Cherié Butts ’92 BS, ’97 MS is a medical director in the Therapeutics Development Unit at Biogen, a global biotechnology company that seeks to develop novel therapies for complex diseases.

Career Highlights

• At Biogen, Butts is responsible for assessing treatments for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
• Before joining Biogen, she held research and drug development-related appointments at the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health, including the National Institute of Mental Health and National Cancer Institute. 
• She is a past chair of the Salem State University Board of Trustees and chair of the Minority Affairs Committee of the American Association of Immunologists. She was responsible for creation of the AAI Young Scholars Award program for emerging scientists interested in research, and the Biogen experiential learning conference to help scientists and clinicians in academia learn drug development.
• She works with organizations, including the National Academies, to help scientists and clinicians appreciate the interconnectedness of drug development and how researchers in each sector can contribute to new drugs, devices, and diagnostics.

Quoted

“I believe there is tremendous opportunity in biomedical research. This is only the beginning. I believe [that] we will innovate by leveraging the power of working in teams across academia, government, and industry. If we each do our part, the impact will be exponential.”

—Color Magazine, 2019

“Decreasing morbidity and mortality across an entire population will require that we consider the needs of all individuals. A variety of people with different backgrounds and experiences should be at the decision-making table to ensure everyone afflicted with disease is taken into consideration.”

—ASBMB Today, March 2020