Kendall on the Frontline: Vaccine Development and Rollout

Zoom into the global epicenter of innovation on Friday, January 22 at noon to get answers to your critical questions about COVID-19 vaccines and how Kendall Square’s science is leading the world in developing safe, effective, and accessible vaccines.

This event features experts from Kendall’s biopharma community, including Margaret Ruesch, Ph.D., Vice President of Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences at Pfizer and Dr. Rick Nettles, Vice President US Medical Affairs, Virology at Johnson & Johnson who will share essential insights, updates, and outlooks for the months ahead. Shirley Leung from the Boston Globe will moderate this discussion and ensure you get information straight from the source, Kendall’s frontline leadership.

Margaret Ruesch, PhD

Margaret Ruesch is a Vice President in Worldwide Research and Development at Pfizer. She is the leader of Analytical Research and Development in Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, a multi-site organization of scientists who develop the complex manufacturing and testing strategies for Pfizer’s portfolio of biotherapeutics, gene therapies, and vaccines. Margaret is also the R&D site leader for Pfizer’s Andover, MA location. Andover is a joint R&D and commercial manufacturing site and plays a critical role in the development and manufacturing of new biotherapeutics, gene therapies, and vaccines.

Margaret received a B.S. in Biology from The University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Northwestern University.  She has 20 years of experience in biopharmaceutical and vaccine development and has held previous scientific and leadership roles at Abbott Laboratories in Chicago; Pharmacia & Upjohn in Kalamazoo, MI; and Pfizer in St. Louis, MO. Margaret currently resides in Lexington, MA. 

Rick Nettles, MD

Rick Nettles leads the U.S. Infectious Diseases & Vaccines Medical Affairs team at the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.

Working closely with global R&D colleagues, Rick and his team are focused on bringing critical therapies to people living with HIV and in preparing for the potential introduction of vaccines across multiple disease areas, including our investigational COVID-19 vaccine.

Rick has more than 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Notre Dame and a medical degree from Duke University. He completed his internal medicine residency at Duke University Medical Center and his infectious diseases fellowship from Johns Hopkins University.

Shirley Leung

Shirley Leung is a columnist and associate editor at the Boston Globe. She has written on everything from the intersection of business and politics to gender and diversity issues in the workplace. She has been a three-time finalist for the Gerald Loeb Award for Commentary. In 2018, Boston Magazine named her to its list of the “100 Most Influential People in Boston.” Shirley is also a contributor to WGBH’s “Boston Public Radio” and “Greater Boston,” as well as a regular guest on New England Cable News. Previously, Shirley served as the Globe’s interim editorial page editor. She also has been the Globe’s business editor, where she oversaw its award-winning coverage of the 2008 financial crisis. Prior to the Globe, Shirley was a staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal. A graduate of Princeton University, she started her career at her hometown paper, The Baltimore Sun.