Kenneth Bridges

Dr. Kenneth R. Bridges received the MD degree from Harvard Medical School, and subsequently trained in internal medicine and hematology in Boston, at Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals, respectively. Following medical subspecialty training, Dr. Bridges worked on the biology of cellular iron metabolism for three years at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He subsequently returned to Harvard as a member of the Hematology Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he achieved the faculty rank of Associate Professor of Medicine. In parallel with his laboratory investigation of iron metabolism, Dr. Bridges maintained active clinical work in hematology. In response to the dearth of coordinated, integrated care for people with sickle cell disease at Harvard, he established the Joint Center for Sickle Cell and Thalassemic Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, which conducted bench-to-patient translational research in addition to providing comprehensive patient care. Dr. Bridges expanded his efforts regionally as a member of the HRSA-sponsored New England Regional Genetics Group which developed care and management programs for patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia in New England. He also worked closely with the Sickle Cell Disease Branch of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, serving on many panels including the Data Safety and Monitoring Board for the pivotal trial of hydroxyurea in babies (Baby HUG). Dr. Bridges published over 70 peer-reviewed articles during his academic career, as well as number book chapters. He also co-authored with Dr. Howard Pearson of Yale University a textbook on red cell disorders and anemia. Dr. Bridges left academia to work in biotechnology, initially with Hoffman La Roche followed by 3 years at Amgen where he worked on Aranesp and participated in the launch of Nplate. Dr. Bridges moved to Onyx Pharmaceuticals where he oversaw several trials involving Kyprolis (carfilzomib) for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Following the Amgen acquisition of Onyx, Dr. Bridges moved to Global Blood Therapeutics in the role of Vice President, Medical Affairs working on the new treatment for sickle cell disease, voxelotor (formerly GBT440).