Rose Blackburne, MD, MBA

Rose Blackburne, MD, MBA is Vice President and Global Head of Women’s Health/General Medicine at PPD, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific. In this role, she provides strategic oversight for a portfolio of pharmaceutical and medical device product development opportunities across therapeutic areas, including Women’s Health, Nephrology, Dermatology, and Urology. She has led numerous enterprise-level strategies focused on health equity, advancing Women’s Health, and increasing diversity in clinical trials.

Dr. Blackburne is a leading voice and renowned expert in health equity, women’s health policy, and increasing diverse representation in clinical trials. A globally recognized leader in medical product development, she has been instrumental in numerous approvals for pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical devices, and diagnostic tests. Since 2016, she has served on the FDA Patient Engagement Advisory Committee (PEAC), part of the FDA’s Patient-Focused Drug Development initiatives. Appointed by the FDA Commissioner, she provides advice on the regulation of medical devices and their use by patients, and contributes to the development of agency guidance and policies.

Based in the Washington, DC area, Dr. Blackburne is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology with over 30 years of healthcare experience. Prior to her career in the Contract Research Organization (CRO) industry, she was a practicing physician and Principal Investigator for clinical trials. With over 20 years of Clinical Research & Development experience, Dr. Blackburne has held numerous global leadership positions across Phase I-IV programs. She is passionate about minority and women’s health policies and leads initiatives focused on improving the inclusion of underrepresented populations in clinical trials.

Dr. Blackburne earned her medical degree from the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, and completed an Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Columbia University in New York, where she was awarded the Outstanding Chief Resident Award for academic and clinical excellence and leadership. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia, studied Health Policy and Healthcare Delivery at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and earned her B.A. from the University of Virginia. In 2018, she was awarded the Morehouse School of Medicine National Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award.

Dr. Blackburne is a Life Member of the NAACP and a founding member of NAACP Leadership 500. She has served on the NAACP National Health Committee since 1996 and has been instrumental in key health equity initiatives. She is a member of the National Medical Association and chaired and co-chaired its Physician Executive Section for eight years. Dr. Blackburne currently serves as a Board Director for Holy Cross Hospital/Trinity Health and as a Regulatory Advisor for 2Flo Ventures, LLC. She was elected President of the Morehouse School of Medicine’s National Alumni Association (2020-2022) and served as a Trustee on the Morehouse School of Medicine’s Board of Trustees.

Dr. Blackburne was recently recognized by BlackDoctors.org with the 2024 Top Blacks in Healthcare Award.