Dr Robb Akridge
Vice President of Clinical Research Pacific Bioscience Labs, USA
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Vice President of Clinical Research Pacific Bioscience Labs, Inc., Bellevue, WA
• Design, develop and implement dermatological studies to examine efficacy and safety of skin related technology (CLARISONIC; www.clarisonic.com).
• Oversee all aspects of clinical trials.
• Corporate liaison to all external collaborators.
• Investigate new technologies and new applications for existing technologies (includes patent and grant submissions).
• Responsible for developing and overseeing departmental budget.
• Develop clinical plan for claim substantiation.
• Manage clinical staff.
• Matrix manager for Professional Sales and Marketing providing oversight, support and direction.
• Company founder (1 of 5) and served on Pacific Bioscience Laboratories Board of Directors.
Program Manager (International Lab Development) HIV Vaccine Trial Network, Seattle, WA
• Responsible for expansion and development of international laboratories associated with the HIV Vaccine Trial Network (HVTN). Focused on evaluating infrastructure and personnel at these potential lab sites.
• Developed a laboratory network consisting of 22 labs in 14 countries.
• Trained, equipped, evaluated and certified laboratories to conduct HVTN vaccine trials.
• Mentored laboratory personnel and assisted them in correcting any deficiencies observed.
• Responsible for review of all budget proposals related to laboratory issues.
• Conducted annual lab audits.
• Evaluated and approved infrastructure changes (e.g. ventilation reconstruction).
Product Development (Manager) ICOS Corp., Bothell, WA.
• Product development manager interfacing with departmental groups (e.g. Chemical Manufacturing, Non-clinical, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs) to ensure that potential drug products are actively progressing through the FDA drug pipeline in a cost effective and timely manner.
• Project manager for early products development. Assisting researchers with molecules having the potential of moving from the basic research phase into product development.
Project Leader (Sr. Scientist) Philips Oral Healthcare (formerly Optiva), Snoqualmie, WA.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team to develop, implement and communicate the strategic and technical direction for clinical and non-clinical research as the result of litigation (estimated at $2.5 million dollars in research/year).
• Directed all oral biology projects and personnel with emphasis on oral biofilms (both internal and external).
Laboratory Medicine Fellow, University of Washington, AIDS Vaccine Evaluation Unit, Seattle, WA.
• Functioned as Co-Chair for specific ACTG/AVEU clinical trials for AIDS Vaccine development
• Wrote and reviewed ACTG/AVEU clinical protocols for AIDS Vaccine clinical trials.
• Liaison between immunology lab and national AIDS clinical trial group (ACTG).
• Developed and implemented immunological and molecular based methods to evaluate vaccine efficacy while overseeing laboratory functions, health, and safety.
Earlier Employment:
• HIV and parasitology research. Seattle Biomedical Research Institute; Seattle, WA
• Parasitology and immunology research. Texas A&M University; College Station, TX
PATENTS
PAT. NO. Title
• D523,809 Charger for an electric skin brush
• 6,309,835 Methods for quantitating the efficacy of oral care products
PUB. APP. NO. Title
• 20050278877 Brush configuration for a powered skin cleansing brush appliance
• 20040116913 System for treatment of acne skin condition using a narrow band light source
Additional Patents Recently Submitted
EDUCATION
• PHD, Microbiology (Immunology, Parasitology) Texas A&M Univ.
• MS, Biology (Mycology), Southwest Texas State University.
• BS, Biology (Botany) University of Texas (Austin).
COMMUNITY SERVICE
• Scientific Advisor for AIDS Vaccine Community Advisory Board -1995-1997.
• Co-chair for HIV-NET and AVEG Community Advisory Board -1998-2002.
• Vice-President of City Music (A non-profit organization supporting worthy social, environmental and educational organizations) – 1999-2003.
PUBLICATIONS
1. Draelos ZD, Akridge R. An Efficacy Assessment of a Novel Skin Cleansing Device in Seborrheic Dermatitis. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology: In Press.
2. Akridge RE, Pilcher K. Development of sonic technology for the daily cleansing of the skin Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2006 5 (2):181-183.
3. Hladik F, Bender S, Akridge RE, Hu YX, Galloway C, Francis D, McElrath MJ. Recombinant HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 induces distinct types of delayed hypersensitivity in persons with or without pre-existing immunologic memory. J Immunol. 2001 Mar 1;166(5):3580-8.
4. Fahey JL, Aziz N, Spritzler J, Plaeger S, Nishanian P, Lathey JL, Seigel J, Landay AL, Kilarui R, Schmitz JL, White C, Wara DW, Akridge R, Cutili J, Douglas SD, Reuben J, Shearer WT, Nokta M, Polland R, Schooley R, Asthana D, Mizrachi Y, Waxdal M. Need for an external proficiency testing program for cytokines, chemokines, and plasma markers of immune activation. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. 2000 Jul;7(4):540-8.
5. Hladik F, Lentz G, Akridge RE, Peterson G, Kelley H, McElroy A, McElrath MJ. Dendritic cell-T-cell interactions support coreceptor-independent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission in the human genital tract. J Virol. 1999 Jul;73(7):5833-42.
6. Akridge R, Hladik F, Markee J, Alef C, Kelley H, Collier A, Collier A, McElrath MJ. Cellular immunity and target cell susceptibility in persons with repeated HIV-1 exposure. Immunol Lett. 1999 Mar;66(1-3):15-9.
7. Goh WC, Markee J, Akridge RE, Meldorf M, Musey L, Karchmer T, Krone M, Collier A, Corey L, Emerman M, McElrath MJ. Related Articles, Links Protection against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in persons with repeated exposure: evidence for T cell immunity in the absence of inherited CCR5 coreceptor defects. J Infect Dis. 1999 Mar;179(3):548-57.
8. Krieger JN, Nirapathpongporn A, Chaiyaporn M, Peterson G, Nikolaeva I, Akridge R, Ross SO, Coombs RW. Vasectomy and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in semen.J Urol. 1998 Mar;159(3):820-5; discussion 825-6.
9. Kent SJ, Greenberg PD, Hoffman MC, Akridge RE, McElrath MJ. Antagonism of vaccine-induced HIV-1-specific CD4+ T cells by primary HIV-1 infection: potential mechanism of vaccine failure. J Immunol. 1997 Jan 15;158(2):807-15.
10. Akridge RE, Reed SG Interleukin-12 decreases human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication in human macrophage cultures reconstituted with autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells. J Infect Dis. 1996 Mar;173(3):559-64.
11. Akridge RE, Oyafuso LK, Reed SG. IL-10 is induced during HIV-1 infection and is capable of decreasing viral replication in human macrophages. J Immunol. 1994 Dec 15;153(12):5782-9.
12. Nawar O, Akridge RE, Hassan E, el Gazar R, Doughty BL, Kemp WM. The effect of zinc deficiency on granuloma formation, liver fibrosis, and antibody responses in experimental schistosomiasis. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1992 Sep;47(3):383-9.
13. Cao M, Akridge R, Weston D, Kemp WM, Doughty BL. Schistosoma mansoni: cloning and sequencing of a gene for adenylate kinase. Exp Parasitol. 1992 May;74(3):357-9.
