John F. O’Connell, Ph.D.

John F. O’Connell, Ph.D. is a nutritional and therapeutics executive, achieving outstanding success by building scientific processes and collaborations in medical nutrition, infectious disease, and cancer. His passion is in driving innovation in pharmaceuticals and consumer health, integrating product discovery, R&D, and development with health and consumer needs. Personally, he and his family have been caregivers for loved ones with long-term brain degenerative disease.

Dr. O’Connell was Chief Scientific Officer and Vice-President, Research and Development, at Pfizer Nutrition and Wyeth Nutrition, where he led research, development, clinical, and medical affairs. Dr. O’Connell transformed the R&D unit by building an organizational philosophy emphasizing science-led products and medical impact, which propelled Pfizer Nutrition’s rapid growth and global expansion to 80 countries. Important to these innovations was the launch of products to support neurological health and development.

Earlier, Dr. O’Connell was Director of Infectious Disease Research at Wyeth, where he built a state-of-the-art, multi-disciplinary discovery program focused on an innovative anti-infective products, aimed at resonating with needs of physicians and clinical researchers. During this time, Dr. O’Connell was appointed to the Executive Therapeutic Area Leadership and Discovery Councils and Licensing Committee, where he identified, evaluated, and acquired key compounds. Earlier in his career, he was a Principal Scientist and Section Leader at Schering-Plough Research Institute, where he led the identification and progression of novel antiviral compounds for human pathogens.

Dr. O’Connell received his Ph.D. in medical physiology from The Ohio State University, and he performed his post-doctoral fellowship at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Science Park.

It is wonderful to have John’s enthusiasm and acumen with us to tackle a medically-challenged field like brain health – helping us lay a firm foundation in science-led innovation and product design.