Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC Launches Policy Department

Gabriel Seidman Joins as Director of Policy

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC (“Ellison Institute”) is pleased to announce today the formation of a Policy Department and the hire of Gabriel Seidman, DrPH, as Director of Policy.

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Gabriel Seidman, DrPH, Director of Policy, Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC (Photo: Business Wire)

The department will create actionable recommendations for governmental and nongovernmental organizations on global and domestic policy issues; build strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations; work with and support Ellison Institute faculty members on existing scientific research projects with policy implications; and garner support for policy changes in the cancer and broader healthcare spaces.

“We’re excited to welcome Gabriel to the Institute, and to focus on the intersection of policy, science and advocacy in a more concrete way,” said Dr. David B. Agus, Founding Director and CEO of the Institute. “The pandemic has brought into focus for us that we are in a position to make a real impact on healthcare policy, and Gabriel’s expertise with international organizations will allow us to really drive change and innovation on a global scale.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Ellison Institute to help shape policy that will ultimately benefit patients,” said Seidman. “Healthcare faces enormous challenges, including with the ongoing pandemic and continued health inequities, but there are also exciting opportunities for change with technology, science, and policy innovation. The Ellison Institute has a unique platform to seize the opportunities.”

Dr. Gabriel Seidman brings extensive experience in strategic thinking, public-private partnerships, policy design, and management to the Ellison Institute. Prior to joining the Institute, he served as a Principal at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he worked in the firm’s social impact and healthcare practices. Most recently, he supported COVID health and economic response for the national COVID task forces of two different African governments.

“During his time at BCG, Gabriel worked on a range of high-impact projects in global and domestic health policy, where he advised senior leaders from multilateral institutions, governments, and the private sector,” said Wendy Woods, Managing Director & Senior Partner and Vice Chairman for Social Impact at BCG. “We’re excited to see the positive impact that he has in this new role and how his work at the Ellison Institute builds on his work in global health at BCG.”

During his time working at the World Economic Forum, Seidman designed and launched the Global Coalition for Value in Healthcare, a partnership focused on accelerating value-based health systems using evidence and data. On previous projects, he secured $55M in World Bank project financing for post-Ebola recovery in Guinea, and he wrote the Lesotho Prime Minister’s Primary Health Care Reform Policy. Seidman has published work with the World Economic Forum, the Global Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria, and multiple peer-reviewed journals focused on leadership, management, and policy in healthcare.

Seidman holds a Doctorate of Public Health (DrPH) from Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, where he was a Centennial Fellow and concentrated his studies on global health systems. He holds a BA, magna cum laude, from Yale University. He currently serves as the President of the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Rwanda, and he volunteers with the Trevor Project in his spare time.

Please see Seidman’s first-person thoughts here: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/for-me-public-health-is-personal/

About Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC

The Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine was founded in 2016 to leverage technology, spark innovation, and drive interdisciplinary, evidence-based research to reimagine and redefine cancer treatment, enhance health, and transform lives. Under the leadership of Dr. David B. Agus, MD, the Ellison Institute was designed to tackle the difficult questions in health care and research to push the boundaries of medicine forward. The objective of the Ellison Institute is the rigorous and rapid translation of novel technologies into practice for use in clinical, diagnostic, and laboratory settings. The Institute is comprised of dedicated clinicians, experts and thought-leaders from disparate backgrounds who have come together to make a meaningful, positive impact on the lives of patients. This one-of-a-kind Institute hopes to serve as a powerful catalyst for innovation and reimagining the status quo in medical research and cancer treatments. For more information, visit Ellison.usc.edu.

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