Keri E. Cannon, PhD, DABT

After enjoying success in both small and large pharmaceutical/biotech companies and acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. by Pfizer, Inc., Keri decided to join forces with Julie Wilson to form Karidwen Nonclinical Safety Consulting. As an independent consultant, Keri uses the knowledge and expertise that she has acquired to provide qualified nonclinical safety advice and services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations.

Prior to establishing Karidwen Nonclinical Safety Consulting, Keri was Senior Director of Nonclinical Safety at Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from 2019 to 2023. In this role, Keri managed the department and oversaw the nonclinical safety programs for new chemical entities that spanned from early discovery to registration applications for the organization. Before accepting her position at Arena in 2019, Keri was Director of Nonclinical Safety at Halozyme Therapeutics, overseeing nonclinical safety for their oncology biotherapeutics pipeline and drug delivery programs. Keri made the move to Halozyme Therapeutics in 2015 from Drug Safety Research & Development at Pfizer, Inc. where she was a Principal Scientist and spent 7 years developing nonclinical safety strategies for both new chemical entities and biotherapeutics across a variety of therapeutic areas and indications.

Keri obtained her PhD in Biomedical Sciences with a focus on Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology in 2005 from Albany Medical College in Albany, NY and served as a postdoctoral fellow from 2005 to 2008 in the laboratory of Mary Heinricher at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR. Keri has been a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology since 2013 and is an active member of the American College of Toxicology, Society of Toxicology, and the Southern California Regional Chapter of the Society of Toxicology. Keri has served on the Council for the Regional Chapter in various roles since 2016, most recently serving as President for the 2022-2023 term.