About GeneConvene

Dr. Brinda Dass currently serves as Senior Technical Expert and Policy Lead for the GeneConvene Global Collaborative at the FNIH. Dr. Dass has a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology, an MPH, and extensive experience in transgenic laboratory animal care and use, preclinical drug testing, clinical trial management, and review of new animal drug dossiers for genetically engineered products. Other special interests include the regulation of and policy development for engineered insects intended for population suppression, disease mitigation, and invasive species/environmental control.

Their most recent contribution in the risk assessment space is as an expert member of the Convention on Biological Diversity Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Risk Assessment in March-April 2020 and Nov 2023.

Prior to the FNIH and GeneConvene, Dr. Dass served as a Biologist for the FDA from 2012 to 2017. They have provided expert advice and guidance on a variety of topics related to the policy, regulation, and risk assessment of GM insects, especially mosquitos that spread human diseases such as Zika and Dengue, both within FDA as well as across US federal agencies, international organizations, and other stakeholder groups, including the public. They also represented the US FDA on various task forces related to the Zika health emergency, both at the national and international level. Additionally, they also represented the US government as an expert on an International Ad Hoc Expert Group organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the preparation of the biology document on Aedes aegypti.

Ms. Hoffstetter has experience providing organizational support and managing complex projects, including for a not-for-profit organization focused on stabilization initiatives in conflict zones and local commercial enterprises investment projects.

Dr. James is Senior Scientific Advisor at the FNIH, where she works with the GeneConvene Global Collaborative and advises on other programs on global health research. She has a Ph.D. in microbiology, a background in research on parasitic diseases, and more than 30 years of experience leading global health programs.

Prior to joining FNIH in 2004, Dr. James served as Chief of the Parasitology and International Programs Branch in the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US National Institutes of Health, and subsequently as Deputy Director and director of the Global Infectious Disease program at The Ellison Medical Foundation. At FNIH, she served as Director of the Grand Challenges in Global Health Initiative and Director of Science from 2008–2018; Acting Executive Director in 2012; and Senior Vice President for Science from 2018 to 2021. She was the founding Director of the GeneConvene Global Collaborative. Dr. James has served on multiple international advisory committees, including to the World Health Organization, the US Agency for International Development, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Medical Sciences Program. In 1998, she was elected President of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and is presently a Fellow of that society.

Ms. Jones has a master’s degree in public health biology with a focus on fetal hemoglobin and its effects on malaria and sickle cell disease. She is experienced in leading public health programs and projects. Prior to joining the FNIH, she was program manager for a nonprofit organization in Baltimore.

Dr. Kiprotich has a Ph.D. in Immunology and more than 15 years of experience building networks and providing leadership in biosafety. He is the immediate former Chief Executive Officer at the National Biosafety Authority (NBA), Nairobi, Kenya.

Justin Overcash is a Technical Expert in Regulation and Policy for Genetic Biocontrol Research. He holds a PhD in genetics from Texas A&M, with his dissertation focusing on manipulating DNA repair pathways to enhance genetic engineering in the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti.

Before joining the FNIH, Dr. Overcash worked with Biotechnology Regulatory Services at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). From 2019 to 2022, he specialized in the regulation and risk assessment of gene drive-modified organisms. Between 2022 and 2024, Dr. Overcash served as a biological scientist in the Biotechnology Risk Analysis Program, where he contributed to regulatory status reviews, plant pest risk assessments, and the implementation of tools aimed at improving the efficiency of regulatory assessments.

Royden Saah serves as the Senior Technical Expert for Scientific Partnerships at GeneConvene. In his role, Royden utilizes his expertise in One-Health, infectious disease, and gene-drives to foster cooperation among governmental, academic, non-governmental, and transnational organizations. Working with partners including the African Union, WHO, and others, he promotes collaborations to build knowledge, capacity, and institutions in advance of technology intended to mitigate the impact of malaria.

Prior to joining the FNIH, for 7 years he coordinated an international program to develop multiple, genetic biocontrol tools for use in preventing extinctions. In that role, he organized governments, universities and non-profits from the US, Australia, and New Zealand to formally work together as part of The Genetic Biocontrol of Invasive Rodents consortium (GBIRd). Previous to his environmental work, Royden spent 12 years in the NC Division of Public Health leading multiple laboratories dedicated to the prevention, detection and response to high-consequence pathogens. In 2020, he worked in the National Coordination Center as a WHO GOARN volunteer to increase the ability to detect and understand COVID-19 presence and spread in Papua New Guinea. In 2015 he worked with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Liberia to create biosafety processes and build a pediatric hospital. From 2008-2014, he conducted projects with the Guyana Ministry of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Association of Public Health Labs to build infectious disease detection and response capacity in Guyana.

Royden brings passion to his endeavors and remains a fierce advocate of public health, health equity, mental health, and social justice, working and volunteering on the ground and at policy level to reduce suffering globally.

Michael Santos is Senior Vice President, Science Partnerships, and Chief Population Health Science Officer. He is responsible for a portfolio of programs supporting biomedical innovation to improve health and health equity globally. He also directs the GeneConvene Global Collaboration, an initiative advancing informed decision making about the development of genetic biocontrol technology for public health.

Prior to joining the FNIH in 2019, Dr. Santos was at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he served as a Deputy Director in the Global Health division accountable for strategy and operations across the Discovery & Translational Sciences, HIV, and TB programs. His responsibilities included developing investment strategies for emerging priorities, leading the team and processes that supported investment making and management, and reporting on team strategy and progress. He was also a Strategy Advisor on the Strategy, Innovation, and Impact team, developing perspectives on the philosophy of philanthropy.

Previously Dr. Santos was a Principal at Boston Consulting Group, where he led projects on malaria, HIV, contraceptive technology, global health regulatory systems, and public radio and contributed to strategies in the energy and environment, health care, industrial goods, consumer, and retail sectors. His first career was astronomy: he holds a Ph.D. from Caltech and was a research fellow at the University of Cambridge and the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Mr. Sullivan has a master’s degree in international studies and global health and nearly a decade of experience coordinating high-level global health convenings and managing projects. Before joining the FNIH, he worked to expand the public-private partnerships, networks, and reach of public health-oriented not-for-profit organizations.

Ms. Wiener has more than 15 years of experience in global health project management and grants management. Before joining the FNIH, she was a programmer and conducted research and evaluation for not-for-profit organizations.