Professional Expertise and Experience
Dr. Buckheit received a B.S. in Biology from Lehigh University in 1982, a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from Duke University in 1986, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989. Since 1989, Dr. Buckheit has been intimately involved in the preclinical development of anti-infective agents with a focus on prevention and therapeutic agents for use against HIV and the development of optimal combination drug regimens. During this period of time, Dr. Buckheit has scientifically and strategically developed and led infectious disease research programs for commercial, academic and government clients at Southern Research Institute, TherImmune Research Corporation/Gene Logic Inc., and ImQuest BioSciences, Inc.
During the past 20 years, Dr. Buckheit has managed as Principal Investigator a variety of multi-million dollar and technically complex federal contracts, Phase 1 and Phase 2 Small Business Innovative Research grants, hundreds of programs with virtual and small biotechnology companies, research programs with pharmaceutical industry companies, and collaborative programs with academic and federal investigators. Dr. Buckheit's experience with anti-infective evaluations includes the evaluation of well over 500,000 anti-infective molecules that has resulted in more than 150 publications in peer reviewed literature. Dr. Buckheit is an internationally recognized expert in the discovery, development and commercialization of products for the prevention and treatment of infectious disease.
Dr. Buckheit founded ImQuest BioSciences in 2004 and has been the scientific and executive leader of the company since its inception, with hands-on involvement in its day to day operations and growth. At ImQuest, Dr. Buckheit has expanded the service and research based capabilities of the company to include the development of small molecules, vaccines, and biologics as treatment and prevention agents for infectious disease (HIV, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, herpes viruses, respiratory viruses, enteric viruses, emerging and potential bioterrorism agents, and pathogenic and drug-resistant bacteria and fungi) and cancer.
Under Dr. Buckheit's leadership, ImQuest BioSciences was named "Small Business of the Year" by the Maryland Biotechnology Council, "Best Place to Work in Frederick" by Frederick County and Frederick City, and the Entrepreneur Council honored Dr. Buckheit as "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 2010. Dr. Buckheit sits on the Board of Directors of Frederick's biotechnology incubator (Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc.) and he is the elected President of the International Society of Antiviral Research (ISAR). Dr. Buckheit also sits on the editorial board of several antiviral research journals, including Antiviral Research.
Dr. Buckheit is a co-founder of a biopharmaceutical company, ImQuest Pharmaceuticals, which is currently developing novel gels and transdermal patch technologies to deliver products to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV, herpes viruses and pathogenic bacteria and fungi. ImQuest Pharmaceutical's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a vaginal gel to prevent HIV transmission was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in July 2014.
