Project Team
The interdisciplinary JUMP team brought together thought leaders that provided input in the development of the JUMP tools from clinical, industry, pathology, and organizational perspectives.
Project manager
Jane Kinghorn, UCL Translational Project Manager
Jane obtained her PhD in Molecular Toxicology from the University of Surrey and has more than 15 years experience within the pharmaceutical industry. She has applied various techniques from high content imaging, multiplexed immunoassays, Affymetric arrays and quantitative PCR to the field of biomarker discovery and validation, assessing in vivo models, human exvivo cell systems and clinical samples. Jane has extensive experience in project management up to first-time-in-man. At GlaxoSmithKline, Jane was responsible for coordinating gene expression and epigenetic biomarker studies for the Immunoinflammation therapeutic area. Her expertise is in the application of cell biology and molecular/genetic technniques to advance biomarkers in the areas of Neuroscience and Immunoinflammation.
Management lead and PI
Simcha Jong, Assistant Professor, Programme Director UCL Healthcare Management Initiative, UCL School of Management
Simcha’s research focuses on business development challenges involved in the commercialisation of disruptive biomedical innovations. He has expertise working with academic entrepreneurs, biotechnology companies and big pharma in the implementation of organizationally disruptive medical technologies such as cell therapy products and point of care diagnostics services in viral disease management in the clinical context of the NHS. Simcha’s research has been published in top management journals as well as prominent practitioner-oriented publications such as Nature Biotechnology.
Lead for tool design and development
Anna Gola, Research Associate in Management Science and Innovation
Anna’s research centers on the fields of health economics and personalized medicine, examining the challenges involved in the development of economic models and commercialization strategies for health-related products and services. Anna joined UCL from Imperial College London where she obtained a PhD in Mathematics and Statistics from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Hepatitis C lead
William Rosenberg, UCL Peter Scheuer Chair of Liver Disease, lnstitute of Liver and Digestive Health, Division of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences.
William has a long-standing interest in the immune response to hepatitis viruses. We have built upon knowledge of the interactions between host and viruses to develop vaccines for the prophylaxis and treatment of viral hepatitis. In addition we investigate biomarkers of liver fibrosis. Our work has led to the identification of a panel of markers that can determine the severity of liver fibrosis and prognosis. We are currently undertaking further research to identify new markers of liver fibrosis using metabonomics and proteomics. The Group also initiates and participates in clinical studies ranging from epidemiology to clinical trials of drugs and diagnostic tests.
Industry lead
André Capt, Director New Business, Janssen Diagnostics
André has been working since more than 20 years both in the diagnostic and the pharmaceutical industry. Since the mid nineties he has been involved in the launch of diagnostic tools that have enabled the transformation of HIV care into chronic disease. As part of Janssen Diagnostics, his passion is about personalized medicine and its potential to improve outcomes for specific patients through targeted therapies.
Pathology lead
Deenan Pillay, UCL Professor of Virology
Deenan is head of the Research Department of Infection and Honorary Consultant Virologist at University College London Hospital. He is Director of the NIHR UCLH/UCL Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre, and is also UCL Partners Programme Director for Infectious Diseases. His research focuses on the biological and clinical implications of HIV drug resistance, and the molecular epidemiology of HIV. In addition, he works on international studies of HIV treatment rollout, and is Director of one of the five WHO Specialist Reference Laboratories for HIV drug resistance.