According to a 2017 study by Nature Biotechnology, found that African Americans only make up about 13% of the population but held only 3% of the executive positions at biotech firms at the time.
Here's a look into 7 influential African American life science leaders.
Kenneth Frazier, CEO, Merck & Co.
Frazier earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Penn State and then went on to earn a JD from Harvard University. He first joined the law firm Drinker, Biddle & Reath. In 1992 he then made the change to the general counsel of public affairs division of Merck. In 2006, Frazier became executive vice president while still working as general counsel, and in 2017 led the human health group. He took role as CEO in 2011, as the first African American to lead a major Pharma company.
Susan Windham-Banniser, CEO, Biomedical Growth Strategies
Windham-Bannister received a BA from Wellesley College, a PhD in Health Policy and Management from the Florence Heller School at Brandeis university, and a Doctor of Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She was a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard Universities John F. Kennedy School and a Fellow in the Centre for Science and Policy (CSAP) at Cambridge University, England. Between 2008 and 2016, Windham-Banniser served as founding president and CEO of the $1 billion Massachusetts Life Sciences Initiative. Biomedical Growth Strategies (where Windham-Banninser is now CEO), is a strategy advising firm serving the life sciences industry.
Cynthia M. Patton, CCO, Amgen
Patton received her BA from Vassar College and then went on to complete her JD at George Washington University. As CCO, she is responsible for Amgen's international compliance and business ethics. Before starting her career at Amgen in 2005, Patton spent 7 years as general counsel for SCAN Health Plan.
Gary H. Gibbons, Director, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Gibbons earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and then carried on to graduate magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School. After his residency and cardiology fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital, he was faculty at Stanford University from 1990-1996 and at Harvard Medical School from 1996-1999. Gibbons then went on to work at the third largest institute at the NIH -the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute- with a $3 billion annual budget, where he is currently the director.
Cherie Butts, Medical Director, Biogen
Butts attended The Johns Hopkins University, where she received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. Her pre-doctoral studies were carried out at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and focused on anti-tumor immune responses in ovarian cancer patients. Finally, Butts studied neuroendocrine regulation of innate immunity at the NIG for her postdoctoral studies. In 2012, Butts joined Biogen where she first moved into program management in immunology and later headed to preclinical programs across all therapeutic areas. She then transitioned to portfolio management.
Ted Love, CEO, Global Blood Therapeutics
Love came out of early retirement to help address the growing concerns in the sickle cell disease community, with a main focus on underserved patient populations. Today Love is the CEO of Global Blood Therapeutics, a biopharma company that is determined to discover, develop and deliver innovative treatments. Starting his academic career at Haverford College in 1977, Love achieved a BA in Molecular biology, he then went on to Yale University school of medicine to receive an MD and then to Harvard Medical School for both is residency and fellowship in cardiology. Ted Love is also a board member of both Royalty Pharma and Seattle Genetics, as of August 2020.
Tia Lyles-Williams, Founder & CEO, Lucaspye Bio
Lyles-Williams first attended Howard University achieving her BSc in biology. After achieving her MS in Entertainment Business at Full Sail University, Lyles-Williams went to the University of Southern California to complete an MRSc in Regulatory Science. Lyles-Williams is a serial entrepreneur, being the first Queer, African American woman to own and lead a biotech large-scale manufacturing organization that is Lucaspye. Lyles-Williams possesses the same titles for Lucaspye's sister company HelaPlex, which is a commercial co-working space for life science startups.
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