Vicki Seyfert-Margolis, Ph.D., is the Founder and CEO of My Own Med, Inc., d/b/a RespondHealth in 2013. Dr. Seyfert-Margolis founded the RespondHealth to disrupt incumbent methods of clinical trialing and to produce better outcomes for those afflicted with disease. Namely, RespondHealth seeks to aid and accelerate the delivery of novel drugs capable of performing for patients in the real world, not merely in the lab. 

Built in partnership with Microsoft Azure, RespondHealth’s full stack platform RESPONDTM leverages state-of-the-art software, data analytics and mobile technology to push the very process of clinical research beyond the lab walls, embedding it in the daily lives of participating patients. With a simple SMS or voice command via phone, patients may “respond” to researchers, sharing valuable feedback on their trial experience — at any time and from any location. This new ability to collect data ubiquitously and flexibly produces information sets that are larger, more diverse, more accurate and more relevant to the true wants and needs of patients. Integrating clinical and real-world data in this way, RESPONDTM also bridges that historic gap between basic research and commercial markets that all too often thwarts the success of promising therapies once they are broadly launched post-trial. The most critical part of research is the end game; by working to ensure that more innovative drugs arrive “market ready”, RESPONDTM helps create greater value for all healthcare stakeholders. 

Prior to founding RespondHealth, Vicki served in the Obama Administration as the Senior Advisor for Science Innovation and Policy in the Office of the Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration. While at the FDA, Vicki oversaw the development and execution of an agency wide strategic plan for regulatory science. She worked with industry and academic leaders on myriad regulatory and leading-edge science issues and policy initiatives, including mobile technologies, innovation in drug development, and companion diagnostics. 

Prior to her work with FDA, Vicki served as Chief Scientific Officer at the Immune Tolerance Network (ITN), a non-profit consortium of researchers seeking new treatments for diseases of the immune system. At ITN, Dr. Seyfert-Margolis oversaw the development of over 20 leading-edge assay development and centralized laboratory facilities, bringing them to GLP and CLIA compliance. She also served as Director of the Office of Innovative Scientific Research Technologies at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH, where she worked to integrate emerging technologies into NIH’s existing immunology and infectious disease programs.  

Throughout her career, Vicki has designed and implemented over 35 innovative Phase II and registration clinical trials, and she is the author of numerous academic white papers and peer-reviewed research papers. She continues to publish and is a frequent keynote speaker on the topics of both regulatory and drug discovery trends, and the transformative impacts of digital technology on healthcare.  

Vicki completed her PhD in immunology at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine, and her post-doctoral fellowship work at Harvard University and the National Cancer Institute. Vicki serves as a Board Director for the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases, and the Eureka Institute for Translational Medicine. To learn more, see: Solutions – Respond.Health