Board of Directors
GTA Board of Directors and Committee Chairs
Board of Directors
Chair (2024)
Wen Sun
Wen Sun is a Principal Scientist in the Genetic Toxicology Department at Pfizer. She received her PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology (molecular medicine) from the University of Iowa and worked as a post-doctoral researcher at Yale University Pharmacology department prior to joining Pfizer three and half years ago. Since joining Pfizer, Wen lead the development, validation, and implementation of the multiplexed imaging screening platform, which enabled the delivery of regulatory endpoint and mode of action information to project teams in a single assay. The platform also incorporated computational predictive modeling and quantitative dose-response assessment to support pharmaceutical development. Currently, Wen oversees the screening laboratory, provides subject matter expertise guiding teams and chemists away from genotoxicity liabilities. In addition, she serves as the drug safety team lead on projects and participates in genetic toxicology impurity assessment. Wen is an active member of the Genetic Toxicology Association, the Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society, and Health and Environmental Sciences Institute. She has presented her work at numerous conferences and currently contributing to manuscript and AOP preparation. Wen has a particular passion in in vitro assays, adverse outcome pathways, innovative technologies, and alternative testing methods. Chair-ELECT (2024)
Ashley J. Allemang MS
Ashley has over 10 years of industry experience in applied genetic toxicology in the context of in vitro-based safety support. Her research has primarily focused on mode of action determination and distinguishing direct and indirect genotoxicity through various in vitro methods such as the micronucleus assay, the ToxTracker assay and other genomics-based methods such as the TGx-DDI biomarker. More recently her research has employed the HepaRG micronucleus assay to develop in vitro-based genotoxicity potency rankings of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, as well as genotoxicity evaluation of mixtures. In addition to her research activities, her expertise has also expanded to include SAR based risk assessment. Ashley has been actively involved in the HESI GTTC committee since 2017 and has participated in the development of genetox-related AOPs and is currently co-leading the Indirect Genotoxicity subgroup of the In Vitro Work Group evaluating NAMs for genetic toxicity testing.
James Kath
James Kath is a Principal Scientist in the Genetic Toxicology group at AbbVie. He received his PhD in Biophysics from Harvard University where he studied bacterial translesion DNA polymerases, and was an active participant in the academic communities studying DNA replication, repair, and mutagenesis.
In 2017, James joined AbbVie’s Chemical Biology group, where he supported small molecule programs through the development of target engagement assays, identification of off-targets, and evaluation of new therapeutic modalities. Over the past six years in AbbVie Discovery, James developed a strong interest in toxicology through a close collaboration with AbbVie’s Investigative Toxicology and Pathology group, and leading two cross-functional working groups on new modalities. Since transitioning to the Genetic Toxicology group in 2023, James’s focus has been on the implementing new approach modalities and supporting regulatory filings. He is excited to participate the GTA and HESI GTTC committee and build further connections between the genetic toxicology and DNA replication and repair communities.
Steven Nicotra
Steven Nicotra is a Senior Scientist in the Global Toxicology and Safety Pharmacology group at Johnson & Johnson. Steven began his career in the field toxicology in 2008 and started a focus on genetic toxicology in 2011. Steven holds a BSc in Animal Biotechnology and Conservation from Delaware Valley College and a Master of Business Administration from Holy Family University.
Steven’s areas of expertise span from performing in vivo studies and in vitro genetic toxicology studies to monitoring and directing genetic toxicology studies supporting all stages of drug development. Moreover, Steven has supported successful regulatory submissions performing the mutagenicity hazard assessment of impurities and authoring/reviewing corresponding dossier sections. Steven has been active volunteer for the Genetic Toxicology Association since 2020. His volunteer responsibilities have focused on meeting preparation with input, collating and reviewing Student/Early Investigator submitted abstracts, and chairing symposia.
Liz Rubitski
Liz is a Senior Scientist at Pfizer, holds a B.S. in Diagnostic Genetic Sciences from the University of Connecticut and has been working in Genetic Toxicology for over 25 years. Current portfolio responsibilities include serving as technical lead for the high content iScreen assay providing micronucleus results with mechanism of action to project teams and as a POA for the ex vivo portion of the Big Blue Assay. Liz also works on developmental projects involving data management, 6-well Ames imaging, continuous improvement of routine assays and serves as the image analysis specialist to groups within Drug Safety and Development.
As well as roles on the board for the Society of Biomolecular Imaging and Informatics (SBI2) since its founding, she has been a member of GTA for over 20 years, serving as a board member and scientific program chair in years past.
Yi Yang
Dr. Yi Yang is currently Director of Genetic, Environmental, and Occupational Toxicology at AbbVie. She is also a Therapeutic Area Leader overseeing preclinical safety portfolios in Specialty and Cell Therapy area. Dr. Yang has 20 years of experience in preclinical safety assessment for a variety of therapeutic modalities, including small molecules, monoclonal antibodies, degradomers, cell and gene therapy. Her areas of expertise include regulatory toxicology, predictive and mechanistic toxicology, genetic toxicology, toxicogenomics, toxicity biomarkers, and biostatistics.
Dr. Yang received her MD from Sun Yet-Sen University of Medical Sciences, her Ph.D. in Toxicology and M.S. in Biostatistics from University of Cincinnati. She is also certified as a Diplomat of the American Board of Toxicology. She authored 25 peer-reviewed publications and over 20 regulatory submissions supporting Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials. She is actively involved in several industry-wide collaborations, including the Predictive Safety Testing Consortium and the ILSI-HESI consortium. She also served as Secretary to the American Association of Chinese in Toxicology (2010-2012), Chair to the Applied Pharmaceutical Toxicology (2015-2016), and President to the Midwest Regional Chapter of SOT (2017-2019). Dr. Yang joined GTA in 2022 and is co-chair of the Scientific Program Committee for the 2023 annual meeting. Zhiying Ji
Dr. Zhiying Ji is currently a toxicologist at Incyte Corporation in Wilmington, DE. He manages toxicology programs in accordance with global regulatory requirements to support drug discovery and development.
Prior to joining Incyte, Dr. Ji worked for Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS) in New Brunswick, NJ from 2017 to 2022. He provided scientific leadership in developing genotoxicity testing strategies in support of drug discovery and development of different modalities; conducted mutagenicity hazard assessment for intermediates/impurities in accordance with ICH M7 guideline; and leaded genetic toxicology innovation activities.
He also served as Project Toxicologist for multiple programs to support drug discovery and development.
Dr. Ji was a Lead Scientist – Genetic Toxicology at Dow Chemical Company from 2012 to 2017. He provided science leadership in genetic toxicology studies to support product development and global registration; acted as Study Director for in-house GLP and non-GLP genetic toxicology studies; acted as Study monitor for GLP and non-GLP genetic toxicology studies conducted at CROs; leaded capability development of innovative genotoxicity techniques.
Dr. Ji received his Ph.D. degree in Toxicology from Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2004 and his post-doctoral training under the supervision of Prof. Martyn Smith at University of California, Berkeley. He applied fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in the development of early effect biomarkers for benzene and formaldehyde exposure and investigated the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of chemical mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.
Dr. Ji has authored or co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications. He is an active member of GTA, EMGS and SOT.