Kirk Tanner, Ph.D.

Kirk Tanner is the Chief Scientific Officer at the National Brain Tumor Society. Kirk is an oncology research leader with more than two decades of experience in discovery and development projects and programs resulting in multiple clinical candidate therapies and investigational new drugs. Formerly, he was the Research Oncology Disease Area Expert and Senior Director at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. As CSO, Kirk leads the National Brain Tumor Society’s research program that aims to catalyze treatment development through philanthropic investment in medical research, engaging scientists, clinicians, patients, and care partners in research programs. Kirk serves as the Chair of the Glioblastoma Drug Development Summit, the only devoted meeting for large pharma, biotech, and pioneering academics working to unite all stakeholders under a mutual and ambitious objective of accelerating the practical discovery, translation, and clinical development of safe, effective and deliverable therapies to treat glioblastoma. Kirk received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, San Diego, and did post-doctoral training at Oregon Health Sciences University.