B. Michael Silber, Ph.D., is Professor of Neurology and Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Chief of Drug Discovery Research & Development in the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and at the University of California San Francisco, where he has worked since 2007. Dr. Silber is responsible for drug discovery research and development in the search to find cures for important neurodegenerative diseases, including Prion, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Frontotemporal Dementia diseases. Our ultimate aim is to evaluate drugs already approved for other indications alone or in combination for their activity in neurodegenerative disease, as well as evaluating new chemical compounds discovered by screening and chemical and drug property optimization in healthy subjects (Phase I) and patients (Phase II).

He is currently a principal or co-principal investigator on NIH funded program project grants, foundation and donor sponsored research being conducted at the IND. At the front end of these medicine discovery activities, we have to select and evaluate new potential targets for therapeutic intervention, and develop and utilize biochemical, cell and bioassays to screen for potential medicines. Prior to joining UCSF, he held key positions at five global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Senior Vice President and Site Head, Preclinical R & D at Roche Pharmaceuticals (2005-2007), Vice President of R & D at ALZA/Johnson & Johnson (2002-2005), Director of Genomic and Proteomic Sciences, Biomarkers, Pharmacogenomics and DMPK at Pfizer Global R & D (1990-2002), Senior Director and Division Head of Pharmacology, Toxicology, Preclinical and Early Clinical Sciences at Cetus/Novartis (1988-1990), Director and Head of Drug Metabolism at Lederle/Wyeth (1983-1988), and Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy and Medicine (1981-1983). He has contributed to the discovery, development, or regulatory approval of at least 23 small molecule- or biotechnology-based medicines, or drug-device based medicines across a number of important diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases.

He received his undergraduate training in Engineering at California State University Northridge (1972), Clinical Pharmacy doctoral training at the University of Southern California (1976), and doctoral training in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacology and a post-doctoral fellowship at UCSF (1981). He has over 45 research articles or book chapters, 69 abstracts, and 65 invited presentations at national and international meetings. He is a reviewing editor or reviewer for six national or international scientific journals. Dr. Silber's contributions to scientific research and to drug discovery research and development are internationally recognized.

Dr. Silber was elected and currently serves on the Keystone Symposia Scientific Advisory Board and the University of California Berkeley Bioengineering Advisory Council, and he was formerly on the University of Washington Graduate School Corporate Advisory Board. He is a study section reviewer for the National Institutes of Health. He is also a Board member of biotechnology or life-sciences startup companies, and is a Senior Strategic and Scientific Advisor to life sciences and biotechnology oriented venture capital companies.

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