SARASOTA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oragenics, Inc. announced it has appointed Dr. James ?Jim? Kelly, Neurologist, as its Chief Medical Officer, to oversee its upcoming Phase II clinical trial. In the recent past, Dr. Kelly served as the Executive Director of the Marcus Institute for Brain Health (MIBH) and Professor of Neurology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado.

The MIBH specialized treatment program is funded by the Marcus Foundation to care for US military veterans with persistent symptoms of TBI. Dr. Kelly was also National Director of the Avalon Action Alliance TBI Programs for which the MIBH serves as the clinical coordinating center. Prior to these recent positions, Dr. Kelly was the Director of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.

As its founding Director, he led the creation of an innovative interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals who blended high-tech diagnosis and treatment with complementary and alternative medical interventions in a holistic, integrative approach to the care of US military personnel with the complex combination of TBI and psychological conditions, such as post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety. In this role, Dr. Kelly was frequently called upon by leaders of the Military Health System at the Pentagon, the US Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and numerous military facilities in the continental US and abroad. Dr. Kelly has interacted with the FDA and clinical trials for brain injury throughout his esteemed career.

He is a strong advocate for treatments in the acute phase of brain injury and understands the value of protecting the brain early on from inflammation, swelling and oxidative stress to gain better clinical outcomes.