North Bethesda, MD, September 15, 2022—The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) announces that David A. Carmel joined the organization as its first Chief Growth and Innovation Officer. He will serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, lead the FNIH communications and events divisions, and help expand the foundation’s scale and impact.

We are delighted to welcome David to the FNIH. His private and public sector experience and expertise in reaching key stakeholders will be invaluable as we seek to accelerate the discovery and development of new medicines and vaccines that address some of the world’s most vexing health challenges,” said Julie Gerberding, CEO of the FNIH. “I look forward to his leadership and thought partnership in developing and executing a comprehensive innovation strategy and enhancing awareness of the amazing work that we do at the FNIH.”

Prior to joining the FNIH, Mr. Carmel served as Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, at eGenesis, a gene-editing company. He was responsible for all public and investor relations and led the company’s $125 million Series C financing from leading institutional investors in healthcare. Earlier, he was Vice President, Medical Affairs and Strategic Alliances, at Altara Biotherapeutics, and Co-Founder and Principal of Carmel Asset Management, an investment partnership where he was responsible for life science investments. He has also held positions in public affairs and business development at StemCyte, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson. He served as a White House Fellow from 2002 to 2003.

Mr. Carmel was appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to the New York Life Science Advisory Board. He is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, a former member of the New York State Spinal Cord Injury Research Board, and a founding board member of the New York Stem Cell Foundation. He worked on the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, which provided $3 billion to fund stem cell research. He earned a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard College and an MBA with a certificate in health care from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

About the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health 
The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) creates and manages alliances with public and private institutions in support of the mission of the NIH, the world’s premier medical research agency. The FNIH works with its partners to accelerate biomedical research and strategies against diseases and health concerns in the United States and across the globe. The FNIH organizes and administers research projects; supports education and training of new researchers; organizes educational events and symposia; and administers a series of funds supporting a wide range of health issues—all efforts focused on areas of unmet need, paving the way toward better patient experiences and outcomes. Established by Congress in 1990, the FNIH is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization.