Leslie Alexandre
Assistant Director for Industrial Relations in the Office of Technology and Industrial Relations of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Presentation Abstract

The National Cancer Institute is committed to forging research collaborations with the private sector to accelerate the pace of cancer research and to ensure that important scientific breakthroughs reach the public in the form of new diagnostics and therapeutics as quickly as possible. NCI has established many innovative programs for industry to access NCI funding, research resources, scientists and discoveries. Whether a company is looking for funding, drug development services, a partner for conducting clinical trials, or technology transfer and licensing opportunities, NCI has a program designed to meet its research needs. During this session, Dr. Alexandre, NCI's Assistant Director for Industrial Relations, will describe the programs most relevant to biotechnology companies and the process for accessing these programs. A particular area of focus will be Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), the formal agreements which enable companies and other organizations to partner with NCI scientists to develop new technologies into commercial products.

Biographical Sketch

Leslie Alexandre is Assistant Director for Industrial Relations in the Office of Technology and Industrial Relations of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). In this capacity, she is responsible for building relationships with the private sector on behalf of the Institute and facilitating the development of scientific collaborations with industry to accelerate the progress of cancer research. Dr. Alexandre serves as an Institute-wide resource on cross-divisional issues related to industrial relations and, in her liaison role to the various divisions of the Institute, is an appropriate first point of contact for companies seeking to establish a research collaboration with NCI.

Before joining NCI, Dr. Alexandre was Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Marketing for Oncormed, a provider of cancer-related genetic testing and pharmacogenomic services. Before joining Oncormed, Dr. Alexandre served in senior health policy positions for two U.S. senators and then as the primary liaison between Electronic Data Systems and the Washington, D.C. health policy community. She spent the first half of her career consulting to Fortune 500 employers and other major health care payors on matters related to medical spending and utilization.

Dr. Alexandre earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California at Davis and a master's degree and a doctorate from the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles.

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