editor of the jouirnals Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry (www.bentham.org/ctmc) and Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship.  He is experienced in the area of translational drug discovery as a scientist and entrepreneur.  [link to LinkedIn page]

Dennis M. Gross, M.S., Ph.D.; PDDI Chief Executive Officer and Secretary/Treasurer: Dr. Gross is also Adjunct Faculty in the Jefferson Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the Sidney Kimmel Medical School of Thomas Jefferson University and adjunct Professor of Basic Sciences at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.  He received B.A and M.S. degrees in biology from California State University, Northridge and a Ph.D. in cell biology from UCLA; he conducted postdoctoral studies at Tulane University School of Medicine.  Dr. Gross joined Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Labs in 1977 and held several positions of increasing responsibility in his 29-year career: bench scientist, head of computer resources, manager of international strategic planning, and liaison for research and clinical drug development in Japan.  As Senior Director for Business Operations and Planning, he was responsible for global, multisite operations at Merck. He has served as Adjunct Professor of Global Logistics in the School of Business and Industry of Florida A&M University and has worked with the Center for Strategic and International Studies on policy issues relating to biological WMD.  From 2006 until July 2014, Dr. Gross has served as Associate Dean and Director, College of Graduate Studies at Thomas Jefferson University and Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in Jefferson Medical College.  [link to LinkedIn page]

Rodney A. Bednar, Ph.D.; PDDI Vice President, Chair of Philadelphia Chapter of LRIG: Dr. Bednar is a drug discovery scientist and industry leader in the biochemistry and automation of lead optimization assays. The LRIG is an organization with over 12,000 members worldwide, principally from biopharma, with an interest in lab automation and data management.  Until recently, he was a Director at the Merck Research Laboratories, where he was recognized with a Special Achievement Award for providing leadership in the use of fragment-based screening in more than 30 discovery programs. Dr. Bednar is an adjunct faculty at SUNY-Stony Brook, where he holds joint appointments as Assistant Professor of Pharmacological Sciences in the Medical School and Assistant Professor of Chemistry in the School of Arts and Sciences. He received his Ph.D. in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Delaware and did postdoc training in biochemistry and physical organic chemistry at Brandeis University. He has 52 refereed publications, 38 abstracts, and over 23 invited talks.  [link to LinkedIn page]

Bruce E. Maryanoff, Ph.D.; PDDI Professor of Chemical Biology and Chair of Scientific Advisory Board: Dr. Maryanoff is also Foundation Distinguished Professor of the Institute for Hepatitis and Virus Research; Investigator, The Scripps Research Institute-La Jolla; and Associate Editor, ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters. He retired from Johnson & Johnson after 36 years of service in the field of medicinal chemistry, having led drug discovery research mainly in central nervous system and cardiovascular areas.  This activity resulted in 23 compounds entering preclinical development, 13 of which advanced to human clinical studies. Dr. Maryanoff discovered TOPAMAX (topiramate), a billion-dollar drug that is useful for the treatment of epilepsy and migraine.  He has published 275 scientific papers and is an inventor on 100 U.S. patents (issued or pending); has received three American Chemical Society (ACS) national awards and the 2009 Edward E. Smissman Award; and was inducted into the ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame in 2008.  He was elected Fellow in the ACS (inaugural class), American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Royal Society of Chemistry.  [link to LinkedIn page]

Joseph F. Aceto, Ph.D, Esq., Attorney at Law and Counsel at Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell and Hippel: Dr. Aceto graduated from Temple University with a Ph.D. in pharmacology and from Widener University with a J.D. in law. He is a registered Intellectual Property attorney and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. His private practice involves primarily patent prosecution and licensing, working extensively with biotech and pharmaceutical companies, universities, and non-profit research institutions. He has worked with individual inventors, partnerships, and companies in securing patent protection and establishing a portfolio around new pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostics. Dr. Aceto is also Of Counsel at Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell and Hippel, where he assists companies in establishing and securing copyright and trademark protection.  [link to LinkedIn page]

Paul S. Anderson, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, DuPont-Merck (ret.): Dr. Anderson received a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Vermont in 1959 and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of New Hampshire in 1963. After postdoctoral work at Cornell University, he joined Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories where he rose through the ranks to become Vice President for Chemistry at West Point, PA. In 1994, he retired from Merck to become the Senior Vice President for Chemical and Physical Sciences at the DuPont-Merck Pharmaceuticals Company (later DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company). In 1997 Dr. Anderson served as President of the American Chemical Society (ACS). He received the E. B. Herschberg Award for important discoveries in medicinally-active substances from the ACS in 1995. He received a Doctor of Science Honoris Causa from the University of Vermont and a Doctor of Chemistry Honoris Causa from the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Anderson was recipient of the ACS Award in Industrial Chemistry in 2001, the Perkin Medal in 2002 and the National Academy of Sciences Award for Chemistry in Service to Society in 2003. In 2006, the ACS recognized Dr. Anderson with its highest honor, the Priestley Medal.  [link to LinkedIn page]

Ned D. Heindel, Ph.D., Howard S. Bunn Chair Professor, Lehigh University: Dr. Heindel received a B.S. in chemistry at Lebanon Valley College in 1959 and a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware in 1963. After an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship at Princeton University, he joined the faculties of Marshall University and Ohio University. In 1966 he relocated to Lehigh University where his research has involved the development of diagnostic and therapeutic products. Dr. Heindel has consulted in big and small pharma, and has mentored 41 doctoral students, 147 M.S. students, and 27 postdoctoral fellows, most of whom have undertaken careers inside the pharmaceutical industry. He has served on 2 corporate boards, 5 scientific advisory boards, 3 editorial boards, 4 professional boards, and 2 government commissions. He directs the medicinal chemistry research program of Azevan Pharmaceuticals and the drug development program for Project CounterACT-Rutgers, a federal program seeking antidotes for sulfur mustard poisoning. In 1994 Dr. Heindel served as President of the American Chemical Society (ACS). He holds 11 patents and has published 282 papers. He received the NOBCChE-Henry Hill Award in medicinal chemistry, the Brady Foundation award for research in tumor-imaging radiopharmaceuticals, and the Hillman award for educational and research achievements. In 2009 he was named a Fellow of the ACS.  [link to LinkedIn page]

Marlene A. Jacobson, Associate Professor of Pharmacodynamics and Associate Director of the Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University School of Pharmacy: Dr. Jacobson received a bachelor degree in chemistry from Douglass College, Rutgers University, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Delaware. She was awarded a NIH Post-Doctoral Fellowship at MIT with a secondary appointment as Visiting Fellow in Genetics at Harvard Medical School. In 1987, Dr. Jacobson joined Merck Research Laboratories, where she pursued drug discovery and preclinical development in areas of neuroscience, including schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and sleep disorders.  Dr. Jacobson is recognized for her contributions to the discovery and development of allosteric modulators of G-protein-coupled receptors, including muscarinic and metabotropic glutamate receptors. In 2012, she joined the faculty of Temple University's School of Pharmacy.  Her current research interests include identification of treatments for neuropathic lysosomal storage disorders, and novel screening methods and assay development for drug discovery.

Gregory F. Krug, President, Lampire Biological Laboratories, Inc.: Mr. Krug, founder of Lampire Biological Laboratories, has guided the company’s growth and development since its inception in 1977.  He completed acquisition of the corporation in 1979 and holds 100% ownership; he is responsible for the operation and financial performance of the company.  As Chief Executive officer, Mr. Krug has the ultimate responsibility for compliance with all federal, state, and local regulatory agencies.  As Institutional Official, Mr. Krug appoints the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to review, investigate and report all activities related to Animal Welfare in compliance with 9 CFR Chapter (Code of Federal Regulation). He is active in  professional associations and highly involved in the local community.  Mr. Krug received the Achievement Award in Animal Science for his accomplishments in the field from Delaware Valley College Alumni Association, the 2005 Entrepreneur Award by Pennsylvania Business Central, and 2006 Pennsylvania Small Business Exporter of the Year Award by the Small Business Administration.  [link to LinkedIn page]

Dr. James K. Murray, Jr. – Professor of Organic Chemistry, Department of Natural & Computational Sciences, Immaculata University

Dr. Jim Murray received his B.S. (1996) in Chemistry and his M.S. (1997) and Ph.D. (2003) in Organic Chemistry from Drexel University. During his undergraduate studies he worked as an analytical chemist analyzing polymer modifiers at Rohm & Haas Corporation and as an organic chemist in the medicinal chemistry department of GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. Murray has over 25 years’ experience in organic synthesis, product isolation/purification, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analysis. He has been on the faculty of Immaculata University since the fall of 2001 teaching courses in organic, medicinal, physical, and inorganic chemistry. Dr. Murray’s research interests cover the areas of organic chemistry, organic chemistry education, and medicinal chemistry education. He is interested in developing experiments that introduce new methodologies and techniques that can be used as effective teaching tools and to developing methods to introduce medicinal chemistry concepts into the undergraduate organic chemistry curriculum. Dr. Murray is a past officer of the Philadelphia Organic Chemists’ Club (POCC), 2019 Chair of the Philadelphia Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS), and a member of the ACS Divisions of Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, and Chemical Education.

Alumni: