Webinars

Simon Authier, DVM, MSc, MBA, PhD, DSP

Principal Director of Scientific Operations and Veterinary Science, Charles River Dr. Authier obtained a doctor in veterinary medicine degree from the University of Montreal and specialized in non-clinical studies after completing a Ph.D in preclinical pharmacology. He then completed a MBA in corporate finances and management. Over the past years, Dr. Authier investigated methodologies in non-clinical drug development with the objective of improving study designs for optimal sensitivity and decision making in this field. Dr. Authier overviews the work of a team of scientists and veterinarians specialized preclinical research. He participated in face-to-face FDA pre-IND meetings and overviewed conduct of preclinical studies for a number of small, large molecules, cell & gene therapies and over the last 20 years working at Charles River. He was an invited speaker at various scientific conferences including the US FDA, NIAID, the Safety Pharmacology Society, American College of Toxicologists, Society of Toxicoogy, Japanese Society of Safety Pharmacology and the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science to name a few. Dr. Authier is an Associate Professor at University of Montreal, Canada where he is involved with clinical immunology and pharmacology and he has authored +120 peer reviewed articles and book chapters. To date, Dr. Authier has provided scientific overview for more than 1100 preclinical studies including several products that are now FDA approved.

Anna Engstrom, PhD

Dr. Anna Engstrom is a Principal Scientist/Toxicologist at Genentech, where she serves as a project toxicologist on small and large molecule programs across the immunology, infectious disease, and oncology therapeutic areas. Dr. Engstrom received her PhD in Toxicology from the University of Washington in 2016 where she was an Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Fellow and studied the effect of gene-environment interactions on neurodegeneration. Prior to Genentech, she worked as a project toxicologist at Vir Biotechnology [pronounced “veer”], as an investigative toxicologist at Achaogen [pronounced “a-kaa-o-gen”], and as an environmental health consultant at ICF. Dr. Engstrom has been an active member of ACT since 2019, serving on the ACT Membership Committee, the ACT Early Career Professional Subcommittee, and presenting or co-chairing scientific sessions at the ACT annual meeting. A member of SOT since 2010, she currently serves as Councilor for the NorCal SOT Regional Chapter of SOT. Dr. Engstrom is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology.

Natalie Holman, PhD, DABT

Dr. Natalie Holman is board-certified toxicologist at Eli Lilly and Company. As a Toxicology Project Leader at Lilly, Natalie is responsible for nonclinical safety assessment strategies and regulatory interactions supporting discovery- and clinical-stage assets in multiple therapeutic areas. Her role also includes due diligence assessments for in-licensing opportunities and contributing to development of platform approaches for toxicity assessment of novel therapeutic modalities. Prior to joining Lilly, she was a project toxicologist at Altavant Sciences and its affiliate Roivant Sciences, where she supported molecules across the portfolio of several subsidiaries. Natalie serves on cross-industry working groups and is an active member of several professional toxicology societies. As a member of ACT, she has served as a speaker and chair for symposia and CE courses, held elected positions on multiple Committees, chaired the ACT Early Career Professionals Subcommittee, and received the ACT Early Career Professional Award. Natalie received her PhD in Toxicology and Certificate in Translational Medicine from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine. She conducted her doctoral research in mechanistic hepatotoxicity at The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences (formerly Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology, CIIT).

Sheri Klas, PhD, DABT

Sheri Klas is currently the Director of Nonclinical Development at SiteOne Therapeutics. She is also the managing partner of Sapphire Bioservices. Sheri earned her PhD in Microbiology & Immunology from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She then joined a small pharmaceutical company where she stepped into the role of toxicologist nearly 15 years ago. She is now a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT). She has worked on vaccine and small molecule projects for start-ups, small, and large pharmaceutical companies. Sheri has been a member of ACT since 2014 and during that time has served on the program committee, was co-chair/host of the e-learning webinar subcommittee, was chair of the awards committee and is currently a member of the endowment committee. She has been mentored by more than one ACT member over her career and has found it invaluable.

Sucheta Mukherjee, PhD

Dr. Mukherjee is a board-certified toxicologist at Genentech, Inc., where she designs and oversees nonclinical toxicology programs for discovery and development programs. She received her doctorate in Pharmacology/Toxicology from University of California, Davis in 2015 and was a DoD Horizon Award postdoctoral fellow at University of California, San Francisco from 2016-2019. She is author/co-author of three publications and two book chapters and has presented her work at several national and international conferences, including Society of Toxicology (SOT), American College of Toxicology (ACT) and Genetic Toxicology Association (GTA). Sucheta has been a member of ACT since 2020, where she served on the Early Career Professionals (ECP) Subcommittee from 2020-2023. In 2021 and 2022, she co-led the ECP Webinars on IND submissions and Communication for Toxicologists. This year, she is co-leading a mentorship pilot program as a part of the existing ACT mentorship platform on interACT as well as outreach initiatives for member and non-member ECPs.

Ric Stanulis, PhD, DABT

Ric Stanulis is currently a Senior Consultant and Vice President of Toxicology at Aclairo. Ric received his PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT). Ric has been practicing toxicology for 25 years, having worked at several biotech/small pharm companies as well as starting his career as a Study Director at a CRO. After attending ACT annual meetings for many years, Ric has expanded his participation in ACT having served on the Communications Committee, Finance Committee, and recently completing a term as a Councilor and Chair of the Membership Committee. Ric is currently a member of the Leadership Development Working Group. Over the course of his career, he has appreciated the opportunity to be both a mentor and mentee.