Mark Zervas

Academic Background. I earned my Ph.D. from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. My thesis is titled “Ganglioside Expression and Function in Development and Disease“. Subsequently, I was a funded postdoctoral fellow at the NYU School of Medicine where I studied mouse genetics and developmental neuroscience. My academic tract continued as a faculty member at Brown University where I mentored five graduate students who earned their Ph.D. from my lab. I also mentored two post docs, three undergraduate students, and a high school student. Collectively, my lab published 14 papers on developmental neurobiology and developmental disorders and was funded to conduct novel research. Drug Discovery Background. I was recruited to Amgen where I lead a research group focused on in vivo models, drug discovery, and neuropathic pain. I then conducted a 6 month industry sabbatical at deCODE Genetics in Reykjavik, Iceland merging human genetics and drug discovery efforts. Subsequently, I recruited a new team and focused on genetic-based targets for Parkinson’s Disease. A new opportunity was presented at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals where I led a team focused on RNAi based therapeutics and ocular diseases. Current Activities. I am currently the Deputy Director of Translational Science at Cohen Veterans Bioscience. I lead a team that uses a multidisciplinary approach to understand disease mechanisms and develop therapies for complex neurological disorders including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Parkinson’s Disease.