The International Biomedical Research Alliance, a non-profit organization which provides programming and funding support for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program, today announced that Tom Heyman is joining the Alliance’s board of directors. Mr. Heyman is president of the Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC) and leads the J&J Venture Capital Group.

“We are excited to have Tom join our Alliance board,” said Stephen M. McLean, chairman of the International Biomedical Research Alliance board of directors. “Tom is an inspiring individual and an excellent mentor. He also has a wealth of global experience supporting entrepreneurs, whether they are developing pharmaceuticals, medical devices or consumer healthcare products, and helping them to transform their ideas into real solutions for patients. I know that the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars will benefit greatly from his wisdom, technical expertise, and funding insights.”

“I am delighted to become an International Biomedical Research Alliance board member,” said Mr. Heyman. “The Alliance does an excellent job of helping to train the next generation of biomedical researchers, ensuring that the Scholars develop the requisite business skills so they will be able to progress their research breakthroughs from the laboratory to the market successfully. I look forward to working with these young researchers and sharing my knowledge and experience.”

Mr. Heyman started his career with Johnson & Johnson in the legal department of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV in Belgium, focusing on legal and licensing activities.

In 1990, Mr. Heyman was appointed vice president of corporate development at Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson Company, and he was soon promoted to head of global business development for the Janssen Pharmaceutica Group.

Mr. Heyman returned to Janssen Pharmaceutica NV as CEO in 2008, a position that he held for eight years. He was also appointed president of JJDC in 2015.

In addition, Mr. Heyman serves as a member of the IMEC Board of Directors and General Assembly. IMEC is an international R&D and innovation hub, which is active in the nanoelectronic and digital technology fields.

Mr. Heyman was born in the Congo, Africa, and graduated with a Master of Laws degree from the K. U. Leuven in Belgium. He conducted his post-graduate studies in international law in Geneva, Switzerland, and business management at the University of Antwerp in Belgium.

About the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program

The NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program was created in 2001, through a collaboration between the National Institutes of Health and Universities of Oxford and Cambridge to revolutionize the way in which the most talented biomedical PhD and MD/PhD students are taught. The Program’s requirement of having at least two mentors from two of these institutions has allowed students to develop the skills needed to build virtual research teams and leverage collaborative technologies in the pursuit of bold new ideas and solutions. Efforts to differentiate from traditional biomedical training programs have allowed the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars to enjoy intellectual freedom and flexibility, which has led to increased innovation and collaboration. Participants in the program graduate in an average of 4.2 years with a PhD degree from either Oxford or Cambridge University. For additional information please visit http://oxcam.gpp.nih.gov.

About the International Biomedical Research Alliance

Established in 2005 as a public-private partnership, the International Biomedical Research Alliance (The Alliance) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization comprised of a group of dedicated private citizens with the shared aim of training a new generation of top biomedical researchers. Our mission is to invest in and accelerate the development of the future leaders in biomedical research through a unique global doctoral training model that leverages the combined expertise of the National Institutes of Health in the United States and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom – the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. The Alliance supports educational, career development, and mentorship activities designed to enrich the program and broaden the perspectives of its students as they train to become the next leaders in biomedical research. For more information, please visit www.biomedalliance.org.