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Our Team

At Drug Discovery Alliances, our team is driven by a shared passion for innovation, collaboration, and results. Let us introduce you to the people behind Drug Discovery Alliances – the team that makes it all happen.

Meet The Team

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Deborah Minor

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President and Founder

Deborah Minor, Ph.D., founded Drug Discovery Alliances (DDA) in 2001. Since this time her company has successfully supported hundreds of pharmaceutical companies to realize end-to-end solutions in drug discovery, drug development, and commercialization. By leveraging her 25+ years of experience in the industry, she has led DDA to become a global key player in connecting pharmaceutical companies with manufacturers and consultants to provide a full continuum of services needed to support biotech and pharmaceutical research and development.

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Mark Cameron

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VP of Process Development

Mark Cameron was a former VP of Process Development at J-STAR Research, leading 21 PhD scientists across high-potent API, PROTAC, and oligonucleotide programs. He is an expert in NDA-enabling CMC work including Fate & Purge, NOR, PAR, and DoE.

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Bryce Zerniak

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Director, Marketing and Business Development

Bryce graduated from NC State and is currently pursuing her MBA. Upon graduation, she began her career at TrialCard, a company focused on helping pharmaceutical manufacturers improve patient access to medications through affordability and access programs. Currently, Bryce serves as the Director of Marketing and Business Development at Drug Discovery Alliances. In this role, she leads strategic marketing efforts and drives business growth by building strong partnerships and identifying new opportunities. Her work enhances the company’s market presence and ensures that clients receive innovative solutions to accelerate their drug discovery processes, ultimately improving the efficiency of research and development timelines.

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Andy Thompson

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Chemistry Consultant

Andy Thompson is an accomplished organic chemist with over four decades of experience in the field. He earned his BS in Chemistry from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1979, followed by a PhD in Organic Synthesis from the University of Pennsylvania in 1985 under the mentorship of Professor Amos B. Smith. He then completed an NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of California, Irvine, working with Professor Larry Overman. From 1987 to 1996, Andy served as a Process Chemist at Merck in the Department of Process Research. In 1996, he founded and served as President and CEO of J-STAR Research, Inc., a world-leading process research company, until 2023. Currently, he works as an independent consultant, specializing in solving complex organic chemistry challenges and providing strategic guidance on the efforts needed for IND-enabling work, taking development candidates from discovery to Phase I clinical trials.

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Corbin Minor

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Strategic Partnerships & Communication Specialist

Corbin holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), where he gained a strong foundation in effective communication, negotiation, and collaboration—skills that are critical in his role at DDA. At DDA, Corbin focuses on helping businesses in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and health supplement industries optimize their ingredient sourcing and reduce costs. He is dedicated to forming partnerships that bring innovation and quality, ensuring that clients have access to ethically sourced ingredients that meet their product development needs. Corbin’s strong communication background helps him create meaningful client relationships and provide solutions that drive long-term success for businesses.

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Mandy Hicks

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Accounts Receivable & Human Resources

For the past 18 years, Mandy has been an integral part of DDA, playing a key role in keeping the company’s financial and people operations running smoothly. Her leadership across accounts receivable and HR has supported DDA’s growth while helping maintain the culture, reliability, and client commitment that define the company.

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