BIO

Dr. Angela James is an accomplished scientist with expertise in drug development which she is currently applying in her role as Vice President, Head of Clinical Pharmacology, at MacroGenics Inc. a Global Development Project Leader at Astellas Pharma. Dr. James earned a B.A. in Biology from Rice University and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a research focus in Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Modeling and Simulation from University of Maryland, Baltimore. She also earned a M.S. in Pharmacometrics from University of Maryland, Baltimore.

 

As she gained experience as a Global Clinical Pharmacology Lead, her career trajectory led her to roles at Alcon/Novartis, Celgene and now Astellas Pharma. Dr. James is passionate about utilizing her scientific acumen and leadership abilities to bring novel therapeutics to patients who urgently need safe and effective drugs. During her tenure at Astellas Pharma, Dr. James played an integral role in the development and successful approval of XOSPATA® (gilteritinib) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory AML with a FLT3 mutation. As the Global Clinical Pharmacology Lead, she designed and implemented the Clinical Pharmacology strategy and actively participated in face-to-face meetings with Health Authorities across the world to to support the approval of XOSPATA. Prior to leaving Astella, Dr. James had transitioned to the role of Global Development Project Leader and led cross-functional project teams to successfully execute on global strategies for the development of novel immuno-oncology agents including an innovative cancer vaccine. 

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As an African American woman, Dr. James champions opportunities to highlight and applaud the contributions of Blacks in STEM. She has moderated and participated in several panel discussions focused on career journeys and challenges in STEM careers stemming from gender and racial bias. Dr. James is the current Vice-Chair of Chicago Women and the Past Chair of the Oncology Community for American Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT). She is passionate about mentoring early career scientists and students. She sits on the Board of Directors for Youth Technology Corps, a Chicago-based non-profit organization that teaches real-world STEM skills to middle and high school students while nurturing their civic responsibilities through donating refurbished computers to their community members.