Robin Couch is a research scientist who is investigating the development of new therapeutics for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Couch is currently evaluating the effectiveness of neuroprotection, which involves the use of neurotrophins, or molecules naturally produced by resident cells in the brain, to defend the brain cells from death. This includes nerve growth factor which is a specific neurotrophin that binds to brain cells and promotes their survival. His other research interests include isoprene biosynthesis, personalized medicine and anti-cholesterol therapeutics.

Pamela Greenwood uses behavioral, genetic and computational methods to investigate the cognitive sciences. Her overall goal is to find ways to identify older individuals who are likely to remain healthy and those who are likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Her research focuses on genes which regulate both normal cognitive aging and abnormal cognitive aging. She looks for effects of gene-to-gene interactions on cognitive aging, notably genes associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, including the Apolipoprotein E gene and neurotransmission genes. Greenwood serves as a reviewer for the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging Special Emphasis Panels and for the National Science Foundation’s Cognitive Neuroscience Program.

One of the first scientists to investigate the process of tumor invasion and metastasis at the molecular level, Liotta has invented technologies in the fields of diagnostics, immunoassays, microdissection, and proteomics that have been used to make broad discoveries in genomics, functional genetics, and tissue proteomics. Prior to joining George Mason University, he served as chief of the Laboratory of Pathology at the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research and as deputy director for Intramural Research at the National Institutes of Health. Liotta earned a medical degree and a doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University. His research contributions have generated 90 issued patents and more than 600 articles in peer-reviewed publications. Included among Liotta’s numerous awards for cancer research are three Public Health Service Commissioned Corps medals, the Arthur S. Fleming Award, the Warner Lambert/Parke Davis Award, the Rhoads Memorial Award, the Milken Family Foundation Award for Basic Research, the Lila Gruber Cancer Research Award, the U.S. Surgeon General’s Medallion, and the Maud L. Menten Lecture Award. In addition, he is the recipient of the National Institutes of Health Award of Merit, the Cotlove Research Award, the Ballantyne Distinguished Lectureship Research Award, and the Philip Levine Award for Outstanding Research.

Liotta and Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine Co-director Emanuel F. Petricoin III, who are internationally recognized for their pioneering research in proteomics and molecular medicine, co-founded the George Mason University Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine in 2005. They currently are exploring their recent discovery of an archive of protein fragments in the blood that are biomarker candidates for breast, ovarian, and lung cancers. Their immediate goals are to validate these potential biomarkers in clinical trials to determine their feasibility in the diagnosis of cancer prior to metastasis, and to analyze molecular pathways in diseased tissue to determine individualized and targeted treatments for patients. The team also is investigating the development and use of nanotechnology to synergize with proteomic tools for new types of biosensors, nanoparticles for biomarker discovery, and nanoelectronics. Liotta and Petricoin have more than 20 patents pending in the areas of cancer theranostics, biomarkers, and related technologies.

Seto is an associate professor in Mason’s Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology specializing in microbial and viral genomics. He recently collaborated with the University of Hong Kong, Guangzhou Children’s Hospital, the South China Institute of Technology and the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences to develop a DNA-based vaccine that has effectively protected mice from the human adenovirus type-3 which is also known as the “uncommon cold.” In addition to his post at Mason, Seto was concurrently a scientific advisor to the USAF Surgeon General and the Director of molecular diagnostics for the USAF-EOS program. His research interests include bioinformatics, genome analysis, genomics, biochemistry, DNA sequencing, and biodetection.

Seto’s lab team is currently focusing on the genomic and bioinformatics analysis of adenovirus genomes, with an interest in mechanisms of molecular evolution of these virus pathogens. In addition, his lab is working on software tools development for whole genome data mining and analyses. A current collaboration with scientists from Canada and Belgium is using these tools to sort out bacteriophage taxonomy. He also has expertise in nucleic acids core facilities development, operations and management. Prior to joining Mason, Seto was involved in several biotech companies as well as a pharmaceutical company, immediately after a position at the National Institutes of Health. He earned a doctorate in biology from The Johns Hopkins University and was a postdoctorate fellow with Dr. Leroy Hood at the California Institute of Technology.