R. Mark Adams, Ph.D., Senior Associate, Rockville
After 15 years of experience in the field of bioinformatics, Mark Adams joined Booz Allen Hamilton in 2003, where he has applied his extensive expertise in the design and implementation of large-scale informatics systems, including regulated systems for use in clinical trials.
His Ph.D. in biology and expertise in computer science, biopharmaceutical and genomics research, and human gene therapy provide him with critical insights in his support of public and private clients in the healthcare industry.
Career Focus at Booz Allen
“I’ve been involved with cancer research in one way or another for many years,” Mark says. His current focus at Booz Allen is on a groundbreaking project with a major public health agency, which is substantially furthering cancer research through the use of technology.
“We’re constructing a virtual infrastructure that links ‘silos’ of data with standards, science personnel, researchers, hospitals, and other organizations and experts to form a network of knowledge that is greatly advancing cancer detection and care,” Mark says. He manages the project.
“It’s a classic one-firm effort,” he adds. “Two-thirds of our group comes from Booz Allen’s health sector, and the rest represent the modeling and simulation, communications, IT, organizational change, and other teams.”
Mark’s other projects also involve employing informatics to help medical and pharmaceutical companies collect and analyze data. He leads teams, identifies resources, trains individuals, and develops Booz Allen’s thought leadership and intellectual capital. But his primary role is as a subject matter expert, providing services that ensure the success of projects such as the merger of two large pharmaceutical companies. His team provided the means to evaluate the merging organizations’ drug portfolios to help them proactively manage their similar and overlapping projects.
Meaningful Work with a Variety of Clients
Mark says that people who end up in informatics often have an “eclectic” background, but “it helps to have a range of experience,” he says. His own career began at start-up biotech organizations such as AlphaGene, Inc. and Variagenics, Inc., where he served as vice president of bioinformatics. He also taught courses on medical and science topics at Northeastern University and Baylor College of Medicine.
“I built software tools, applied for and received patents, collected data, and built systems for conducting clinical trials,” he says. By training people in technology and science and getting in on the ground floor as companies grew, he developed an understanding of budgets, management, and business. But the companies were so small, he didn’t have much support.
At Booz Allen, Mark has a wide range of professional colleagues as well as graphics, computer science, management consulting, and other teams to back him up. Today, he speaks and publishes frequently in the field of bioinformatics and has edited industry journals, including the Journal of Applied Analytics in Consulting and Briefings in Bioinformatics.
Work – Life Balance
Of all the benefits of working at Booz Allen, Mark’s colleagues have made the greatest difference in his experience at the firm. “They’re doing this work for the right reasons, and they’re dedicated, smart, and very supportive.
“Booz Allen is thoughtful about families, too, and the firm treats people who work here well.” He thinks Booz Allen’s careful assessment process is part of the reason why. “People are asked to do a lot at the firm, but you’re rewarded for your work. Most of my team comes from the start-up world, so we’re used to going above and beyond.”
Mark’s conventional side enjoys bike riding with his family and learning to skateboard, but he also has another side that loves complex technical challenges. One such interest is his penchant for building robots in his basement
Mark earned his Ph.D. from Baylor College of Medicine, and was a post-doctoral research Fellow at BMERC, Boston University under Temple Smith, where he developed computational methods to predict the domain structure of proteins based on their amino-acid sequence. He also holds an A.B. from Oberlin College.
profile posted December 2006
