�Ӱ���Ƶ

Moderated by Julie Gerberding, MD (CWR'77; MED'81)

CWRU board chair and CEO of the Foundation for the NIH and former CDC Director, Dr. Gerberding is a leader in translational medicine, public health, and healthcare innovation. With experience spanning clinical care, policy, and industry, she brings a uniquely interdisciplinary perspective to moderating this panel on moving scientific discovery into modern, humanistic, and impactful healthcare.

Paul Tesar, PhD

Dr. Tesar is a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and holds the title of Dr. Donald and Ruth Weber Goodman Professor of Innovative Therapeutics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where he directs the Institute for Glial Sciences. He has pioneered research in stem cell and glial biology and co-founded a biotechnology company to bring lab discoveries toward therapies. His career exemplifies the “bench to bedside” path—transforming basic neurobiology into potential treatments for neurological disorders—making him especially qualified for this panel.

Dean Ron Hickman, Jr., PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, FAAN, FADLN, FNAP (CWR'00; NUR'06; GRS'08)

Dr. Hickman is Dean of the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at �Ӱ���Ƶ and a nationally-recognized nurse scientist focused on technology-based solutions for chronic disease self‐management and end-of-life care. With experience both in direct patient care (as an acute care nurse practitioner) and in research translation, his perspective brings the nursing and patient-care dimension to the journey from research discovery into human-centered clinical practice.

Laura E. McNally, JD

Professor McNally is Associate Dean for Experiential Education and Director of the Milton and Charlotte Kramer Law Clinic at �Ӱ���Ƶ School of Law. Her work focuses on health law, disability rights, children’s rights, and interdisciplinary collaborations between law, medicine and community health. Her expertise in legal and ethical frameworks around healthcare innovation makes her an essential voice in a panel addressing how research moves into human-centered medicine—bridging not just science and care, but policy, patient rights and legal context.

Mark Griswold, PhD

Dr. Griswold is a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and is Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering at �Ӱ���Ƶ, and is internationally recognized for his work in biomedical imaging—most notably the development of magnetic resonance fingerprinting, which enables early detection of disease. His experience in developing advanced imaging technologies that translate into clinical diagnostics positions him well to discuss how technological discovery becomes real-world medicine.

Eric W. Kaler is the 11th president of �Ӱ���Ƶ. He joined �Ӱ���Ƶ on July 1, 2021 from the University of Minnesota, where he served as president from 2011-2019 and professor of chemical engineering and materials science from 2011-2021.

An accomplished chemical engineer and visionary university leader, President Kaler’s career in higher education spans more than 40 years and includes leadership and faculty roles at premier public research universities. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for both his leadership in engineering and in higher education.

President Kaler has significant expertise in elevating research, expanding fundraising, forming collaborative partnerships, encouraging entrepreneurship and advocating for access to education for all.