C-Path announces key leadership appointments in neurodegenerative disease research

(Press-News.org) TUCSON, Ariz., November 7, 2024 — Critical Path Institute® (C-Path) today announced key leadership appointments: Diane Stephenson, Ph.D., has been promoted to Vice President of Neurology, and Nadine Tatton, Ph.D., has been welcomed as the new Executive Director of C-Path’s Critical Path for Alzheimer’s Disease (CPAD) Consortium.

With over 30 years of specialized research in neuroscience and drug development and having served as the Executive Director of the Critical Path for Parkinson’s Consortium (CPP) for nearly 15 years, Dr. Stephenson has been an extraordinary partner in advancing our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s (AD), and Parkinson’s (PD) diseases. Her leadership in spearheading the progress of CPP through collaboration across all stakeholders has broadened treatment pathways and deepened scientific knowledge in these areas.

As Vice President of Neurology, Dr. Stephenson will continue to guide C-Path’s initiatives for brain health, applying her expertise in neuroimaging, neuropathology, digital health technologies and translational model characterization to further C-Path’s research objectives. Importantly, she will continue to serve as Executive Director of CPP, ensuring ongoing strategic alignment with C-Path’s mission.

“It is a great privilege to advance my career at C-Path, an organization at the forefront of developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases,” said Stephenson. “I am looking forward to this new chapter, where I will continue to build upon our collective expertise across academia, industry, and regulatory bodies to deepen our impact on patient care.”

Dr. Nadine Tatton brings more than two decades of expertise in drug development, strategic leadership, and neurodegenerative disease research to her new role as Executive Director of CPAD. Dr. Tatton earned her Ph.D. in physiology (neuroscience) from the University of Toronto and pursued postdoctoral studies in spinal cord research and molecular neuroscience. Over her career, she has held leadership roles in both academic and industry settings where she advanced clinical programs for diseases like AD, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and PD.

Prior to joining C-Path, Tatton served as Medical Director, Immuno-Neurology at Alector, Inc., where she worked on novel therapeutic approaches targeting neurodegenerative diseases. Her extensive experience also includes her role as Scientific Director at the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration where she spearheaded collaborative partnerships to advance research on FTD disorders and helped build the FTD Disorders Registry. Dr. Tatton’s diverse background uniquely positions her to lead CPAD in its mission to foster innovative regulatory science that accelerates drug development for AD.

“I am honored to join C-Path and to lead the CPAD Consortium in its mission to drive therapeutic innovation for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Tatton. “There is so much momentum in AD research today, and I look forward to working with our global collaborators across industry, regulatory agencies, and academia to push the boundaries of what is possible in Alzheimer’s drug development.”

C-Path CEO, Klaus Romero , M.D., M.S., FCP, also shared his excitement about the appointments, stating, “Dr. Stephenson’s promotion to Vice President of Neurology aligns with C-Path’s strategy to buttress our collaborative approach for continued innovation in tools that can further accelerate drug development for neurodegeneration. As Executive Director of CPAD, Dr. Tatton will enable C-Path to launch new initiatives and further strengthen our core capabilities in data-driven collaboration to accelerate drug development in AD. Their leadership is crucial as we continue to advance tools and strategies that address the unmet challenges in neurodegenerative research.”

Both appointments are effective immediately, with Drs. Stephenson and Tatton continuing their important work in neurology, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease research with key focus on patient-centered strategies.

For more information on C-Path’s neurology efforts, visit, https://c-path.org/area-of-focus/neuroscience/.

About Critical Path Institute

Critical Path Institute (C-Path) is an independent, nonprofit established in 2005 as a public-private partnership, in response to the FDA’s Critical Path Initiative. C-Path’s mission is to lead collaborations that advance better treatments for people worldwide. Globally recognized as a pioneer in accelerating drug development, C-Path has established numerous international consortia, programs and initiatives that currently include more than 1,600 scientists and representatives from government and regulatory agencies, academia, patient organizations, disease foundations and pharmaceutical and biotech companies. With dedicated team members located throughout the world, C-Path’s global headquarters is in Tucson, Arizona and C-Path’s Europe subsidiary is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. For more information, visit c-path.org.

Critical Path Institute is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and is 56% funded by the FDA/HHS, totaling $23,740,424, and 44% funded by non-government source(s), totaling $18,881,611. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, FDA/HHS or the U.S. Government.

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