Ruth McKernan

CBE

Born| Scotland
Language| English
Nationality| United Kingdom
Education| Kings College London
Genre| Academic and Popular Science
Subject| Neuroscience
Notable works| Billy's Halo

Dr. Ruth McKernan is a neuroscientist known for her work on ligand-gated ion channels, working in biotech and pharma industries as well as for her services to business and innovation for which she was appointed a CBE in 2013.

## Contents

* 1 Career
* 2 Awards
* 3 Publications
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## Career

McKernan studied biochemistry and pharmacology at undergraduate level, graduating from King's College London with first class honors. McKernan gained her PhD researching anit-depressant drugs at the University of London in the Institute of Psychiatry.[1] Following her PhD McKernan held research positions at St Mary's Hospital Medical school on a British Heart Foundation scholarship before moving to the US in 1985 to become a Fulbright scholar at University of California in San Diego. In 1987 she moved to Merck where she worked for 18 years becoming their Head of Neuroscience Research Centre in 2001 before moving to Pfizer in 2005 where she and held a number of senior roles including Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Pfizer’s Neusentis unit .[2]

McKernan has been Chief Executive of Innovate UK since 2015, controlling a £500 million pound budget.[3] McKernan is a member of Science, Industry and Translation Committee of the Royal Society.[4] She announced her intention to step down as Chief Executive of Innovate UK in 2018, 2 years before the end of the 5 year position, stating 'the introduction of UK Research and Innovation is the natural transition point and an opportunity for a new leader to refine the organisation'[5]

## Awards

CBE for services to business and innovation, 2013. Fulbright Scholarship to University of California in San Diego. Winner of Glaxo/ABSW Science Writers’ Award for her science articles in the Independent.

## Publications

Alongside more that publishing more than 130 scientific papers and 15 patents, McKernan published Billy's Halo, described as part memoir, part popular science.[6] The book describes the death of her father and was published in 2006.[7] Billy's Halo was short listed for the MIND awards in 2017. McKernan also writes comment pieces in national newspapers on the role of academia.[8]

## References

1. ↑ "Ruth McKernan | Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine | Article" (in en). https://ccrm.ca/RuthMcKernan.
2. ↑ "Dr Ruth McKernan CBE | Longitude Prize" (in en). https://longitudeprize.org/people/dr-ruth-mckernan-cbe.
3. ↑ Westlake, Stian (16 March 2015). "An open letter to the new CEO of Innovate UK". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2015/mar/16/an-open-letter-to-the-new-ceo-of-innovate-uk.
4. ↑ "Dr Ruth McKernan CBE - GOV.UK" (in en). https://www.gov.uk/government/people/ruth-mckernan.
5. ↑ "Dr Ruth McKernan to leave Innovate UK two years early -". 16 November 2017. http://www.mscrnd.com/dr-ruth-mckernan-leave-innovate-uk-two-years-early/. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
6. ↑ "Billy's Halo, by Ruth McKernan". The Independent. 21 March 2006. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/billys-halo-by-ruth-mckernan-6106093.html.
7. ↑ McKernan, Ruth (4 March 2006). "First person: Ruth McKernan is a biochemist, just like her father.". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2006/mar/04/health.familyandrelationships.
8. ↑ McKernan, Ruth (10 November 2017). "Let's draw blue skies research out of our universities and into the economy | Ruth McKernan". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2017/nov/10/lets-draw-blue-skies-research-out-of-our-universities-and-into-the-economy.

## External links

* Ruth Mckernan Twitter

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