Margaret van Heek, PhD
Margaret van Heek obtained her undergraduate Degree with Distinction in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Delaware. Margaret obtained her PhD from Cornell University in Nutritional Biochemistry, with minors in physiology and lipid metabolism. Margaret has spent more than twenty four years conducting basic research, as well as targeted drug discovery, in the disease areas of dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 1 and 2 diabetes. Margaret holds a number of patents and has co-authored publications in a variety of scientific journals, including Arteriosclerosis, Diabetes, Journal of Clinical Investigation, British Journal of Pharmacology, and Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. In 2006, together with two colleagues, Dr. van Heek won the Discoverer’s Award, one of the highest scientific honors in the pharmaceutical industry, for the discovery of ZETIA™/VYTORIN™, a novel sterol absorption inhibitor (ezetimibe) for the treatment of dyslipidemia. In addition, Margaret received the President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement (1997) and the Wall of Fame award (2010) from her alma mater, the University of Delaware.
During most of Margaret's career at Schering Plough and Merck, she focused on target identification/validation and small molecule and biologics identification/optimization with the aim of recommending lead candidates for clinical development. Margaret's primary responsibilities have been to manage a group of 15-40 scientists to establish and validate appropriate primary, secondary and tertiary in vivo models of dyslipidemia, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 1 and 2 diabetes. In addition to preclinical work, Margaret has been a member of early development teams to move lead candidates into development. This experience has provided Margaret the unique opportunity to work with and learn from colleagues from an array of disciplines and technical areas, including drug safety and metabolism, pharmaceutical sciences, early clinical development, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, and commercial development.
In 2009 and 2010, Margaret was a member of Merck's External Basic Research Department managing scientific collaborations and targeted drug discovery efforts at biotechnology companies and CRO's around the globe. More recently, Margaret lead the In Vivo Pharmacology-Diabetes group at Merck to progress a broad spectrum of projects and programs both internally and externally with a variety of CRO partners.
Margaret joined Synergy Partners in November 2016.
During most of Margaret's career at Schering Plough and Merck, she focused on target identification/validation and small molecule and biologics identification/optimization with the aim of recommending lead candidates for clinical development. Margaret's primary responsibilities have been to manage a group of 15-40 scientists to establish and validate appropriate primary, secondary and tertiary in vivo models of dyslipidemia, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 1 and 2 diabetes. In addition to preclinical work, Margaret has been a member of early development teams to move lead candidates into development. This experience has provided Margaret the unique opportunity to work with and learn from colleagues from an array of disciplines and technical areas, including drug safety and metabolism, pharmaceutical sciences, early clinical development, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, and commercial development.
In 2009 and 2010, Margaret was a member of Merck's External Basic Research Department managing scientific collaborations and targeted drug discovery efforts at biotechnology companies and CRO's around the globe. More recently, Margaret lead the In Vivo Pharmacology-Diabetes group at Merck to progress a broad spectrum of projects and programs both internally and externally with a variety of CRO partners.
Margaret joined Synergy Partners in November 2016.