James McGann

As Scientific Research Officer:

• Created and deployed a rigorous internal funding process to turn strategic priorities into scientific discoveries with fair and consistent processes
• Supported and advised CEDAR leadership in the management of the $30 million annual CEDAR research portfolio, including budgeting, reporting, and strategic planning, resulting in scientific program growth and numerous collaborations, publications, and translational opportunities

As Scientific Program Manager:

• Developed comprehensive project plans with clear objectives, milestones, and resource allocation strategies for over 25 different scientific teams.
• Designed performance metrics to evaluate project success regularly, enabling continuous improvement efforts.
• Interacted with research community in academia, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations to understand needs and opportunities by attending scientific meetings and workshops.

As Research Staff Supervisor:

• Models team-science and leadership best practices
• Participates in and supports the development of training and development opportunities for staff
• Understands direct reports' project commitments and communicates with Project Leads to understand the performance of advisees; helps connect direct reports to project teams with an eye for complementarity of skills and training

As Project Facilitator:

• Directed diverse research project teams in establishing timelines and milestones to ensure measurable progress towards research project goals and accountability
• Facilitated critical dialogues about decision-making and team issues, including conflict resolution.
• Tracked over $50 million in project budget alignment and resource management, identifying key resources and needs, and collaborating to remove roadblocks

As Scientific Lead:

• Used CRISPR/Cas9 tools to model leukemic progression in hematopoietic progenitors, developing novel experimental protocols, leading to more accurate and reliable results.
• Led interdisciplinary project teams, fostering effective communication between scientists from diverse backgrounds for successful project completion.
• Collaborated with CEDAR researchers to investigate neuron-cancer interactions in prostate cancer

• Implemented cutting-edge technologies in the lab, staying at the forefront of scientific advancements in the field. These include complex co-culture techniques, next-generation sequencing and analysis, and high-content imaging screens
• Published research results in peer-reviewed molecular neuroscience journals and presented at seminars and national meetings.