| Michelle McMurry-Heath | |
| Fields: | Health policy |
| Workplaces: | Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Johnson & Johnson, Food and Drug Administration |
| Education: | Harvard University (BS) Duke University (MD, PhD) |
Michelle McMurry-Heath is a medical doctor, immunologist, and from June 2020 until October 2022 served as chief executive officer for the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).
McMurry-Heath was born and raised in Oakland, California.[1] Her mother was a public health nurse, and her father was a psychologist.[1]
After first pursuing a double major in art history and psychology during college, she changed her focus to biochemistry and received an undergraduate degree from Harvard University in biochemistry.[1] She is the first Black graduate of the Duke University combined MD / Ph.D. Medical Scientist Training Program, and completed her Ph.D. in immunology.[1] [2]
After completing her education, McMurry-Heath worked in research for 12 years. After training from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, she shifted to science policy, which included work from 2001 to 2004 as a legislative aide for Senator Joe Lieberman and drafting a bioterrorism preparedness bill in 2002.[1] [3] [4]
During her work with the Aspen Institute, she was a founding director of the Aspen Institute's Health, Biomedical Science, and Society Policy Program.[4] She also worked as an adjunct assistant professor of health policy at George Washington University.[4] In 2010, she became the associate director at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the Food and Drug Administration.[1] In this role, she developed partnerships with medical device nonprofits.[5]
Towards the end of 2014, she became an executive at Johnson & Johnson and her management role later expanded.[1] [6] While at Johnson & Johnson, she was advised by Michael D. Watkins, who continued as an advisor after she moved to her role as president and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).[1]
She has previously worked with the Council on Foreign Relations.[7] From 2018 to 2020, she was Chair of the NESTcc Governing Committee.[8] She is a member of the AAAS Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy (COSEPP).[9]
In June 2020, McMurry-Heath became the chief executive of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), a lobbying organization that represents several hundred biotech companies,[1] [10] [11] including most of the companies that developed COVID-19 vaccines,[12] as well as academic institutions.[13] At BIO, she led the Coronavirus Collaboration Initiative, a group focused on developing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.[14] In 2021, she was named as a possible nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration.[15] [16] [17]
McMurry-Heath resigned from her role as CEO of BIO effective October 11, 2022, and she continues to serve as an advisor to the board.[18] [19]
McMurry-Heath is married to Sebastian Heath, a veterinarian. They have one daughter and currently live in Washington, D.C.