Ruth McKernan

Dr. Ruth McKernan is a British neuroscientist known for her work on ligand-gated ion channels, working in biotech and pharma industries as well as for her services to business and innovation for which she was appointed a CBE in 2013.

Dr

Ruth McKernan

CBE
BornScotland
LanguageEnglish
NationalityBritish
EducationKing's College London
GenreAcademic and Popular Science
SubjectNeuroscience
Notable worksBilly's Halo

Career

McKernan studied biochemistry and pharmacology at undergraduate level, graduating from King's College London with first class honors. She gained her PhD researching anti-depressant drugs at the University of London in the Institute of Psychiatry.[1] Following her PhD McKernan held research positions at St Mary's Hospital Medical school on a British Heart Foundation scholarship before moving to the US in 1985 to become a Fulbright scholar at University of California in San Diego. In 1987 she moved to Merck where she worked for 18 years becoming their Head of Neuroscience Research Centre in 2001 before moving to Pfizer in 2005 where she and held a number of senior roles including Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Pfizer’s Neusentis unit .[2]

McKernan was Chief Executive of Innovate UK from 2015 to 2018 where she led the development of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and promoted the importance of greater diversity in innovation[3]. She announced her intention to step down as Chief Executive of Innovate UK in 2018, 2 years before the end of the 5 year position, stating 'the introduction of UK Research and Innovation is the natural transition point and an opportunity for a new leader to refine the organisation'[4]

McKernan is a Venture Partner at the Dementia Discovery Fund[5], a trustee of Alzheimer's Research UK and honorary fellow of the British Pharmaceutical Society[6]

On the 1 November 2019 it was announced[7] that McKernan had been elected as the new Chair of the UK Bioindustry Association.

Awards and honours

McKernan is the recipient of:

  • Fulbright Scholarship to University of California in San Diego
  • Winner of Glaxo/ABSW Science Writers’ Award for her science articles in The Independent
  • CBE for services to business and innovation, 2013

Publications

Alongside more that publishing more than 130 scientific papers and 15 patents, McKernan published Billy's Halo, described as part memoir, part popular science.[8] The book describes the death of her father and was published in 2006.[9] Billy's Halo was short listed for the MIND awards in 2017. McKernan also writes comment pieces in national newspapers on the role of academia.[10]

Interests

McKernan's interests include science-writing and gardening. She also acts as a spokesperson for Women in Innovation.[11]

References
  1. "Ruth McKernan | Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine | Article". ccrm.ca.
  2. "Dr Ruth McKernan CBE | Longitude Prize". longitudeprize.org.
  3. "Dr Ruth McKernan announces she will leave her post at Innovate UK". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  4. "Dr Ruth McKernan to leave Innovate UK two years early -". MSC R&D. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  5. "Ruth McKernan – Dementia Discovery Fund". Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  6. "British Pharmaceutical Society - Honorary Fellows".
  7. BIA. "BIA announces new Chair and appointments to the BIA Board". www.bioindustry.org. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  8. "Billy's Halo, by Ruth McKernan". The Independent. 21 March 2006.
  9. McKernan, Ruth (4 March 2006). "First person: Ruth McKernan is a biochemist, just like her father". The Guardian.
  10. McKernan, Ruth (10 November 2017). "Let's draw blue skies research out of our universities and into the economy | Ruth McKernan". The Guardian.
  11. "Ruth McKernan – Dementia Discovery Fund". Retrieved 2020-03-04.
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