Paul Friedmann, M.D., M.B.A., Executive Director

Dr. Friedmann has been involved with PVLSI from the concept stage forward. While Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Baystate Medical Center, he served on the Institute's Board of Directors as its first chair. Subsequently, he became its first Executive Director. In that capacity he is responsible for leading its strategic development and all management functions.

Long a leader in economic development efforts in western Massachusetts, Dr. Friedmann chairs the Regional Technology Corporation's Bio Economic Technology Alliance and is the Dean's Professor for Biomedical Innovation at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is nationally recognized for his leadership in graduate medical education. Dr. Friedmann is certified and recertified by the American Board of Surgery in General Surgery and in Vascular Surgery. He received his M.D. from the Harvard Medical School and his M.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Lawrence M. Schwartz, Ph.D., Science Director and Director of the Center of Excellence in Apoptosis Research (CEAR)

Dr. Schwartz was PVSLI's founding Director and, as its first Science Director, leads the research enterprise, including the CEAR. He is responsible for all aspects of the Institute's development as a research organization and its scientific focus.

Widely recognized for his work on the regulation of programmed cell death, including the first molecular cloning of death-associated genes from any organism and the first demonstration of a key role for the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in the control of cell death, Dr. Schwartz also played an important role in helping to introduce apoptosis to the larger research community by writing a number of highly cited review articles and editing two volumes on research methods for the field. Dr. Schwartz's current work focuses on the control of muscle and neuron death during development and pathology in mammals. He holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Washington in Seattle. For more on his research go to the Schwartz laboratory »

Angelina M. Pizzanelli, M.B.A., Administrative Director

Ms. Pizzanelli is responsible for all aspects of PVLSI operations and finance. Prior to joining PVLSI she was the Director of Operations & Finance for Academic Affairs at Baystate Medical Center. She has extensive experience in laboratory management, human resources, finance, operations, and research administration. Ms. Pizzanelli received her B.A. in Biology from Mount Holyoke College and her M.B.A. from Boston University.