Cynthia C. Perrotta Joins Quantum Leap as VP & Chief People Officer
Quantum Leap is pleased to announce that Cynthia C. Perrotta has joined our team as VP & Chief People Officer (CPO). Cynthia is a dynamic Human Resources Executive with 18+ years supporting domestic and international companies ranging from 180 to 33,000 employees. Cynthia began her Human Resources career as a Personnel Officer in financial services with MBNA America, moving onto Director, SVP, and CPO roles with Systems & Computer Technology, First USA, Siemens Medical Solutions, and Holy Redeemer Health Systems to name a few.  She has utilized her talents and experience across multiple and diverse industries including healthcare, internet/ecommerce, software applications development and IT outsourcing, as well as the non-profit sector.   
 
Prior to joining Quantum Leap, she was the National Director of Talent Management/HR for InfoLogix, a company providing integrated technology solutions to the Healthcare Industry and Enterprise Mobility and SAP Supply Chain Management solutions to the commercial market.  Cynthia has served as a Member of the Life Science Career Alliance Board (LSCA) and as a Bureau of National Affairs (BNA) Policy & Practice Board Member. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Magna Cum Laude, from West Chester University.

Quantum Leap is very pleased to announce the addition of Dennis K. McBride, Ph.D. as Vice President and Chief Science Officer
As Vice President and Chief Science Officer, Dr. Dennis McBride serves as the primary guarantor of the scientific integrity of Quantum Leap and its products. He is responsible for reviewing the execution of science-based projects as well as conducting and directing additional business development, principally from government customers. Dennis leads Quantum Leap’s efforts to transition projects to the fleet and works closely with the executive leadership to transition principally government-sponsored research products to the commercial sector.

Prior to joining Quantum Leap Innovations, Dennis was President of the Potomac Institute where he led technical programs, including significant support to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Academies of Science/National Research Council (NAS/NRC), as well as to pharmaceutical and ergonomics industries. (more...)

We are privileged to announce the addition of Dr. David S. Weir to Quantum Leap's Board of Directors.  Dr. Weir was the founding director of the Delaware Biotechnology Institute and over the last 10 years was a key player in securing federal research funding and State of Delaware matching funding necessary to build the infrastructure and collaboration to foster growth in the life sciences. He tirelessly pursued the belief that a solid base of academic life science research would serve to support and grow the life science industry in Delaware.

With a Ph.D. and Post Doctoral experience in chemical physics he lectured at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland before joining the DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware. During a 35 year career with DuPont, Dr. Weir held leadership positions in the business and scientific arenas and participated in the discovery, development and marketing of major DuPont product innovation in the polymer, fiber and agriculture business segments.  As Vice President for Global Research and Development, he played a key leadership role in developing DuPont’s worldwide capability in agriculture and plant science, with special emphasis on biotechnology and plant genetics.  In this capacity, he traveled widely and discussed the role of modern biology in agriculture and sustainable development with business and political leaders in the developing world.

On retiring from DuPont, Dr. Weir was appointed a Director of Grupo Vicunha, a Brazilian conglomerate, with the particular role of helping the group develop improved business and management processes.

In 1998, Dr. Weir was appointed to the staff of the University of Delaware and became founding Director of the Delaware Biotechnology Institute, a partnership involving State Government, State academic and medical institutions and the private sector.  He is a member of the Delaware Science & Technology Council and Chair of the Council’s Executive Committee.

In July 2008 Dr. David S. Weir became the Director of the Office of the Economic Innovation & Partnership at the University of Delaware.  This new initiative will enable the University to be widely recognized as a partner of choice through major contributions to economic and community development in the State and region.

The Knowledge Extraction Engine (KEE) is a scaleable automatic method of using multiple techniques to generate models and combinations of models from data and prior knowledge. The system provides unprecedented ease of use in that many of the choices of technique and parameters are explored automatically by the system, without burdening the user, and provides scaleable learning over distributed processors to achieve speed and data-handling capacity to satisfy the most demanding requirements.

The R&D that led to the invention of the KEE was part of the Integrated Biological and Chemical Warfare Defense (IBCWD) program performed under contract to the United States Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-02-C-0320).  Initiated in the wake of the Anthrax attacks of October 2001, the objective of the IBCWD program was to develop an intelligent software platform to fuse, analyze, and reason on data generated by sensors and other inputs to provide decision-support for biological and chemical defense. The technology described in the KEE patent resulted from the successful completion of work on the ONR contract and paved the way for continuation contracts. QLI have since successfully completed several ONR contracts in over seven years of continuous successful work in partnership with ONR technologists.

The KEE patent was awarded January 20, 2009, it provides a generalizable technology that can be applied in many domains. The full patent can be accessed via the link below.

Anyone interested in further discussing the KEE patent and its potential applications should contact QLI at 800.636.LEAP or info@quantumleap.us

Full Patent: US 7,480,640 Elad et al.

‘Gryphon’ Software Driving Innovative Technologies for Quantum Leap
The innovative ideas that Quantum Leap has developed for ‘hybrid modeling and simulation’ are now being consolidated in the form of Gryphon software. The name derives from the hybrid nature of the software approach and recognizes the mythical Gryphon a hybrid bird - animal.

The Gryphon software will form the basis of the move by Quantum Leap to focus on health care and life sciences. The innovative Gryphon technology provides the flexible software capabilities necessary to support the ever increasing scientific and medical advances in the target domains.

The Gryphon trademark was granted on January 27, 2009 and provides a registered trademark for Gryphon® as related to “computer software for representing, maintaining, adapting, evaluating, and analyzing models of biological systems.”

The initial IP filings, in the United States and through the Patent Cooperation Treaty, were published on February 26, 2009 covering “Scalable, computationally-efficient and rapid simulation suited to decision support, analysis and planning.” This IP is targeted at gaining patent protection for the Gryphon® innovative hybrid modeling approach that Quantum Leap has used in several projects with the US Government where the target was modeling of infectious disease. The Gryphon® software provides a flexible simulation engine that has been applied in modeling and simulation work by Quantum Leap that includes:

• Pandemic Influenza (PI) – with US Northern Command who are the designated DOD Global Synchronizer for PI Response.
• PI, Avian Flu and Seasonal Influenza – with Pacific Command in a multi-national exercise (Cobra Gold ’08).
• Endemic Diseases (Cholera, Pneumonia, Malaria, and Hepatitis A) – with US Marine Forces, Pacific in support of Operation Caring Response.
• Shipboard Diseases (PI and Norovirus) – with US Navy Sea Command (NAVSEA) and the US Navy Bureau of Medicine (BUMED).

(All of these examples of the use of Gryphon® are explained in more detail with downloadable information elsewhere on our web site).

Anyone interested in further discussing the Gryphon® technology and its potential applications should contact QLI at 800.636.LEAP or info@quantumleap.us

Patent Application: US 2009/0055150 A1 Prior et al.

Quantum Leap will Participate and Demonstrate Technology at Fleet Week – New York
Quantum Leap Health Sciences (QLHS) has been selected by the US Navy to demonstrate our Shipboard Disease Decision Tool (SDDT) at Navy Fleet Week in New York City this May. The Navy, via the Office of Naval Research has requested that QLHS demonstrate some of the key technologies that are being developed to help protect the health of Sailors and Marines. The demonstrations of the SDDT are open to all Fleet Week attendees including the public and will be held aboard the USS Iwo Jima each day during the course of the week in which the US Navy will have several ships in New York City and available for tour by the public.

SDDT is based on Quantum Leap’s Gryphon® software, and is a disease course of action analysis and planning tool that is designed to help medical personnel prepare for disease outbreaks aboard ship.  SDDT allows ship medical personnel, within minutes, to simulate disease outbreaks and the impact of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions on the spread of the disease.  The rapid runtime and highly configurable nature of the model allow the ships medical personnel to quickly test multiple courses of action and then decide on the best series of steps to take to mitigate the impact of the disease on the ship’s crew and other personnel.

For additional details on Gryphon or SDDT please feel free to download, view, or print our brochures (Gryphon, SDDT).  Fleet Week provides an opportunity for the public to witness first hand the latest capabilities of today’s Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard and includes displays and demonstrations. The Fleet Week Web site can be viewed at http://www.cnrma.navy.mil/fleetweek/ for further details and a schedule of events.  We look forward to seeing you there.

Quantum Leap Health Sciences Supports Pandemic Efforts by the Department of Homeland Security
Quantum Leap Health Sciences (QLHS) has been selected to work with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help prepare the nation for any future pandemic influenza outbreak. The contract involves QLHS experts supporting outreach by DHS to the critical infrastructure and key resource (CI/KR) sectors of the nation’s industrial base (See http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/pdf/cikrpandemicinfluenzaguide.pdf and http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/nipp_annrpt.pdf ). The QLHS expertise on pandemic influenza will be provided in a series of webinars to help to guide the national preparedness efforts and pandemic responses. This effort continues the work of QLHS on pandemic preparedness that began almost 3 years ago and which has led to many national and international publications and presentations.

Assessment of National Preparedness Released
Quantum Leap Health Sciences President, Steve Prior, recently authored the assessment of national preparedness for a future pandemic influenza outbreak. The report was published by the National Governors Association (NGA) (See http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.6c9a8a9ebc6ae07eee28aca9501010a0/?vgnextoid=0beba402a9b6c110VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD ) and is the second report published by Dr. Prior based on his work with the NGA that included workshops and exercises with all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the US Territories. The workshops were requested by Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt following his reading of the Pandemic Primer that Dr. Prior wrote for NGA in which he recommended nationwide exercises to assess regional and state responses (http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0607PANDEMICPRIMER.PDF ).

In the 14 month program Dr. Prior and the NGA team journeyed across the nation and facilitated sessions with state preparedness experts and others state representatives. The workshops had Federal attendees from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as well as the designated national coordinators for pandemic preparedness. A review by the sponsors concluded that “This is an excellent document that will draw attention to both the accomplishments and needs of pandemic influenza preparedness.” Copies of both of the reports and the Pandemic Primer can be downloaded at:
http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0802PANDEMICASSESSMENT.PDF (Interim)
http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0809PANDEMICASSESSMENT.PDF (Final)

Gryphon Software used in Multinational Exercise
At the request of US Pacific Command (PACOM) the Gryphon software that was developed by Quantum Leap Innovations (QLI) technologists was used to support a multi-national exercise in May of this year. The exercise – Cobra Gold ’08 – is the latest in a series of exercises (http://www1.apan-info.net/cobragold/Home/tabid/2809/Default.aspx ) conducted by PACOM to support potential future operations in their area of responsibility (AOR) which is focused on the Pacific Rim (See http://www.pacom.mil/about/about.shtml ).

The latest exercise included an influenza outbreak that was modeled and simulated using the Gryphon™ software to support course of action analysis and planning. The software was updated daily with the decisions of the exercise participants and was then used to inform them of how the disease was spreading and the extent of human transmission, morbidity and deaths. The software was well received and was considered to have ‘sufficient military utility’ that a request was made to develop a deployable version to support the real crisis in the PACOM AOR that resulted from Cyclone Nargis making landfall in Myanmar (see below).

Gryphon Software and Operation Caring Response – Cyclone Nargis
Following the successful demonstration of the Gryphon software at the multi-national pandemic exercise Cobra Gold ’08 (see above) Quantum Leap Health Sciences (QLHS) was requested by Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC) to develop a deployable version of the software to support DoD Operation Caring Response (OCR) which was mounted after Myanmar was devastated by Cyclone Nargis. The program was supported by funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and in a tremendous effort by the company an initial revision of the Gryphon software was generated in 3 weeks and the full version delivered in just 8 weeks.

The work included modifying the Gryphon™ software to map Myanmar and its borders, the civilian and refugee populations, the international response teams, and four new diseases. The resultant software was capable of providing course of action analysis and planning for operations in recovery after the cyclone and included data updates from the World Health organization (WHO). The new Gryphon capability extends the potential use of the software to a wide range of infectious diseases and future DoD humanitarian and crisis response operations. QLHS, in partnership with ONR, is exploring how this new capability can be best applied to the challenges encountered by U.S. military forces during future operations.

Quantum Leap Innovations Wins Phase 2 Contract with Department of Homeland Security
Following the successful completion of the work on Phase 1 of the Unified Incident Command & Decision Support (UICDS) program Quantum Leap Innovations (QLI) teamed with SAIC to bid on the Phase 2 program and are pleased to announce the contract was awarded to the QLI/SAIC team. UICDS is being developed by the DHS Science & Technology Directorate and is targeted at improving the coordination and response to incidents involving state and federal cooperation i.e. ‘incidents of national significance.’

The UICDS technology will enable the nation to seamlessly build (and degrade) the incident command system and resources used to support critical incidents. In the wake of the experiences with Hurricane Katrina the importance of such a capability is clear to all. QLI will provide critically important ‘intelligent agents’ capabilities in UICDS, the work will build on other successful efforts by the company in similar programs. The innovative software will be tested in DHS-designated cities and if successful will be deployed nationally to support the DHS and their federal partners.

Shipboard Disease Modeling
Working with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) the Quantum Leap Innovations and Quantum Leap Health Sciences technologists have continued the development of their Shipboard Disease & Decision Support Tool (SDDT). The SDDT is based on the Gryphon simulation and modeling software and provides modeling of diseases onboard ships and supports mitigation and response for the diseases to sustain mission-critical operations.

The SDDT was presented at the 16^th Annual Medical Services Corps conference and received an commendation for an ‘outstanding contribution.’ The poster that was used at the conference is provided here:  Development of a Shipboard Disease Decision-Support Tool.  The SDDT continues to be developed with ONR with a view to transitioning to the US Navy fleet and the US Marine Corps.