Rita Balice-Gordon, PhD, leads Sanofi's research on small molecules, antibodies and gene therapy for patients with rare genetic disorders, multiple sclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases. She was formerly vice-president and head of circuits, neurotransmitters and signaling in Pfizer’s Neuroscience and Pain Research Unit, and was head of the worldwide research and development postdoctoral program there. Prior to joining Pfizer, Dr. Balice-Gordon was professor of neuroscience and chair of the Neuroscience Graduate Group in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where she currently holds an appointment as adjunct professor.  

Dr. Balice-Gordon and her laboratory have studied the cell-cell signaling mechanisms underlying synapse formation and maintenance, the mechanisms underlying neuromuscular development and disease and the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying autoimmune CNS disorders that affect cognition and behavior.  She was continuously funded by the NIH for more than 30 years. She has authored more than 100 scientific papers and is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.