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About Scott Johnson

Speaking Topics:

• Bottom-up Innovation for Accelerating Medical Research
• Gaining Practical Benefit from Investments in Basic Science
• Where are the Cures?
• Patients First

Background

Scott Johnson, who has been living with multiple sclerosis for 34 years, is using his acumen as a business consultant and serial entrepreneur to reform a system for medical research and drug development that has failed to produce new patient treatments for millions living with chronic and debilitating diseases.

Featured in Fortune (September 2006) as a “lifesaving shakeup in the world of medical research”, Scott’s big idea has since delivered on that promise by (1) proving that basic science can be accelerated and (2) creating connections between academic scientists and those who commercially develop drugs. This will mean the faster development and delivery of patient treatments and cures.

The results of Scott’s Accelerated Research Collaboration™ model (ARC™) have been nothing short of extraordinary. In five years, the Myelin Repair Foundation-funded scientific collaboration has (1) identified over 150 novel potential targets; (2) developed 24 new research tools with broad application to all neurological disease research; (3) had two U.S. patents issued and 16 patent applications published and (4) published over 80 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals. In five years, Scott raised $35 million from multiple sclerosis patients and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs toward this effort. To date some 70 different disease-specific research organizations have expressed an interest in the model and how it might be used to leverage their own research investments.

Without pointing fingers, Scott explains how the current system for medical research and developing new drugs is failing to deliver patient treatments. His talks are inspirational for all patients and others with an interest in systemic change in complicated and archaic systems. His remarks are thoughtful and provocative.

He has spoken broadly on this topic including at NASA, BIL/PIL, and the Aspen Institute Health Forum. His ideas have been covered in the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Businessweek, the San Francisco Chronicle and more. In 2006, he was named as one of Scientific American magazine’s top 50 worldwide for business, science and policy leadership. In February 2010, Scott launched WhereAreTheCures.org, a web site initiative designed to educate patients and their families about the shortcomings of the current system for discovering and developing new patient treatments.

In June of 2010, Scott was recognized as the Northern California Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® in the Social Entrepreneurship category.

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn

For more information contact:
Jennifer Chang
Director of Communications
Myelin Repair Foundation
408-871-2410
jchang@myelinrepair.org