Welcome to the InFLAMES Visiting Professor seminar! In this seminar, titled “Working in Industry: The Road Less Travelled”, Visiting Professors Reijo Salonen, MD PhD & Ellen Strahlman, MD MHSc will discuss career pathways in the healthcare industry ecosystem, and share stories of their own experiences.

When: June 4, 2025 at 11-12
Where: Medisiina D Lauren 2
Title: Working in Industry: The Road Less Travelled

Please also note the young scientist lunch event with Ellen and Reijo after the seminar. Register for the lunch here: https://link.webropol.com/s/ellen-reijo-lunch-2025.

About the speakers:

Ellen Strahlman

Ellen Strahlman has a degree in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard University, a medical degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a Masters of Health Sciences degree from the Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Her academic research focused on her medical speciality, ophthalmology, and public health activities, including work in HIV.  She began working in the healthcare industry in 1991, and had a highly successful career with senior executive positions in several global companies.  Ellen was the Chief Medical Officer for Becton Dickinson (BD), GlaxoSmithKline and Bausch & Lomb; and was also the Head of Research and Development for BD and Bausch & Lomb.  In each of these roles, her focus on innovation and leadership led to the approval and commercialization of dozens of new medicines, vaccines and medical devices.  Ellen and her teams won several awards for their work, including Outstanding Corporate Innovator, 2015 from Product Development & Management Association, MedTech Woman of the Year, 2014 from American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Woman of Power & Influence Award, 2014 from National Organization of Women and Visionary Award, 2011 from Foundation for Fighting Blindness.

Reijo Salonen

Professor Reijo Salonen graduated from the University of Turku as Licentiate in Medicine in 1983, Doctor of Medicine in 1983, and Specialist in Neurology in 1990. The University of Turku has granted him the title of Docent of Neuroimmunology in 1989 and the title of Professor in 2009. Since 2018, Salonen has worked as a partner in the consulting service company Reillen Group LLC in Florida. He is a member of the board in two pharmaceutical companies, Pharmasum AS and DelSiTech. His 25-year experience in pharmaceutical industry include leading global development and medical affairs in Neurosciences at Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline in the USA and all Research and Development at Orion in Finland. Moreover, Salonen has had multiple positions in the boards of Finnish and international pharmaceutical research and industry organisations over the last 15 years. Salonen was elected as the Chief Technology Officer of the Year in 2017.