Hackensack Meridian Health announced its board of directors and other leaders of the new Center for Discovery and Innovation — a research center it launched on the new medical school campus in Clifton and Nutley.
Dr. Sol J. Barer was named chair of the board of directors and Dr. David S. Perlin was named chief scientific officer, according to a Monday statement from HMH.
The CDI is in what used to be the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, and is focused on translating research into clinical solutions.
“The Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation is bringing together the greatest minds in science and medicine to make significant breakthroughs in cancer, infectious diseases and regenerative medicine research,” said Robert Garrett, CEO of HMH. “With Dr. Barer as chair of the board of directors and Dr. Perlin as chief scientific officer, CDI will continue to push the boundaries of medicine forward.”
Barer is a biotechnology industry veteran, and the founder and former chairman, CEO, president and chief operating officer of Celgene Corp. He is also on the board of directors of Teva Pharmaceuticals, which recently moved its headquarters to New Jersey, is a managing partner at SJ Barer Consulting and advisor to the Israel Biotech Fund.
“The Center for Discovery and Innovation encourages critical advances in medicine by bringing together today’s best and brightest to enhance patient outcomes,” Barer said. “As chair of the board of directors, I look forward to transforming biomedical research by empowering innovation.”
Perlin is a biomedical researcher and administrator, and widely recognized as a global leader in antifungal drug resistance, molecular diagnostics and drug discovery, according to the statement from HMH.
Perlin is the former executive director of the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School’s Public Health Research Institute and former director of the Rutgers Regional Biocontainment Laboratory.
“This is an incredible time to be in the field of science, where diseases that were once considered untreatable are now curable,” Perlin said. “The Center for Discovery and Innovation is accelerating the timeline from discovery to treatment. In my role as chief scientific officer, I am excited to work with top researchers in the field to develop innovative therapies to treat some of the world’s most difficult diseases.”
Dr. Andrew Pecora, chief innovation officer at Hackensack Meridian Health, said the CDI, whose goal is to encourage development of intellectual property, is leading the way in research and innovation, and the addition of Perlin and Barer grows its influence.
“Dr. Barer and Dr. Perlin are two of the most influential medical minds of our time, and, through their visionary leadership, we will transform patient care through groundbreaking research and clinical expertise,” Pecora said.
