Our Scientists—Putting Nutrition in Action
Below are a few key members of our scientific team. Supporting them is a variety of dedicated and degreed scientific professionals and staff members placed in strategic areas throughout the company to help make our mission for better health possible.
Jeffrey S. Bland, PhD, FACN, CNS
Chief Science Officer of Metagenics, Inc. and President of the MetaProteomics® Nutrigenomics Research Center
Matthew Tripp, PhD
Vice President of Research and Development for Metagenics, Inc. and the MetaProteomics Nutrigenomics Research Center
John Babish, PhD
Executive Vice President, MetaProteomics Nutrigenomics Research Center
Robert H. Lerman, MD, PhD
Director of Medicine and Extramural Clinical Research for Metagenics, Inc.
Joseph J. Lamb, MD
Director of Intramural Clinical Research, Functional Medicine Research CenterSM
Gary Darland, PhD
Senior Director of Applied Science
Deanna Minich, PhD, CN
Director, Information Integration & Innovation
Lyra Heller, MA
Category Manager—Hormone Balance, Men's/Women's Health, Skeletal Health, Neurological Health
Margaret King, BS
Senior Director, Quality Assurance & Quality Control
See published articles authored by Metagenics scientists
Jeffrey S. Bland, PhD, FACN, CNS
Chief Science Officer and President of MetaProteomics®
Dr. Bland, Metagenics' President and Chief Science Officer, has been an internationally recognized leader in the nutritional medicine field for over 25 years. Dr. Bland founded HealthComm International, Inc. in 1985, and served as its Chief Executive Officer until the merger with its strategic partner, Metagenics, in 2000. As the principal visionary of HealthComm, Dr. Bland had already distinguished the company as a leader in the development of medical foods by the time of the merger. He had also established the internationally respected Institute for Functional Medicine to train health practitioners globally in the application of nutritional and functional medicine.
A nutritional biochemist and registered clinical laboratory director, Dr. Bland is a former professor of biochemistry at the University of Puget Sound, and a previous Director of Nutritional Research at the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine. Dr. Bland has authored five books on nutritional medicine for the healthcare professional and four books on nutrition and health for the general public. He is also the principal author of over 100 peer-reviewed research papers on nutritional biochemistry.
Committed to advancing education in the natural health sciences, Dr. Bland is one of the four original founders of Bastyr University in Washington State, the first federally accredited university in the United States offering graduate and undergraduate degrees in natural medicine. With his highly regarded seminar series on science-based nutrition and health, Dr. Bland continues to focus on providing practical education to healthcare professionals worldwide. Dr. Bland holds several patents for nutritional products and oversees the activities of the Functional Medicine Research CenterSM, the MetaProteomics® Nutrigenomics Research Center, and the Institute for Functional Medicine.
"Our Objective: Genetic Potential Through Nutrition" by Dr. Bland
Matthew Tripp, PhD
Vice President of Research and Development for Metagenics, Inc. and the MetaProteomics Nutrigenomics Research Center
Dr. Tripp has served as Vice President of Research and Development at Metagenics since 2000. He received his PhD in microbiology and physiology from Washington State University in 1981. He then spent five years in the department of biology at the University of California, San Diego where he conducted biochemical and molecular genetic research directed toward elucidating the molecular mechanisms regulating cellular growth and differentiation. Dr. Tripp was a pioneer in identifying novel regulatory protein phosphorylation cascades, a molecular mechanism known to be central to many diseases including oncogenesis, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity.
In addition to his academic career, Dr. Tripp brings to Metagenics many years of industrial experience, leading the invention and commercialization of novel technologies, ingredients, processes, and new products. His responsibilities and accomplishments have encompassed basic research (molecular gene cloning and recombinant protein secretion), applied discovery, strategic planning and development, new product development, product improvement, and consumer market research interfacing with marketing and brand management.
Dr. Tripp has directly managed a wide range of professionals including BS, MS, and PhD product developers, scientists, and engineers. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, and he has presented his work at multiple national industry meetings. Furthermore, he holds and has applied for multiple patents relative to the use of biotechnology for the development of innovative products. Dr. Tripp also brings with him the experience of employment at two Fortune 100 companies—Miller Brewing Company and Kellogg—where he served as Manager, Process and Products Innovation and Senior Program Manager, Research and Development, respectively.
John Babish, PhD
Executive Vice President, MetaProteomics® Nutrigenomics Research Center
Dr. Babish joined Metagenics in 2002. He brings extensive experience with the publishing of over 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers and is an inventor on 14 U.S. and 3 foreign patents. He was tenured Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York for 17 years. His most recent published work includes a chapter on natural antiviral products in: AIDS & Alternative Medicine: Current State of the Science published by Churchill-Livingston. He also serves as the National Coordinator for the USDA Minor Species Drug Program (NRSP-7) which provides funding and expertise for the approval of pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of diseases associated with minor crop species.
Dr. Babish has spoken at 38 national conferences on such topics as cytochrome P-450 mediated drug metabolism, epidemiology and molecular biology of cancer, AIDS drug development, nutrition in HIV and environmental risk assessment. He also serves as chairperson of BIOnexus and Senior Vice President of Ashni Naturaceuticals, companies that focus on using molecular techniques in proteomics to identify pharmacological activity of natural products and develop medical and functional foods.
Robert H. Lerman, MD, PhD
Director of Medicine and Extramural Clinical Research for Metagenics, Inc.
Dr. Lerman is the Director of Medicine and Extramural Research at Metagenics. Prior to Metagenics, Dr. Lerman was on staff at the Boston University School of Medicine, where he was an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine and a faculty member in Nutritional Sciences at the Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry. He was also Director of Inpatient Nutrition and Director of Clinical Nutrition for more than 15 years at Boston Medical Center, and served as Chief of Nutrition at Jewish Memorial Hospital in Boston. Dr. Lerman is board cetified in internal medicine and received his MD from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has completed fellowships in nephrology and clinical nutrition. As a Major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, he served as Chief of Medicine at the U.S. Army Hospitals in Berlin, Germany and Vicenza, Italy. In addition, he was acting Chief of Nephrology at Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheba, Israel.
He has authored and co-authored numerous papers and book chapters, in addition to lecturing on such topics as parenteral nutrition, obesity, fatty acid metabolism, healing and repair of acute myocardial infarction, and trace element deficiency. He is also Director of Medical Education for the Institute for Functional Medicine, serves on the editorial board of Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, and an Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.
Dr. Lerman's clinical research activities are centered at Metagenics' Functional Medicine Research CenterSM, where over the past 4 years he has served as the principle investigator in over 10 studies in such areas as premenstrual syndrome, knee osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, ex-vivo evaluation of phytonutrient formulations, and evaluation of the effects of a phytonutrient combination on platelet function. In addition, he has been a co-investigator in approximately 10 other studies. He also sees numerous study subjects in individual case management in the evaluation of Metagenics products in a variety of conditions, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, premenstrual syndrome, perimenopausal hot flashes, fibromyalgia, carbohydrate craving, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypercholesterolemia, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Joseph J. Lamb, MD
Director of Intramural Clinical Research, Functional Medicine Research CenterSM
Dr. Lamb joined Metagenics in 2006 and serves a vital role in the clinical trials and investigational case management studies at the Functional Medicine Research Center (FMRC) at our Gig Harbor campus. He received his MD from the Medical College of Virginia and was awarded a fellowship in the cardiology division of internal medicine at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and founding diplomate of the American Board of Holistic Medicine.
Prior to joining Metagenics, Dr. Lamb led a successful career in private practice in Alexandria, Virginia, where he integrated functional medicine principals in treatment approaches to wellness. He also held clinical and advisory positions for local educational facilities, healthcare conferences, area hospitals, and a healthcare Web site for the lay community. He is active in community service and is frequently invited to lecture on integrative health topics raging from pain management and healthy aging to women’s health and complementary cancer care.
Dr. Lamb has served in collegiate faculty and adjunct positions for prestigious institutes such as the George Washington University School of Medicine. In addition, he has contributed to several medical textbooks, including the Textbook of Functional Medicine published by The Institute for Functional Medicine, where he also serves on the advisory committee for continuing medical education.
Gary Darland, PhD
Senior Director of Applied Science
Dr. Darland heads the team in our biological sciences department. He joined the Metagenics family after 23 years of research experience in natural products, and biochemistry and microbial genetics at Merck Research Laboratories. He received his doctorate in microbiology from the University of Washington. Prior to joining Merck, he was a visiting Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control in the Enteric Disease Section and an Assistant Professor at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.
In addition to bench research in microbial biochemistry and genetics, Dr. Darland has been involved in the design and evaluation of clinical trials. These activities have led to the publication of several papers dealing with drug metabolism and the biosynthesis of natural products. He currently supervises the cell biology laboratory of the MetaProteomics® Nutrigenomics Research Center. The laboratory utilizes a variety of proteomic techniques, including ELISA and Western blots, as well as RT-PCR for screening and mechanistic studies on natural products. These techniques can also be applied to both cultured cells and to human clinical samples, in particular whole blood.
Deanna Minich, PhD, CN
Director, Information Integration & Innovation
Dr. Minich leads the team of novel ingredient research and innovation and facilitates these new product concepts through their clinical development and eventual launch into the market. In addition, she counsels patients on nutrition and lifestyle using functional medicine protocols at the Functional Medicine Research Center in Gig Harbor, WA. Overall, she plays a pivotal role interfacing with and aligning R&D, Sales, Marketing and Manufacturing to execute new product launches on time. Since joining Metagenics in May 2003, she has streamlined the organizational process, which has helped to contribute to the on-time delivery of products. Another facet of Dr. Minich's position is her role as a liaison to the Marketing Department by addressing pertinent scientific issues in the form of technical documents, such as company position papers and white papers. She also assists Marketing in the development of new formulas and is responsible for evaluating the safety and efficacy of Metagenics formulas.
Dr. Minich has an extensive background in nutritional science, having received her Master of Science degree in human nutrition and metabolism from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her doctorate in Medical Sciences from the Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolism at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Her area of doctoral research has been focused primarily on lipid biochemistry, and specifically on the absorption and metabolism of essential fatty acids. She has published over 10 articles in numerous peer-reviewed, scientific journals, and has presented her work at several national scientific meetings. She is a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, a Certified Nutrition Specialist and a member of both the American College of Nutrition and the American Society for Nutrition Science. She is certified as a nutritionist (CN) through the Washington State Department of Health.
Dr. Minich has previously served as an educator, teaching various nutrition-related courses in university settings. In addition to her academic training and teaching skills, she brings industry experience from Cooke Pharma, where she worked on the research and development of the HeartBarT medical food bar. She also served as Senior Nutrition Scientist at General Mills, Inc. within the Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition as a technical expert and developed health strategies for marketing teams such as Small Planet Foods.
Lyra Heller, MA
Category Manager-Hormone Balance, Men's/Women's Health, Skeletal Health
Lyra Heller is a co-founder of Metagenics and an anthropologist with more than 30 years of experience and expertise in the areas of complementary and alternative medicine. Ms. Heller plays a critical role in the design and development of Metagenics' formulas while educating health professionals worldwide on the benefits of integrating a variety of natural healing systems with contemporary medical practice.
After receiving her MA and advancement to doctoral candidacy from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1971, Ms. Heller embarked on the life-long study of botanical medicine, homeopathy, and traditional systems of medicine including, but not limited to, traditional Chinese medicine and the phytopharmacy and folk medicines of Europe. The blend of anthropological training and decades of practice contribute a cross-cultural perspective and sense of balance to our multi-disciplinary team.
For years, Ms. Heller served as the Director of Herbal Medicine, lending her expertise in the design, education, and marketing of herb-based and homeopathic formulas, and helped institute Good Plant Practices at Metagenics with the MetaBotanica Method. She now is a key member of the Marketing Department, managing several product categories to identify new opportunities for natural health care and unmet patient needs. In addition, she devotes a large portion of her time helping practitioners understand functional medicine approaches in gender-specific health issues, as well as how to successfully implement a therapeutic lifestyle program in clinical practice.
Ms. Heller also maintains a consulting practice in Los Angeles for healthcare practitioners and is the co-author of Good for You! Smart Choices for Hormone Health!
Margaret King, BS
Senior Director Quality Assurance/Quality Control
Ms. King received her degree from Fort Wright College and joined the Metagenics family in 1991 as Technical Affairs Manager overseeing the Quality Control, Product Development, Technical, and Regulatory Departments. In 2002 Ms. King received her Regulatory Affairs Certification from the University of Washington. Ms. King is currently the Senior Director of Quality Assurance/Quality Control and is responsible for assuring regulatory compliance of products and manufacturing facilities.
During the 1998 manufacturing plant construction, Ms. King established the quality assurance/quality control programs and designed the physical, analytical, and microbiological laboratories that perform over 150 tests per week. She has helped Metagenics achieve Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certifications from the National Products Association (NPA, formerlly known as the Nutritional Foods Association or NNFA), NSF International, and Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Previously Ms. King was with the Borden Pasta Group where she served as Manufacturing Manager in charge of all aspects of production and packaging.