Eye and Glaucoma Research

Naj Sharif

Role: Editor-in-chief

Designation: Executive Director, R&D

Department: Ocular pharmacology

Institution: Santen Inc

Country: United States

Naj Sharif completed his graduation from Southampton University, England (UK), where he received his BSc (Joint Honors: Biochemistry and Physiology) and his PhD (Neuroscience). His pharmaceutical industry experience (>30 years) includes holding leadership positions in discovery research, drug development and regulatory affairs at Pfizer, Syntex (Roche), Alcon-Novartis. He is currently at Santen Inc. (Executive Director, R&D). His 23-tenure at Alcon resulted in his contributions to the discovery/development and US FDA approvals of Travatan®, Patanol®, Simbrinza®, and Pazeo® to treat glaucoma/ocular hypertension and ocular allergies. He is a Fellow of ARVO (FARVO), and of British Pharmacological Society (FBPhS). He received the inaugural Dr. Roger Vogel Award for ocular pharmaceutical research (2014), and the “Sir James Black Award” for contributions to drug discovery (2017). He serves on the editorial boards of numerous scientific journals and is an Adjunct Professor at several universities. He has published 200 scientific articles and edited 2 books, and is the holder of 23 issued patents.