Mid-Atlantic Healthcare Summit

Dr. Cherry received his doctorate in Biology with a concentration in Biomedical Science from The Catholic University of America in 2008 and his Master of Science in Biotechnology from The Johns Hopkins University in 2000. In his dissertation research, Dr. Cherry studied molecular changes in ovarian tumor progression, and identified several biomarkers that proved useful in early diagnosis of this disease that often eludes detection until it has reached a very advanced stage. He joined QIAGEN Inc. in 2008 as a research fellow in their Gene Expression Laboratory where he studied the role of miRNAs in various disease states and identified novel miRNA targets in phosphodiesters in collaboration with the Center for Cancer Research at NCI. Following his fellowship, he was promoted to a research scientist in QIAGEN’s research and development laboratory, where he proceeded to work on QIAGEN’s genomic characterization platform, miScript, for miRNA detection, low and high-throughput miRNA molecular profiling platform. In addition, he developed the automated applications for Q-PCR gene expression miRNA/mRNA molecular profiling kit and supported the marketing applications to the biomedical research community. This new product generated $6.8 million net sales in year one for QIAGEN Inc. in 2010. He was then recruited back to the NIH/NCI in 2010 to become a Scientific Program Director and Assistant Project Officer of the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), and the Contracting Officer’s Representative, level III, for the Operational Technical Support Contract for the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) and the National Institute of Health’s Division of Intramural Research community. The ATP/CRTP is currently a $17million program that provides state-of-the-art advanced technologies to the NIH principal investigators, postdoctoral and clinical fellows at NIH/NCI and other federally funded research institutes. In 2011, Dr. Cherry co-developed a $4 million technology development arm for the ATP/CRTP directorate. This program was established to promote a collaborative environment with the NIH intramural community to develop innovative technologies in all areas of biomedical research including genomics, proteomics, imaging (subcellular and cellular), nanotechnology, genetically engineered animals, veterinary histology/pathology and bioinformatics. In 2013 his responsibilities pivoted from the ATP/CRTP to the Laboratory of Animal Science Program (LASP). During his governmental oversight of the LASP, he has successfully implemented and launched the NCI’s Gnotobiotic operations, Genomic Modification Core and the HIV reservoir laboratory and continued the development of the LASP technology development effort. In 2018 Dr. Cherry launched the first Biotechnology Fellowship at the Frederick National Laboratory for trainees looking to move their career to biotech and pharm arena. Dr. Cherry currently serves as the scientific advisor for all high school, undergraduate, graduate and capstone students at the NCI at Frederick campus. In 2021 Dr. Cherry was selected to become the chief of NIAID’s Research technologies Branch and the Associate Director of Research Technologies within NIAID. There he established an interdisciplinary resource that provides investigators access to leading-edge technologies and specialized expertise that are fully integrated to study complex biological questions. The first initiative launched in year one was the Integrated Data Sciences Section, IDSS. This program focuses on providing scientific consultation, training, on computational and data science support through manuscript preparation. In 2022 Dr. Cherry was named chief of operations for the Center for Human Immunology Inflammation and Autoimmunity, where he worked in full collaboration with the newly established scientific advisory board to increase the visibility and accept 46 projects during his three-year tenure from 16 total from 2008 to 2021. Dr. Cherry has been appointed to several scientific advisory boards representing NIAID/NIH for various universities in the state of Maryland and currently serves Chair of Board of Governors for Shepherd University. Dr. Cherry has been an associate professor at Hood College’s graduate program since 2017 and currently an adjunct professor at Mount St. Mary’s University graduate program where he teaches Biomedical Ethics, Introduction to Cancer Biology, Cell Biology, Protein Biochemistry and Advanced Technologies Genomics and Proteomics applications.