Speaker Profile
Executive Director, Merck
Biography
Reena Philip, Ph.D., is Executive Director for Companion Diagnostics and In Vitro Diagnostics at Merck, where she brings extensive regulatory-science experience to the co-development of targeted medicines and the tests used to select patients for treatment. Before joining industry, she held senior positions at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including Associate Director for Biomarkers and Precision Oncology in the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence and leadership roles in the regulation of molecular diagnostic tests. At FDA, she worked across drug and device centers on companion diagnostics, genomic biomarkers, complex molecular signatures, liquid biopsy, and other technologies central to precision oncology. She contributed to regulatory policy and guidance addressing the coordinated development of therapeutics and diagnostic devices. Dr. Philip earned her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her work focuses on aligning biomarker strategy, analytical and clinical validation, regulatory requirements, and therapeutic development so that precision medicines can reach the patients most likely to benefit.
Talk
Non-Clinical Services Showcase:
Future Cancer Care Today
Session Abstract – PMWC 2027 Silicon Valley
Track Chair:
Emre Baser, AstraZeneca
PMWC Award Ceremony
• Max Diehn, Stanford (Pioneer)
• Sarah-Jane Dawson, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre / University of Melbourne (Luminary)
Featured Speakers
• Max Diehn, Stanford
• Sarah-Jane Dawson, University of Melbourne
• Phil Febbo, Veracyte
• Ash Alizadeh, Stanford
• Adrian Lee, University of Pittsburgh
• Emre Baser, AstraZeneca
• Keith Flaherty, Mass General
• Thomas Powles, Barts Cancer Institute
Early-Stage Cancer: Can MRD Decide Who Needs More Treatment?
When ctDNA should change escalation, de-escalation, and surveillance.
Advanced Cancer Monitoring
Detecting response, resistance, and relapse early enough to switch therapy.
From Blood to Drug
Liquid biopsy for therapy selection and matching patients to the right intervention.
Integrating Tissue, Liquid & Imaging Biomarkers
How multimodal monitoring should work in real oncology care.
MRD as a Surrogate Endpoint
The promise and hazards of using MRD to accelerate drug approval.
Davos of Precision Medicine
PMWC 2027 Program
January 27–29, 2027 · Santa Clara Convention Center
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In a few words.
PMWC is indeed The Davos of Biotech
PMWC Hall of Impact
Previous Speakers Include
Nobel laureates, technology founders, regulators, CEOs and scientific pioneers who have taken the PMWC stage.
