Ph.D. Biochemist
Head, External Science and Partnering
Director, Academic Partnerships and External Innovation
Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
Téa Kekelidze leads the Industry-Academia partnerships team at Novartis, focusing on collaborative innovation aimed at translating breakthrough science and technology into novel treatments for patients, by merging the strengths of academic science and pharmaceutical drug discovery expertise.
Téa is a biochemist with additional training in neuroscience. She completed her post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School, where she also became a faculty member. Before joining Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR) in Cambridge, MA, Téa led interdisciplinary research projects at University of Zurich. She was also responsible for partnership building between academic, clinical and industrial sectors in Switzerland, with an aim to identify therapeutic targets for brain disease. In her previous role at Novartis, Téa managed the NIBR Scientific Advisory Board reviews that helped determine the NIBR’s long-term scientific strategy.
Dr. Kekelidze has authored research articles, book chapters, and served as editor for topical NATO Science Series. She has organized and chaired conferences on knowledge transfer from basic science to translational research. Tea had also served as advisor to the Georgian Government and NATO Science Program on knowledge-based economy and National Science Foundation programs.