Douglas Kerr

Doug is a neurologist and neuroscientist with over 120 publications in medical journals. He has led the development of several therapies for neurologic and rare genetic diseases while working in the biotechnology industry. He has participated on the boards and SABs of several non-profit organizations, including the Transverse Myelitis Association, CureSMA and the ALS Association as well as several biotechnology companies. Doug has been actively involved in gene and cell therapy programs and is on the Scientific Review Panel of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.

Doug graduated from Princeton university with a degree in molecular biology where he worked with Paul Schedl and Nobel Laureate Christiane Nusslein-Volhard on developmental genes in drosophila. Doug then completed an MD/PhD program from Jefferson Medical College with his research dissertation in molecular neurovirology.

After completing a neurology residency at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore Maryland, Doug served on the faculty Johns Hopkins for 10 years. He had appointments in the Departments of Neurology and Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Cellular and Molecular Medicine. Doug ran a lab that investigated fundamental aspects of motor neuron/axon biology, provided direct patient care and ran clinical trials, mainly spinal cord and neuromuscular disorders.

Doug then joined Biogen to lead their efforts in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Doug was the global lead for a series of programs in Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Doug led the team that developed the drug Spinraza, now approved for SMA.

After Biogen, Doug ran the development activities of the rare neuroscience programs at Shire, including those in lysosomal storage disorders as well as a series of programs in neurodegenerative disorders and gene therapy candidates.

In 2017, Doug joined Generation Bio as the EVP, head of Research and Development/CSO. Generation Bio is a biotech company focused on non-viral gene therapy approaches to genetic diseases.