Leadership

The ARC team is deeply committed to amyloidosis and works tirelessly to deliver our programs which are fully integrated across the entire research and development continuum and into the clinic. These closely align with our mission, and focus on the areas that are most important, can best be delivered by ARC and are most likely to have the biggest impact on patients, short- and long-term.

Isabelle Lousada, Founder and CEO

Isabelle Lousada has been the driving force behind ARC, building successful collaborations and programs across the sectors to advance the science and understanding of the amyloidosis diseases.

Isabelle was diagnosed with AL amyloidosis, and was one of the first patients to successfully undergo a stem cell transplant. For the past twenty years she has been committed to empowering other patients while serving on several boards and committees, speaking at leadership meetings and key events to encourage research, increase access, and support the critical and unmet needs of amyloidosis patients.

Sarah Cairns-Smith, PhD, Chairman

Sarah was senior partner and managing director of Boston Consulting Group, led BCG’s more than 500-member scientist network, and was a member of the firm’s global social impact, health care, and people and organization leadership teams. Sarah has a BSc in microbiology and genetics from University College London, a PhD in biochemistry from Imperial Cancer Research Fund and London University, and an MBA from Columbia Business. Before business school, Dr. Cairns-Smith was a post-doctoral scientist in the Center for Neurobiology at Columbia University.

Kristen Hsu, Executive Director of Clinical Research

Kristen has over ten years of clinical operations experience within the pharmaceutical industry. She has a wealth of experience in managing complex global clinical trials for novel treatments of rare diseases. Kristen is building and overseeing the ARC’s clinical research program and manages a prioritized portfolio of vital research.

Board of Directors

Sarah Cairns-Smith, Board Chairman

Senior Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group

Isabelle Lousada

Founder and CEO, Amyloidosis Research Consortium

Dena Heath, Board Secretary

Facilitator, Northern California Amyloidosis Support Group

Jason Shore, Board Treasurer

CEO, Patient Discovery

Raymond Comenzo, MD

Director, Transfusion Services; Director, John C. Davis Myeloma and Amyloid Program at Tufts Medical Center; Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine

Giampaolo Merlini, MD

Director, Center for Research and Treatment of Systemic Amyloidosis, and of the Biotechnology Research Laboratories, Scientific Institute Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Italy

Steering Committee

A multidisciplinary team of experts in the field of amyloidosis oversees the ARC’s scientific agenda and strategic direction.

Raymond Comenzo, MD

Tufts Medical Center

Mathew Maurer, MD

New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center

Angela Dispenzieri, MD

Mayo Clinic

Giampaolo Merlini, MD

University of Pavia

Jeffery Kelly, PhD

The Scripps Research Institute

Vaishali Sanchorawala, MD

Boston Medical Center

Eric Low, OBE

Chairman, Amyloidosis Research Consortium-UK

Ashutosh Wechalekar, MD

Royal Free Hospital