Catherine D. Strader

Dr. Catherine D. Strader has more than 25 years of pharmaceutical R&D experience including executive leadership positions at both Merck and Schering-Plough. She has guided more than 50 compounds through drug discovery.

Dr. Strader began her career at Merck, where she led the team that first defined the structure-function of G-protein coupled receptors. As Executive Vice President of Discovery Research and Chief Scientific Officer for Schering-Plough, Dr. Strader had both strategic and operational responsibility for the company’s global small molecule and biologics discovery research portfolio. In 2007 Dr. Strader returned to Merck to lead an external research initiative, integrating large pharma, biotech, and CRO approaches to drug discovery. She co-founded Synergy Partners to integrate the depth and breadth of experience required to effectively bring new discoveries to clinical proof of concept and beyond.

Dr. Strader received her BS in chemistry from the University of Virginia and her Ph.D. in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology.