Clinical

Nancy M. Kivel, M.D., is the Chief Medical Officer for RFS Pharma.  Dr. Kivel received her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine and completed her residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.  She was on staff at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. She worked as a Medical Monitor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and was most recently Medical Director for ActivBiotics, an anti-infective biopharmaceutical company, based in Boston.  Dr. Kivel brings her years of experience with clinical trials to RFS Pharma to ensure that drugs are moved swiftly and smoothly through all phases of clinical testing.

Judy Mathew, B.S., M.S., is the Director of Clinical Operations for RFS Pharma. Ms. Mathew has more than 10 years of research experience in pharmaceutical and academic settings. Prior to joining RFS Pharma, Ms. Mathew was the Assistant Director of Programs at The Hope Clinic of the Emory Vaccine Center (HIV Vaccine Trials Network, NIH site) with responsibility for directing the strategic planning, development and implementation of clinical study initiatives while assuring compliance with local, state, and regulatory guidelines and regulations. Ms. Mathew holds a bachelor of science degree in biological sciences from Rutgers University and a master of science degree in toxicology from the University of Georgia. She brings to the company an extensive knowledge of clinical trials operations and logistical considerations in drug development.

Biology

Tony Whitaker, M.S., is the Director of Biology and has experience with hepatitis in cell and molecular biology, protein expression, and assay development. His most recent, past position was senior scientist at Pharmasset, Inc., where he was involved in developing a hepatitis replicon assay,  a hepatitis virus, RNA-directed, RNA polymerase assay, assays for  human enzymes involved in nucleoside and nucleotide metabolism, and preparation of stable cell lines expressing hepatitis B virus. Previously, Mr. Whitaker held positions at Fox Chase Cancer Center and Avid Therapeutics.  He has 26 years of molecular biology experience.

Chemistry
Steven J. Coats, Ph.D., is the Senior Director of Chemistry. Dr. Coats has more than 10 years of drug discovery and development experience in biotech and large pharmaceutical companies. Prior to joining RFS Pharma, Dr. Coats was Principal Scientist at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, LLC, in Philadelphia with responsibility for discovery project management and synthetic medicinal chemistry spanning numerous therapeutic areas. Dr. Coats holds a bachelors and a masters degree in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a post-doctoral associate at Yale University, has co-authored numerous research publications in peer reviewed journals, and is co-inventor on 19 issued or pending patents.

Junxing Shi, Ph.D., is the Associate Director of Chemistry for RFS Pharma.  Dr. Shi received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Zurich, Switzerland.  After two years of postdoctoral experience in the area of antiviral heterocyclic chemistry at Georgia State University, he joined Dr. R. F. Schinazi's laboratory at Emory University to work in the field of antiviral and anticancer nucleosides and nucleotides.  Prior to joining  RFS Pharma,  Dr. Shi worked at Pharmasset Inc., as an Associate Director of Chemistry Development. He brings to the company extensive experience in antiviral and anticancer drugs research and development.

Operations  

William H. Ollinger, Jr., C.P.A., is the Vice President of Finance and has been with RFS Pharma since September 2005. Prior to joining RFS Pharma, Mr. Ollinger served as Controller & Director of Financial Operations for Pharmasset, Inc. from 2000 to 2005, where he was responsible for financial and tax accounting and human resources.  Mr. Ollinger is a C.P.A. and received a B.B.A. from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Director