Uzma Atif has more than 20 years’ experience in the Pharmaceutical industry. She joined Shire US Medical Affairs in 2010 and served as an Executive Medical Science Liaison in the area of rare genetic diseases, contributing to and supporting medical and scientific strategy. Since 2018, she has also been a key contributor to the Global Commission to End the Diagnostic Odyssey for Children with a Rare Disease. Uzma now serves as the Scientific Director for Innovative Health Partnerships within the Takeda Chief Medical office, R&D Center of Health Equity and Patient Affairs.
Prior to joining Takeda, Uzma was at GlaxoSmithKline for 10 years in various positions including, Principal Education Advisor supporting the development of an Educational Physician Foundation Program, Medical Genetics Advisor in Translational Medicine & Genetics, where she directed and led initiatives in disease genetics, biomarker research and pharmacogenetics, and Head of Predictive Screen Development and Toxicogenomic Mechanisms at Smith Kline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. She managed projects through international collaborative interactions with Academia Sinica, a government-funded academic institute in Taiwan.
Uzma received her Ph.D in Human Molecular Genetics from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in England and her Bachelor’s in Pharmacology & Biochemistry. In pursuing her passion for learning and global health, Uzma received her Certification in Core Public Health concepts, and in 2013 received her Master’s in Public Health Leadership, with a major in Global Health, from the Gilling’s School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina.