From Signals to Strategy: The Next Chapter of Digital Biomarkers

Josh Cosman, PhD, Scientific Director, Precision Medicine, AbbVie Inc.

Dr. Josh Cosman is an Interdisciplinary Neuroscientist with 20 years of experience developing behavioral and electrophysiological markers of cognition and motor function in healthy aging and neurological disorders. For the past decade, his work has focused on supporting therapeutic development, leading the development of translational biomarkers and novel functional markers using scalable research-grade tools and consumer devices. He is actively involved in several precompetitive initiatives in both the digital health and translational neuroscience fields, including serving as Industry Co-Director of the Critical Path for Parkinson’s ‘Digital Drug Development Tools’ consortium.

Leah Rubin, Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Leah Rubin is a Cognitive Neuroscientist and Epidemiologist whose work is deeply rooted in advancing brain health, particularly cognition and mental health among vulnerable populations, both in the US and globally. With over 15 years of experience leading NIH-funded research, she has dedicated her career to understanding the patterns, predictors and mechanisms of brain health disorders, with a particular focus on individuals living with HIV and those affected by long COVID. She currently leads the Johns Hopkins Brain Health Program, a multidisciplinary initiative at the forefront of clinical translational research. This program brings together experts in clinical and translational research, data science and mathematical modelling and molecular and translational immunology, all united in their mission to optimize brain health and reduce the stigma of brain health disorders. In the field of NeuroHIV, Dr. Rubin also co-directs the Johns Hopkins Center for the Advancement of HIV Neurotherapeutics, which focuses on investigating the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying brain health disorders in people with HIV and translating these discoveries into novel therapeutic strategies. In addition to her leadership roles, Dr. Rubin is an active collaborator in several major cohort studies, including the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study and CHARTER.

Raha Dastgheyb, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Dr. Raha Dastgheyb is an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She holds BS degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Virginia and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Drexel University. At Johns Hopkins, she co-directs the JH-CAHN Biomarker Core and the Data Science and Mathematical Modeling core of the Brain Health Program, where her research centers on developing and applying computational tools and visualization methods to analyze and interpret clinical data sets, particularly in the context of cognitive health. Her work emphasizes building reproducible, scalable and interpretable approaches that bridge clinical research and applied data science.

Bryan J. Hansen, PhD, Pharma Neuroscientist, Technologist, and Innovator

Dr. Bryan J. Hansen is a distinguished leader in neuroscience, digital health and clinical research, advancing clinical innovation and shaping strategies across neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. With over a decade of experience in pharma, biotech and academic research, Dr. Hansen has spearheaded initiatives that translate digital biomarkers, AI-driven analytics and biosensor technologies into scalable solutions that improve trial efficiency, regulatory acceptance and patient-centered outcomes. Dr. Hansen’s passion is in creating partnerships that connect science, technology and healthcare, ensuring that digital health’s role in clinical trials isn’t just theoretical but creates measurable impact for patients, caregivers and families.

Currently, Dr. Hansen is working across the industry with sponsors, academics and companies, driving innovation at the intersection of neuroscience, data science and digital health.

Tairmae Kangarloo, Former Associate Director Digital Strategy

Dr. Tairmae Kangarloo was formerly an Associate Director of Digital Strategy in Neuroscience at Takeda. She has experience in both academia and industry, where her work has primarily focused on digital biomarkers in clinical trials in neuroscience, including leading study design, protocol development, recruitment and retention strategies and study execution. Prior to Takeda, Dr. Kangarloo worked at both Biogen and Pfizer, where she led the efforts to operationalize internal human biology labs and was the primary point of contact for multisite external research collaborations focused on validation of digital tools for use in clinical trial settings.

David Anderson, Director, Science & Innovation, Clinical ink

Dr. David Anderson is the Director of Science & Innovation at Clinical ink, where he builds the company’s AI & Innovation ecosystem and leads cross-functional teams spanning Applied AI, Connected Devices and Data Science. He directs Clinical Ink’s Innovation Lab and drives innovative data pipelines that turn raw sensor and eCOA data into regulatory-grade digital biomarkers and near–real-time insights for sponsors and sites. Dr. Anderson’s work integrates wearables and smartphone sensors with modern data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, AWS, including Bedrock/Q/QuickSight) to deliver scalable analytics and patient-centric outcomes. He has spearheaded initiatives around cognition, speech and mobility, and partners closely with academic and pharma collaborators to translate research into production.

Dr. Anderson is a Neuroscientist by training and education with over fifteen years of experience developing hardware and software solutions to evaluate human behavior and physiology in both laboratory and real-world environments at scale.