Thomas F. Bumol, Ph.D
President - AME
Vice President Biotechnology - Lilly Research Laboratories
Thomas F. Bumol, Ph.D., is currently the Vice President of the Biotechnology Discovery Research component at Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, Indiana. As of February 2004, Dr. Bumol’s responsibilities also include Applied Molecular Evolution, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company based in San Diego, California. Dr. Bumol is based in San Diego as of November 2007, as President of the site. This component has responsibilities for bioproduct discovery research in platforms of genomics, protein optimization, peptides and monoclonal antibodies in collaboration with the company’s three focused therapeutic areas and various external biotechnology alliances. Dr. Bumol is also the chairperson of Lilly's Bioproduct Strategy Group and a member of several governance groups looking at discovery phase project/program portfolios, and the company’s Portfolio Management Committee.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, he received his B.S. degree in microbiology with distinction from the University of Michigan in 1975. He subsequently completed his Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Minnesota in 1980. Dr. Bumol was the recipient of a Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fellowship for his postdoctoral studies in the Department of Molecular Immunology at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, California from 1980-1982.

He joined Lilly Research Laboratories as a Senior Immunologist in 1982 where he has remained for his career over the past twenty five years. Dr. Bumol maintained an active research laboratory at Lilly through 1996 and has published over 50 articles and chapters in cell biology, immunology, cancer, and cardiovascular research while obtaining nine U. S. Patents based on these efforts.

He has been a member of the American Society for Cell Biology, the American Association for Cancer Research, and the Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Councils of the American Heart Association. In addition, he serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for the Keystone Symposia and the University of Michigan Tech Transfer National Advisory Board. He is also serving on the internal scientific advisory board for the Lilly BioVentures Group and the Commercial Advisory Board for the Indiana University-Purdue University Center in Regenerative Biology. He is the former Chair of the Board of Directors of the Timmy Foundation, a non-profit organization directing health care resources to children and families in third world countries (www.timmyfoundation.org).

Alain P. Vasserot, Ph.D., Executive Director - AME Discovery
Alain Vasserot has been the executive director of AME discovery since July, 2007. Alain joined AME in the fall of 2000, as an Associate Director. Before joining AME he did some work for Agouron Corporation. Previous to that he had several increasing roles of responsibility at Geron Corporation, including working in the areas of protein purification, and gene therapy. Alain received his PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Zurich. He did a post doc with Robert Tjian at Howard Hughs Medical Institute at the University of Berkley studying gene expression and regulation of transcription.