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Jacob Cohen
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Dr. Jacob Cohen is currently the Chief Scientist (2010 to present) and the International Space Station (ISS) Utilization Research and Functionality Project Manager (Acting; 2011 to present) for the ISS Utilization Office, the Deputy Division Chief (Acting) for the Mission Design Division (2010 to present) and the Director of the Ames Biology Office within the Engineering Directorate (2009 to present), at NASA Ames Research Center. He is responsible for developing short and long-term goals, acquiring funding and personnel and implementing new biology based research and hardware development opportunities. Dr. Cohen also works with the Mission Development Division, the NanoSatellite Mission Office and other directorates and divisions to develop small spacecraft utilization and application strategies, timelines, milestones, and resources. As part of his interest in the utilization of space for international, commercial and educational advancements, Dr. Cohen leads and coordinates the development of international collaboration opportunities in the Small Spacecraft Class of vehicles, including planetary Discovery Class missions, and the development of commercial and educational life science and small spacecraft opportunities. Dr. Cohen is also an active investigator with flight payload experiments that have been conducted on the ISS. He is involved in the development of the new synthetic biology initiative at NASA Ames Research Center, is the Ames Project Scientist and Manager for the new Ames-JSC ISS National Lab Cell Science Enabling initiative and is leading proposals to further develop research capabilities on the ISS.
Pursuing interests in evolutionary biology, Dr. Cohen first completed a Doctoral Dissertation at New York University on the evolution of Hawaiian Drosophila (1996). His research involved evolution, biogeography and protein polymorphism studies on the Drosophila hawaiiensis subgroup using molecular and morphological techniques on Drosophila collected from the Hawaiian Islands, grown in the laboratory or obtained from museums.
Continuing and refining his interest in evolutionary biology, Dr. Cohen completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Ophthalmology Research Laboratories (1997 to 2000). During this fellowship he studied viral host relationships using the rabbit ocular model of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1). While the main focus of his research involved the understanding of the role the LAT gene plays in HSV-1 latency, he also worked on signal transduction and HSV-1 reactivation, HIV and HSV-1 interactions, HSV-1 gene therapy vectors and evolution of CMV.
Pursuing an understanding of evolutionary changes due to extreme environments, Dr. Cohen first started to work at NASA Ames Research Center in 2001 as a Senior Scientist and Site Manager (Science and Technology Corp. (STC); 2001 to 2005). During his tenure at NASA Ames Research Center his responsibilities included being a Site Manager for STC, the Small Payloads Project Scientist and Testing Coordinator/Lead, the Space Station Biological Research Project Incubator Developer Science Lead, and a research scientist. Expanding his management experience portfolio, Dr. Cohen held the positions of Special Assistant to the Director of Advanced Capabilities at NASA Headquarters (Universities Space Research Association (USRA); 2005 to 2007) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Senior Scientist at National Stem Cell, Inc. (2006 to 2007). In his position at NASA Headquarters, Dr. Cohen was responsible for life science management activities related to the Human Research Program and Non-Exploration research portfolio in the Advanced Capabilities Division. In his position at National Stem Cell, Inc., Dr. Cohen was an integral part of developing the company’s mission to advance the science of regenerative medicine using innovative approaches to stem cell therapeutics.
Dr. Jacob Cohen became a Civil Servant at NASA starting in 2007 (GS-15) and held the position of Senior Program Executive at NASA Headquarters, Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) Advanced Capabilities Division (ACD). In this position Dr. Cohen was the lead for fundamental space biology and its utilization of ground, Shuttle, ISS and free flyers (unmanned national and international spacecrafts) platforms. His responsibilities included providing leadership, insight and oversight, advocacy, budgetary and technical guidance, and expert advice to ACD, ESMD and NASA regarding free flyers, technologies, payloads, science, instruments, infrastructure, and mechanisms that can enable and facilitate ACD, Exploration, Science, Space Operations, and other NASA and related Space Missions.
For his numerous contributions, Dr. Cohen has received various NASA and external awards and honors.
Mentoring, teaching and inspiring the next generation of scientists and managers is a continuous role Dr. Cohen pursues. He has taught a variety of courses, given seminars and judged science fairs.
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