Cohen Veterans Bioscience is doing things differently. Our approach is to build enabling platforms with strategic partners and to adopt a team science approach to fast-track solutions in years, not decades.

We bring together the brightest minds and deploy the most innovative scientific tools with an emphasis on scale, risk-minimization, efficiency and speed to advance our understanding of PTSD and TBI. Through rigorous research and breaking down traditional silos, we’re working to bring more accurate diagnostic tests for PTSD and TBI to patients using big data, digital health and innovative technology to match patients to the right treatment.

A pathway to progress in years, not decades

The Status Quo

  • Animal models that fail to translate to human studies
  • Checklist-based self-report symptom assessments
  • Data collection methods that limit big data applications and collaborative science
  • Limited outcome measurement tools that fail to capture the full breadth of symptoms
  • Small, uncoordinated studies that limit biomarker discovery
  • A siloed approach to science that stalls progress

CVB’s Evidence-Driven Approach to Advancing Precision Medicine for Brain Trauma

  • Reproducible animal models that accurately predict treatment response in humans
  • New technologies and tools to drive diagnostic and treatment biomarker discovery tailored to each patient’s unique biology
  • Advanced data analytics that leverage in house expertise and a cloud-based platform to facilitate analysis and sharing across datasets
  • More objective outcome measurement tools that capture the symptoms that matter most to the patient
  • Large, deeply phenotyped cohort studies for biomarker discovery and validation at scale
  • Embracing team science to foster innovation and speed solutions across diseases

Moving away from the one patient, one treatment approach.

Advancing the scientific understanding of PTSD and TBI

Our research and advocacy aim to improve the lives of all people who experience the effects of trauma by:

  • Advancing our understanding of TBI and PTSD through rigorous research, including discovering genetic factors and building predictive data models.
  • Fast-tracking the development of easy-to-use diagnostic tests and guidelines to diagnose TBI and PTSD quickly and accurately.
  • Advancing research that can help match patients to the most effective treatments, including wellness, digital health, drug and device approaches.
  • Advocating for policies that prioritize new solutions for all those affected by brain trauma at the federal, state, and local levels. Learn more about our advocacy efforts.
Learn More About our Research and Advocacy Efforts

From Brain Trauma to Brain Health

Our research to fast-track diagnostics and treatments for PTSD and TBI can be applied to advance solutions for other brain disorders.

Support our efforts

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These brave men and women voluntarily stepped up on the line to serve this great nation with the goal of protecting our freedoms…many have gone into harm’s way at personal expense and sacrifice. We cannot leave any more of them behind. It is our national obligation to support those that have come home with both visible and invisible wounds.

Frank Larkin
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

The VAC’s Goals

  1. Share Veterans’ perspectives, challenges, and needs to inform research that will help improve the health of Veterans
  2. Lead awareness efforts to build support for researching brain trauma solutions from within and outside of the Veterans’ community
  3. Increase collaboration across the community to help prevent, diagnose, and treat PTSD, TBI, and other co-morbid conditions
  4. Reinforce legislation to advance the execution of a comprehensive plan that accelerates PTSD and TBI research.
  5. Raise awareness of brain trauma as a risk factor for suicide and drive efforts to address suicide through research.

The VAC’s Advocacy Priorities

  1. Improving Veterans’ access to high-quality mental health care
  2. Leveraging large-scale collaborative research roadmapping efforts
  3. Increasing the body of evidence on emerging therapeutic solutions
  4. Ensuring full implementation of important mental health legislation

Council Members

Jane Horton
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

View Bio

Jane Horton
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

Ms. Jane Horton is a respected and influential global leader for national security, humanitarian, and veterans. A fearless and relentless advocate, she successfully fosters bipartisan collaboration on legislation, policies, and programs to better the lives of veterans, service members, their families, and those across the globe. Jane currently serves as a senior policy advisor in the United States Congress in Washington D.C. Previously, Jane was a senior advisor in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon. In this capacity, she advised on civilian and military personnel policy, military family policy, and international security affairs. She championed efforts to advance warfighter brain health and Gold Star family initiatives and has inspired or authored over twenty pieces of legislation in over a decade. Some of Jane’s additional experiences include serving as a special assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford, an advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army, and the congressional and military liaison to the Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States. She currently serves on the board of directors of numerous non-profits and is a proud member of Georgetown University's US- Afghan Women's Council.

Robin King
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

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Robin King
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

Robin King is the Chief Executive Officer for the Navy SEAL Foundation, a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization that provides critical support and assistance to the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community and its families.

Ms. King has been with the Navy SEAL Foundation since its inception in July 2000, and in that time has served as Chief Financial Officer, Deputy Executive Director, and Interim Executive Director before being appointed as Chief Executive Officer in May of 2013. Her exemplary leadership and commitment to financial transparency and accountability have allowed the Foundation to grow from a small organization focused on scholarships and educational opportunities to a multi-faceted programmatic foundation with dozens of specialized programs and an annual program budget in the millions.

Ms. King executes the daily mission of the Navy SEAL Foundation from Coronado, California, home of Naval Special Warfare Command (WARCOM), SEAL Qualification Training and the headquarters of NSW. She leads a staff of nearly twenty employees located throughout the United States. Under her command, the Navy SEAL Foundation has consistently achieved and maintained the highest rating possible from Charity Navigator, a national charity watchdog organization, placing it in the top 1% of all charities rated.

In August of 2019, Ms. King was awarded the prestigious United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Outstanding Civilian Service Medal which recognized her steadfast dedication and superior service to the NSW community including raising millions of dollars to fund programs touching the lives
of tens of thousands of NSW warriors and families.

In 2017, Ms. King was awarded the USSOCOM Care Coalition Patriot Award. This distinguished award recognizes individuals and organizations who greatly support Special Operations Force (SOF) wounded warriors, their families, and surviving family members by providing significant and enduring
contributions that benefit their care and recovery. She is the first nonprofit leader to receive this award.

Ms. King is a current member of the Board of Directors for The Honor Foundation and the C4 Foundation, both nonprofits serving the Naval Special Warfare community.

Before her employment at the Foundation, Robin worked at Pacific Trust Bank, The Walt Disney Company, and McDonnell Douglas Corporation (Boeing). She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Finance, from California State University, Long Beach.

Frank Larkin
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

View Bio

Frank Larkin
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

Frank Larkin was formerly the United States Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA). As chief law enforcement and executive officer of the Senate, the SAA enforces rules of the Senate; provides a range of technical and administrative services to Senators in their Washington, DC, and state offices; and maintains security in the Capitol and Senate office buildings.

Frank was a member of the Senior Executive Service, recently serving as both the Acting Director and the Vice Director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) within the Department of Defense. He previously served as JIEDDO’s Director for the Counter IED Operations-Intelligence Integration Center. JIEDDO’s mission was to focus all Department of Defense actions in support of the combatant commanders’ efforts to defeat improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as weapons of strategic influence. Frank’s focus was in support of our deployed warfighters and special operations forces around the globe and the integration of a “whole of government” disruption effort targeting extremist networks that employ IEDs.

Frank served for more than two decades in the United States Secret Service (USSS), beginning in 1984 as a Special Agent assigned to the Philadelphia and Washington Field Offices, before assignment to the Presidential Protective Division. He was assigned to the Office of Congressional Affairs for a two-year fellowship on Capitol Hill, serving a year each with the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. Frank entered the USSS supervisory ranks as Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office, where he led financial, electronic, and organized crimes investigations. Following the events of 9/11, he returned to Washington, DC, as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division, supervising White House security operations. As Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Technical Security Division, Frank was responsible for tactical countermeasures programs. In 2004, he was promoted to the Senior Executive Service, assuming the position of Deputy Assistant Director for Protective Research and Chief Technology Officer.

Following his USSS career, Frank was Director, Program Management & Leadership, for the Raytheon Company, and more recently, worked at Lockheed Martin’s Defense & Intelligence Solutions, responsible for providing operations and intelligence analysis support to the intelligence community.

A veteran of the US Navy, Frank has a significant military and law enforcement special operations background, serving as a special warfare operator in the Navy SEALs. After his Navy service, he was a uniformed patrol officer with the Norristown (PA) Police Department, a homicide detective with the Montgomery County (PA) District Attorney’s Office, and a Maryland State Trooper-Flight Paramedic.

Frank holds a BA degree in criminal justice and an MS degree in public administration from Villanova University. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the US Secret Service award for valor, the Department of the Army’s Exceptional Civilian Service award, and the Superior Civilian Service award.

LTG John F. Mulholland, U.S. Army (Ret).
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

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LTG John F. Mulholland, U.S. Army (Ret).
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

The proud son of a USAF fighter pilot and Korean War veteran, Lieutenant General Mulholland John Francis Mulholland, Jr. (Retired) was born in Clovis, New Mexico, but grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry, United States Army upon graduating from Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, in 1978.

As a young Infantry officer, LTG Mulholland (Ret) served as platoon leader of both mechanized and airborne rifle platoons, as well as mortar platoon leader. Since joining the 1st Special Forces Regiment in 1983, LTG Mulholland (Ret) commanded from the captain through lieutenant general-level in Army and joint special operations forces, including serving as Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, as the Commanding General, United States Army Special Operations Command, and as the 15th Deputy Commander, United States Special Operations Command. Following graduating from the National War College in 2001, then-COL Mulholland assumed command of the 5th Special Forces Group, Airborne at Ft. Campbell, KY. In the immediate aftermath of the attacks of 9-11, Colonel Mulholland commanded Joint Special Operations Task Force-North (Task Force Dagger) in the opening days of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and, later, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-West (Task Force Dagger) in the initial campaign of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.

LTG Mulholland’s (Ret) overseas assignments included two tours in the former Panama Canal Zone, command of the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (ABN), Okinawa, Japan and as the Chief, Office of Military Cooperation, Kuwait. LTG Mulholland (Ret) served at and completed his final tour on active duty as the Associate Director of Military Affairs, Central Intelligence Agency. LTG Mulholland (Ret) is married to the former Miriam Mitchell. Together, they have 4 grown children and 5 grandchildren. LTG Mulholland (Ret) and Miriam now operate Mulholland Consulting, LLC in Alexandria, Virginia.

Tim Szymanski, VADM, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

View Bio

Tim Szymanski, VADM, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Member, Veterans Advisory Council

Tim has served in many Navy and Joint Special Operations assignments as a Navy Special Warfare Officer (SEAL) for over 36 years. He most recently served as the Deputy Commander for United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) after serving as the Commander of Naval Special Warfare (NSW). In both roles he oversaw the manning, equipping and training, and employment of NSW and joint special operations forces, of 11,000 and 73,000 uniformed and civilian personnel, respectively.

He has an extensive background in raising, equipping, and training Navy, allied and joint special operations forces and has served operationally in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, and other places of crises. As Deputy Commander USSOCOM and as Commander NSW he spearheaded force design and development initiatives, led organizational culture reviews and implementation plans, and developed leaders throughout the force.

Keenly aware of the detrimental effects of invisible wounds on Force and Family Readiness, he established policies and developed lines of effort to monitor, protect and enhance warfighter brain health.

More from our VAC

Meet our board of directors, comprised of world-class experts and leaders who provide valuable guidance to our organization.

Magali Haas, MD, PhD

Magali Haas, MD, PhD
Board Chair

View Bio

Magali Haas, MD, PhD

Board Chair

Dr. Magali Haas is Founder and Board Chair and former CEO of Cohen Veterans Bioscience, a non-profit biomedical and technology research organization based in New York City whose mission is to fast-track diagnostics and therapeutics to advance precision brain health with a focus on the “invisible wounds” of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries. She currently leads the National TBI Action Alliance and serves as a Senior Strategy & Science Advisor to the CEO.  Dr. Haas is also Founder and Scientific Lead of the Brain Health Nexus, a global initiative to galvanize science and data collaboration, to optimize brain health across the life course and prevent and treat brain diseases and disorders, through the establishment of a brain health index.  Dr. Haas has over 15 years of pharmaceutical executive experience, predominantly at Johnson & Johnson, where she assumed broad end-to-end leadership roles in early and late-stage neuroscience clinical development, translational medicine, diagnostics and integrative solutions. She serves on several international advisory boards including The European Platform for Neurodegenerative Diseases (EPND), VirtualBrainCloud, Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics (based in Canada), and IMEC for nanoelectronics.  She is a frequent speaker and invited participant at conferences and symposia around the world. Dr. Haas earned her BS in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, an MS in biomedical engineering from Rutgers University, and her MD and PhD in neuroscience with distinction from Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Frank Larkin

Frank Larkin
Vice Chair

View Bio

Frank Larkin

Vice Chair

Frank Larkin was formerly the United States Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA). As chief law enforcement and executive officer of the Senate, the SAA enforces rules of the Senate; provides a range of technical and administrative services to Senators in their Washington, DC, and state offices; and maintains security in the Capitol and Senate office buildings.

Frank was a member of the Senior Executive Service, recently serving as both the Acting Director and the Vice Director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) within the Department of Defense. He previously served as JIEDDO’s Director for the Counter IED Operations-Intelligence Integration Center. JIEDDO’s mission was to focus all Department of Defense actions in support of the combatant commanders’ efforts to defeat improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as weapons of strategic influence. Frank’s focus was in support of our deployed warfighters and special operations forces around the globe and the integration of a “whole of government” disruption effort targeting extremist networks that employ IEDs.

Frank served for more than two decades in the United States Secret Service (USSS), beginning in 1984 as a Special Agent assigned to the Philadelphia and Washington Field Offices, before assignment to the Presidential Protective Division. He was assigned to the Office of Congressional Affairs for a two-year fellowship on Capitol Hill, serving a year each with the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. Frank entered the USSS supervisory ranks as Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office, where he led financial, electronic, and organized crimes investigations. Following the events of 9/11, he returned to Washington, DC, as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division, supervising White House security operations. As Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Technical Security Division, Frank was responsible for tactical countermeasures programs. In 2004, he was promoted to the Senior Executive Service, assuming the position of Deputy Assistant Director for Protective Research and Chief Technology Officer.

Following his USSS career, Frank was Director, Program Management & Leadership, for the Raytheon Company, and more recently, worked at Lockheed Martin’s Defense & Intelligence Solutions, responsible for providing operations and intelligence analysis support to the intelligence community.

A veteran of the US Navy, Frank has a significant military and law enforcement special operations background, serving as a special warfare operator in the Navy SEALs. After his Navy service, he was a uniformed patrol officer with the Norristown (PA) Police Department, a homicide detective with the Montgomery County (PA) District Attorney’s Office, and a Maryland State Trooper-Flight Paramedic.

Frank holds a BA degree in criminal justice and an MS degree in public administration from Villanova University. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the US Secret Service award for valor, the Department of the Army’s Exceptional Civilian Service award, and the Superior Civilian Service award.

David M. Biondi, DO, FAAN
Board Member

View Bio

David M. Biondi, DO, FAAN

Board Member

David Biondi received his medical degree from the University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford ME. He completed residency training in Neurology at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda MD and is board-certified in Neurology with subspecialty expertise in Headache and Pain Medicine. He received his Bachelor of Science – Magna Cum Laude in Pharmacy from the Long Island University, Schwartz College of Pharmacy & Health Science in Brooklyn NY.

Dr. Biondi has over 15 years of experience in clinical research and development of pharmaceuticals and medical devices in the neurology, psychiatry, and pain therapeutic areas. His experiences include the design, implementation, monitoring, and interpretation of phase 2 to phase 4 clinical trials and in-house and field-based activities associated with insights generation, new business opportunities, emerging health policy, knowledge translation and implementation, and organizational effectiveness. He previously served as Executive Director for Clinical Programs with Cohen Veterans Bioscience.

Dr. Biondi has over 20 years of clinical experience in medical practice and held medical directorships at the US Naval Hospital in Okinawa Japan, the Pain Management Program & Headache Institute at Maryview Medical Center in Portsmouth VA, the Pain Division of the Michigan Head Pain & Neurological Institute in Ann Arbor MI, and the Interdisciplinary Headache & Pain Rehabilitation Program at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston MA. He was previously an Assistant Neurologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and an Instructor in Neurology at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Biondi served as a trustee for the University of New England and was Chair of its Academic and Research Affairs committee and Vice-Chair of its Long-Range Planning committee. He also served as a Director and medical advisor for the After Action Network, a nonprofit Veteran Service Organization in Kansas City MO. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

Dave DeMarco, PhD
Board Treasurer

View Bio

Dave DeMarco, PhD

Board Treasurer

Dr. Dave DeMarco is a senior advisor to C-suite leaders in the Life Sciences and Healthcare industries. He serves as Chief Strategy Officer for Material Health Strategies and works with c-suite executives on growth strategies and team performance in both the for-profit and non-for-profit industries. He previously served as Chair of the Board of the American Diabetes Association, led Ernst & Young’s (EY’s) Northeast Life Sciences practice and was the Deputy Leader of the US Healthcare Practice.

With over 25 years of leadership experience, Dave advises, coaches and shares insights on strategy and transformation, commercial operations, hHealthcare policy, governance, public-private-partnerships, and entrepreneurial growth.

While serving on the board of the American Diabetes Association, he led Board initiatives involving: CEO succession, Principal Officer succession, Board Development, Policy creation, strategic plan implementation and technology partnerships.

Dave has held key executive positions, including: Global Aesthetic Franchise Leader, Sanofi Aventis; US Health Deputy Leader, Northeast Region Life Sciences Practice Leader and Johnson & Johnson Global Client Services Partner, EY; Research Scientist, Internal Venture Leader, Amoco Chemical; and cofounder, Idea Connection Systems.

Dave worked closely with the Aventis NA leadership team to develop post-merger integration growth strategies and launch key blockbuster products aimed at, and succeeding in, doubling the size of the business in four years. As a senior partner in EY’s Global Life Sciences team, Dave piloted a new P&L accountable, go-to-market model, growing the Northeast practice at 30% CAGR, resulting in a $400 million business. In his service to Johnson & Johnson, he partnered with J&J leadership in developing Janssen Healthcare Innovation, charged with creating future business units. Dave led the transformation of EY’s US Health practice, resulting in a $750 million business. As a member of the Sanofi Aventis NA Dermatology leadership team, Dave developed the global aesthetic franchise strategy and served as the commercial head for Europe. For this turnaround project, he created a plan to triple EBITDA, implement new global pricing policies and double customer acquisition.

Dave received his B.S. from Grove City College and Ph.D. in chemistry from Purdue University.

Learn More About CVB

We’re leading a new approach in research, diagnosis, treatments and advocacy for PTSD and TBI.

By combining the power of biotechnology with rigorous research, high-performance computing, and data analytics, we’re accelerating the development of precision diagnostics and tailored treatments for military service members, Veterans, first responders, and all people living with the effects of brain trauma.

We advocate for people with brain trauma through a focused advocacy strategy that includes our Veterans Advisory Council, ongoing outreach to Congress, and dedicated educational programs.

Our goal is to advance tailored treatments for PTSD and TBI so that a clinician can target the right treatment to the right person at the time when they need help most.

Cohen Veterans Bioscience (CVB) mission & vision

Leveraging the right approach, the right tools, and the right partners.

CVB will achieve our mission to deliver solutions to people suffering from brain trauma by leading in multiple areas:

Cohen Veterans Bioscience (CVB) research & development

Research & Development

Researching and developing objective diagnostic tools that detect the underlying biology of brain trauma and treatments, including preventative wellness, digital health, drug and device approaches.

Collaboration

Convening the brightest minds in the PTSD and TBI research communities because collaboration, data sharing, and leveraging each partner’s unique capabilities is the fastest way to deliver impactful solutions to patients.

Cohen Veterans Bioscience (CVB) collaboration
Cohen Veterans Bioscience (CVB) tools & platforms

Tools & Platforms

Developing research tools & platforms which leverage our own technology and innovative approaches to enable our partners to conduct research that can scale & accelerate the development of effective solutions for brain trauma. 

Advocacy

Shaping the environment for cutting-edge research by providing education to researchers on best practices and by fostering support for advancing brain trauma solutions at the federal, state and local levels through advocacy and education. 

Cohen Veterans Bioscience (CVB) advocacy

In the future we will be able to apply our discoveries to advance solutions to optimize brain health for all populations.

Learn more about our research here. Or make a difference and support our work by making a donation today.

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Learn More About CVB

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Cohen Veterans Bioscience welcomes any questions or comments you may have.

Please contact us by email at info@cohenbio.org

Cohen Veterans Bioscience (CVB) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity research organization and does not offer medical advice. CVB encourages you to seek medical advice from a physician or healthcare provider if you have questions regarding a medical condition, or to call 911 or go to the nearest hospital if you find that you or someone you are concerned about is in an emergency situation.

Cohen Veterans Bioscience accepts requests for funding proposals by invitation only. CVB strategically leads and funds projects that align with our mission and current initiatives.