Dr. Christopher Rhodes, Ph.D., is the VP for Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease Research at MedImmune.
Chris is a renowned leader in the field of diabetes and obesity research, with a career spanning over three decades, more than 100 published manuscripts, industry and academic leadership roles at top institutions that include Harvard Medical School and the Joslin Diabetes Center. Chris is also Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago, Kovler Diabetes Center.
Chris’ research journey began in 1984 when he received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of London. Soon after, he was quickly established as a pioneering force in the field of diabetes research—beginning with postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard Medical School, the Joslin Diabetes Center and the University of Cambridge and following with academic appointments and industry roles among some of the most venerated institutions in the US and the UK.
Chris’ diabetes research has centered on the molecular mechanisms of insulin production and secretion, as well as signal transduction pathways that control pancreatic beta-cells growth and death in relation to the pathogenesis of diabetes. His work has earned him numerous awards and honors, as well as research funding from esteemed organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, American Diabetes Association and the National Institutes of Health. He also was a member of the National Institutes of Health Endocrinology and CADO Study Sections, an associate editor for Diabetes, the journal of the American Diabetes Association, a reviewer for multiple other peer-reviewed journals and is a frequent visiting professor and lecturer.
In 2015, Christopher joined MedImmune as the VP of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease (CVMD) Research. In this role, he’s responsible for developing and growing the CVMD research base in the US and the UK, as well as contributing to the product development goals and vision across the CVMD therapeutic area. His research continues to focus on the molecular pathogenesis of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as the regulation of biosynthesis and production of polypeptide hormones; signal transduction mechanisms for insulin sensitivity; and novel pharmacological biologic targets for the treatment of obesity and diabetes.
“The Brehm Coalition is an enterprise that I am flattered to be part of. A collective of dedicated diabetes researchers where bright ideas and synergistic interactions chart new research directions aimed at type-1 diabetes. Enthusiasm abounds here, where high risk strategies on a track to (hopefully) high rewards is the culture, not often found in other avenues of biomedical research. Yet, the Coalition is not an ‘exclusive club’. Each member of the Brehm Coalition has colleagues, collaborators and unique resources from their home institutions to bring in, that then creates a wider network of cutting-edge science and scientists enabling the research to move forward faster in new directions, that I never would have considered otherwise and really appreciate. I anticipate the Brehm Coalition will have influence and impact not only on diabetes, but also as a format to conduct research in other biomedical areas.”