Meet Our Team
Advances in medical research happen at Coriell because of the exceptional people who work here.
We arrived here from diverse backgrounds and with different life experiences. We have various educational backgrounds and a variety of beliefs. We operate in assorted roles in many areas, such as molecular biology, genomics, information technology, facilities, finance, stem cell research, and communications and development. In the end, we’re all connected in our enterprise to advance medical breakthroughs that improve people’s lives. People like our parents, our sister, our husband, and our children.
Every day we do work that matters.
Meet some of our team here and explore the website to see the work we do.
Michael F. Christman, PhD
President and Chief Executive Officer
“Coriell’s relatively small size of about 120 employees allows us to be both nimble and enterprising in a way that isn’t possible in a larger organization. I find that very refreshing and exciting.”
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Joseph L. Mintzer
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
“Working within the scientific research community requires a commitment to excellence, matched by ingenuity, and driven by a sense of urgency – all factors that make Coriell Institute a successful scientific organization.”
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Christine M. Beiswanger, PhD
Director, Custom Genomic and Biobanking Services
Co-Principal Investigator, National Institute of General Medical Sciences Human Genetic Cell Repository
“Biobanking by its very nature is the most forward-looking of enterprises. Samples and data collected today will answer tomorrow’s questions using the technology of the future.”
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Mark Bellafante
Director, Information Technology
“Coriell is an exciting place to work as information technology is such a vital component of our cutting-edge science initiatives in genomics research and it’s essential in tracking the millions of biological specimens we manage.”
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Dorit S. Berlin, PhD
Principal Investigator, National Institute of General Medical Sciences Human Genetic Cell Repository
Principal Investigator, Congenital Heart Disease Genetic Network Study Biorepository
“Coriell’s long-standing NIGMS Human Genetic Cell Repository and one of our newest – CHD GENES – allow us to distribute biospecimens that we have had for decades, as well as new resources enabled by recent technologies, including induced pluripotent stem cells.”
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Susan Delaney
Director, Government Affairs and Policy
“Coriell’s success as a partner in research is a hallmark of our Institute. Whether collaborating with the National Institutes of Health or supporting an independent researcher, our commitment to advancing medical research is forged in these partnerships.”
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Felipe García-España, PhD
Senior Research Biostatistician
"The Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative is the result of using the scientific methods of a multidisciplinary Coriell team of scientists, geneticists, genetic counselors, and information technologists to deliver genetic and environmental risk results to participants. The rigorous application of epidemiological and statistical methods has been an integral component and strength of this project."
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Norman Gerry, PhD
Director, Genotyping and Microarray Center
Principal Investigator, National Institute of Aging Repository
“The availability of genome-based technologies holds incredible potential for improving how each of our medical decisions is made. It’s a fascinating time to be involved in this progressive area of research.”
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Neda Gharani, PhD
Senior Research Scientist, Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative
Principal Investigator, National Human Genome Research Institute Sample Repository
“It is truly a privilege to be involved in the international effort of the 1000 Genomes Consortium which provides the resources and tools that make projects like the Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative possible and the implementation of personalized medicine tangible.”
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Erynn S. Gordon, CGC
Director, Genetic Counseling
“Personalized medicine provides the potential to use genomic information to improve health. As a genetic counselor I am excited to be involved in a research study that prioritizes participants and their understanding of genomic information while working to understand the impact and utility of genomic information.”
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Joseph P. Jarvis, PhD
Courtney Kronenthal, PhD
Director, Communications and Development
“At Coriell, we appreciate that it is our responsibility to share the significance and consequences of our research with the public. We welcome public perspectives, and welcome public engagement in our programs. Indeed, it makes our research better and keeps us focused on our mission of improving lives through research.”
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Steven Madore, PhD
Director, Biobanking
“Our mission in Biobanking and Molecular Biology is to continuously meet Coriell’s historic commitment of providing the highest quality genomic material for the genetics research community.”
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Joan McManus
"The excitement lies in being part of an organization whose mission is improving medical care. The challenge lies in supporting that mission with the fiscal acuity and forethought to sustain it." [ Learn More › ]
Cristian A. Pérez, PhD
Co-Principal Investigator, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Repository
"Coriell's unique expertise in biobanking, genomic and stem cell technologies, and data management make us ideally suited to handle the NINDS Repository, a unique collection of high-quality biospecimens available to the neuroscience community worldwide."
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Michael J. Seneca
Director, Core Services
“While our team manages day-to-day physical operations of the institute, our focus is not short-term. Our mission is to continuously improve the infrastructure at Coriell, so our scientists can focus on the scientific accomplishments of our future.”
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Zhenya Tang, MD, PhD
Director, Cytogenetics Laboratory
“Our mission in the cytogenetics lab is to intensively investigate, confirm, and monitor chromosomal changes of cell lines in our collections. Modern technologies at Coriell, like genotyping, allow us to provide high-quality cytogenomic analysis services to researchers.”
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Chi Tarn, PhD
Principal Investigator, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Human Genetics Resource Center
“Our mission with the NINDS Repository is to be a centralized public resource providing the highest quality biological specimens and corresponding clinical data to promote neurological research worldwide. The ultimate goal is to reduce the burden of neurological disease.”
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Lorraine H. Toji, PhD
Co-Principal Investigator of the National Institute of Aging Repository, Co-Principal Investigator of the NHGRI Sample Repository for Human Genetic Research, Principal Investigator of the NEI-AREDS Repository, and Senior Scientist on the NIGMS Human Genetic Cell Repository
“It is exciting to work in a field – and at an institute – so dedicated to harnessing our understanding of the human genome to improve human health. Our contribution to the 1000 Genomes Project, which will create the most detailed catalogue of human genetic variation, is one more opportunity to advance our mission.”
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Giving to Coriell
Support research at Coriell. Let’s find answers together.
As a non-profit institute, Coriell is fortunate to be engaged in several federally-funded awards. However, we rely on private philanthropy for our more cutting-edge, independent research. Thank you for supporting science!
Meet our Team
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Coriell scientists are available to speak with you on a variety of topics. Please contact Coriell Communications.
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