Meet Dr. Keen…
Dr. Judy Keen began her scientific career after college as a laboratory technician studying how prenatal cocaine exposure alters brain chemistry. It was her second job in an asthma lab, however, that convinced her to return to school and pursue science as a career. Four years later, Judy graduated with a Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, focusing on how genes can trigger allergic asthma.
Earning a Ph.D. degree from a school of public health taught Judy the importance of applying basic research to a public health problem and that having a patient-centered outcome is essential. Keeping patients needs in mind and wanting to focus on women’s health, Judy continued her training in breast cancer at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. Since that time, Judy has worked as a Program Director of a DNA and tissue biorepository, ran her own breast cancer research lab at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, served as a Program Director at the National Cancer Institute, a part of the National Institutes of Health, worked as the Director of Scientific Affairs at the American Society for Radiation Oncology and the American Society for Hematology. Building on her expertise in scientific affairs and policy, Judy began working to advance innovation in digital medicine. This led to her role in external partnerships in digital medicine at Novartis, where she built relationships with associations in digital medicine, patient groups, consumer groups, tech companies, start ups, innovators, venture capitalists, and investors to make digital medicine a reality in medicine.
Throughout her career, Judy has served as a peer-reviewer for international scientific journals; reviewed grant proposals for International, non-profit, and government funding agencies; advocated for research funding; and been a speaker on numerous topics including scientific communication, funding, breast cancer, and career options. Currently, she is an independent consultant for medical associations and patient advocacy organizations to develop partnerships and drive digital innovation in healthcare.
