– UK, Brentford – GlaxoSmithKline plc (LON: GSK | NYSE: GSK) today announced the appointment of Dr. Hal Dietz (MD) to its Board as a Non-Executive Director, with effect from 1 January 2022.
Dr. Dietz is a Professor of Genetic Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States, and will become within the Board, the third designated Scientific and Medical Expert alongside Dr. Jesse Goodman, former Chief Scientist at the US FDA, and Dr. Laurie Glimcher, President, and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“I am delighted to welcome Hal to GSK. Innovation is at the heart of our purpose and continuing to strengthen our R&D pipeline remains a key long-term priority as we prepare for the demerger. Hal’s expertise in some of the most exciting areas of science, particularly human genetics, means he is perfectly-placed to provide the insight and challenge we need as GSK moves further into developing next generation medicines and vaccines for patients.” said Board Chairman, Sir Jonathan Symonds.
Hal will join the Science Committee which supports the Board in its oversight and scrutiny of the Company’s R&D strategy and annual performance targets. It also provides technical assurance, particularly about potential R&D-related transactions.
About Harry (Hal) C. Dietz
Hal brings extensive experience in the field of human genetics which is central to GSK’s approach to R&D. He is a former President of the American Society of Human Genetics and is recognized as the world’s leading authority on a genetic disorder known as Marfan Syndrome. He also brings experience in the development of novel therapies, through his role as Founder of and Scientific Adviser to Blade Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on disease-modifying treatments for fibrotic and neurodegenerative diseases. In total, Hal has authored 282 original publications in peer-reviewed journals across his career.
Dr. Hal Dietz is Victor A. McKusick Professor of Paediatrics, Medicine, and Molecular Biology & Genetics in the Institute of Genetic Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an Investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. As a physician-scientist, he has dedicated his entire career to the care and study of individuals with heritable connective tissue disorders with primary perturbations of extracellular matrix homeostasis and function. His lab has identified the genes for many of these conditions, for which he uses model systems to elucidate disease mechanisms.
Dr. Dietz has received multiple prestigious awards including the Curt Stern Award from the American Society of Human Genetics, the Colonel Harland Sanders Lifetime Achievement Award in Medical Genetics, the Taubman Prize for excellence in translational medical science, the Harrington Prize from the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Harrington Discovery Institute, the Pasarow Award in Cardiovascular Research, the InBev-Baillet Latour Health Prize from the country of Belgium, and the Research Achievement Award from the American Heart Association.
He is an inductee of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Association of American Physicians, National Academy of Medicine, and National Academy of Sciences.
He is the founder and scientific advisor to Blade Therapeutics. He is also the independent Chair of GSK’s Human Genetics Scientific Advisory Board.
Dr. Dietz completed his BS at Duke University and received his MD from the SUNY Upstate School of Medicine. He completed a pediatric residency and a cardiology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University before joining the faculty in 1992.
About GSK
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For more information: https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/
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