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John Renger
Principal, Neurtuitive, LLC
Dr. John Renger, Ph.D., is a well-respected neuroscientist and pharmaceutical executive known for his extensive experience and expertise in research and development within the pharmaceutical industry.
With a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences/Neurogenetics from the University of Iowa, Dr. Renger has a strong educational background, complemented by a previous B.S. in Biology from the same institution.
In 2019, Dr. Renger assumed the role of Chief Scientific Officer at Cerevel Therapeutics, where he oversees research initiatives and early clinical development strategies.
Prior to his current position, he held key leadership roles at prominent pharmaceutical companies such as Imbrium Therapeutics L.P. and Merck & Co., accumulating over 20 years of experience in advancing compounds into clinical development for various nervous system diseases.
Dr. Renger's contributions to the pharmaceutical field include leading teams that developed innovative treatments targeting conditions like pain, neurodegenerative diseases, ADHD, essential tremor, schizophrenia, and insomnia.
His work has resulted in the advancement of over 40 compounds into clinical trials, demonstrating his dedication to improving treatments for complex medical conditions.
Notable achievements in Dr. Renger's career include spearheading the research and regulatory approval of Belsomra® (suvorexant), a groundbreaking medication that specifically targets sleep-wake neural networks in the brain.
Throughout his career, Dr. Renger has been involved in cutting-edge research projects, including the development of gene knockdown technologies and PET tracers for imaging therapeutic targets in the brain, showcasing his commitment to advancing neuroscience and drug discovery.
In addition to his industry roles, Dr. Renger has a solid academic background, having served as a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and as a staff scientist at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan.
Dr. Renger's impressive portfolio includes over 142 peer-reviewed articles and positions on the board of directors or scientific advisory boards of multiple companies, highlighting his influence and expertise in the pharmaceutical and scientific communities.
Highlights
On this episode of Cerevel Drug Hunters, I sit down with our VP of Biology, Dr. Phil Iredale. Phil dives into the details of his role leading the Biology department here at Cerevel, how we arrive at the new discovery programs that we decide to execute, and the mechanistic rationale behind the drugs we are creating. We also get an inside glimpse into the interesting and compelling journey that has led Phil to Cerevel. Comment below and let me know what you think!
We’re excited to collaborate with Google Cloud with the goal of accelerating the drug discovery process to deliver better solutions for people living with neuroscience diseases. Shout out to Richard Gleeson, Claude Barberis and Bethany Kormos and the rest of the Cerevel and Google team members for enabling this partnership and staying on the cutting edge of technology to optimize the work we do for the patients that are counting on us!!
