Pharm Forum Speakers & Schedule
Pharm Forum Speakers
Russell Weiner, PhD
President, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientist
Russell Weiner, PhD, FAAPS is a globally recognized leader in the biopharmaceutical field with over 30 years of expertise in drug development, personalized medicine, regulated bioanalysis, and developing biomarkers and companion diagnostic assays. In his most recent role as VP, Head of Translational Sciences at Alexion Pharmaceutical/AstraZeneca, Dr. Weiner is responsible for rare disease translational strategy, translational research, biomarker development, regulated bioanalysis, companion diagnostics, and the rare diseases biorepository. This end to-end team supports discovery through phase IV life cycle management.
Dr. Weiner earned his PhD in Biochemistry from Albany Medical College. His career includes leading roles in regulated bioanalysis, translational biomarker sciences, and companion diagnostic development at major organizations such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, Daiichi Sankyo, the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, and Takeda. His work has significantly advanced personalized medicine approaches for cancer. He played a key role in the development of Erbitux® for oncology and contributed to the advancement of several immuno-therapeutics, including the checkpoint inhibitors Orencia® for rheumatoid arthritis and Nulojix® for kidney transplantation.
Dr. Weiner was also instrumental in the development and approval of pioneering checkpoint inhibitors, Yervoy® and Keytruda®, including the associated Agilent/Dako companion diagnostic assay, PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx. An active member of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) for over 30 years, Dr. Weiner currently serves as AAPS President. His past contributions include chairing the Biotech Section, serving as a Member-at-Large on the AAPS Board of Directors, and chairing the AAPS Annual Meeting (PharmSci 360). Known for his sense of humor and dedication to mentorship, Dr. Weiner also serves as Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Pharmaceutics at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. He frequently travels to universities both domestically and internationally to provide training in soft skills, interview preparation, and career guidance.
Donghua Yin, PhD
Vice President, Head of Clinical Pharmacology, Pfizer Oncology Division
Donghua Yin, PhD exemplifies the critical intersection of academia and industry. As Vice President and Head of Clinical Pharmacology at Pfizer Oncology Division, he has over two decades of experience driven innovation in oncology drug development. His dual roles as an industry leader and Adjunct Clinical Professor at the University of Michigan allow him to bridge cutting-edge research with practical applications, benefitting attendees by offering actionable insights into pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. His achievements in authoring over 100 publications and securing 10 US patents underscore the tangible impact of his work.