Wendell Wierenga

Dr. Wierenga joined the Dermata Board of Directors in September 2016. From June 2011 to January 2014, Dr. Wierenga served as Executive Vice President, Research and Development at Santarus, Inc., a public biopharmaceutical company that was acquired by Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. in January 2014. Prior to Santarus, Dr. Wierenga served as Executive Vice President, Research and Development at Ambit Biosciences Corporation and Neurocrine Biosciences. Prior to Neurocrine, he served as the Chief Executive Officer for Syrrx, Inc. where he built an early stage biotech company which was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceuticals in 2005. Dr. Wierenga earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from Stanford University and his B.A. from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Cytokinetics, Ocera Therapeutics, and SRI Int’l and most recently was on the Board of Directors for Anacor Pharmaceuticals and XenoPort, Inc. prior to their sales to Pfizer and Arbor Pharmaceuticals, respectively. He is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Concert Pharmaceuticals, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and aTyr Pharma, Inc.