Dr Ruth McKernan
Chief Scientific Officer
Pfizer Regenerative Medicine
Ruth graduated from the University of London with a first in biochemistry and pharmacology. She gained her PhD at London's Institute of Psychiatry studying the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs. A Fulbright Scholarship took her to the University of California in San Diego for two years and thereafter Ruth joined the pharmaceutical Industry. In her 20 years' experience she has held many posts including Head of the Merck Neuroscience Research Centre in the UK where she led a group of 250 scientists with a portfolio from idea to POC.
Since joining Pfizer three years ago, she has been Vice President of Biology in Sandwich, Head of the Research Technology Centre in Boston and Vice President for External Research in Europe. Most recently, Ruth has been a leader in Pfizer's commitment to emerging therapeutic opportunities and is now Chief Scientific Officer of the newly- formed Regenerative Medicine Unit with research groups in the both the UK and the US.
Scientifically, Ruth is best known for her neuroscience research on ligand-gated ion channels. She is the author of over 120 publications and 15 patents and is a visiting Professor at King's College, London. Her first book for non-scientists, "Billy’s Halo," was short-listed for the 2007 MIND awards.