Vice President, Translational Neurology at Biogen Idec
Dr. Verma joined Biogen Idec in July 2010 as Vice President of Translational Neurology. His responsibilities at Biogen include oversight over development of pharmacodynamic and disease progressions biomarkers as well as clinical drug development for programs in neuropathic pain and neurodegenerative disorders.
Dr. Verma is a board certified Neurologist who received his MD and PhD from The Johns Hopkins University on a US Military scholarship. His PhD thesis in the laboratory of Dr. Soloman Snyder focused on brain intracellular calcium homeostasis. He did his Neurology training at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and was a staff Neurologist there as well as at the National Naval Medical Center for 11 years.
He was a tenured Professor in Neurology, Neuroscience, Anesthesiology and Pathology at the Uniformed Service University of the Health Science (USUHS), the US Military’s Medical School. At USUHS he directed basic research for the Neurology department, training 8 PhD students, 12 postdocs, and several clinical fellows in his lab over 12 years with continuous NIH and DOD funding. Dr. Verma has published over 60 papers, 80 abstracts, and has 5 patents in the fields of neuroscience, cancer, and energy metabolism. After leaving the Army as a Lt. Colonel in 2006, Dr. Verma led the Neuroscience Experimental Medicine group at Merck & Co., Inc. Just prior to joining Biogen Idec, he was a Vice President and US Site Head for the Global Neuroscience and Ophthalmology Franchise at Novartis Pharmaceuticals.
