WORLDSymposium 2024 Keynote Speakers

Peter Marks, MD, PhD Returns as Keynote Speaker on Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Peter Marks FDA Keynote WORLDSymposium 2024

WORLDSymposium is excited to announce the return of Peter Marks, MD, PhD, to present a keynote address on Wednesday, February 7, 2024. Dr. Marks has been a featured speaker at WORLDSymposium several times in the past 4 years, emphasizing the importance of collaborations between all stakeholders on a global basis including the US FDA, and providing important updates on the FDA’s role in rare disease research.

Dr. Marks is the director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The center is responsible for assuring the safety and effectiveness of biological products, including vaccines, allergenic products, blood and blood products, and cellular, tissue, and gene therapies. Dr. Marks and center staff are committed to facilitating the development of biological products and providing oversight throughout the product life cycle.

Dr. Marks received his graduate degree in cell and molecular biology and his medical degree at New York University. Following this, he completed an Internal Medicine residency and Hematology/Medical Oncology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where he subsequently joined the attending staff as a clinician-scientist and eventually served as Clinical Director of Hematology. 

He then moved on to work for several years in the pharmaceutical industry on the clinical development of hematology and oncology products prior to returning to academic medicine at Yale University where he led the Adult Leukemia Service and served as Chief Clinical Officer of Smilow Cancer Hospital. He joined the FDA in 2012 as Deputy Center Director for CBER and became Center Director in 2016.  Dr. Marks is board certified in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology, and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. 

Dr. Marks is a renowned speaker and expert in numerous areas, including the current issues facing gene therapy research not only in the United States, but also from a global perspective. In addition, in his role at the FDA, he is integrally involved in the development and approval process for COVID-19 vaccines. In 2022, he became a Member of the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health, science and medicine.

Make sure to come and hear the important updates and messages from Dr. Marks in his Keynote Address: Accelerating the Pace of Progress in Gene Therapy, on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 7:30 AM PST, at the 20th Annual WORLDSymposium in San Diego, California.

Click here to view past Keynote Speakers.