RALEIGH, NC, March 16, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Chris A. Learn has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Dr. Learn has established a distinguished career in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, currently serving as the franchise head for cell and gene therapy at Parexel International since 2022. In this capacity, he leads global advanced therapy programs across cell therapies and nucleic acid-based modalities, including gene-modified cell therapy, gene therapy, gene editing, RNA therapy and antisense oligonucleotides. Dr. Learn oversees the end-to-end delivery of all service lines in cell and gene therapy to meet global customer needs, directing the execution of investigational clinical trials from Phase I through Phase IV to support asset development and lifecycle management. He partners with biotechnology companies and large pharmaceutical organizations to plan and strategize clinical development with the ultimate hopes to achieve market authorization for novel therapies. The bulk of this work includes helping to design and author clinical protocols, selecting and activating appropriate clinical sites for specialized patient populations and guiding programs through phased clinical development, regulatory milestones and post-marketing commitments. Notably, his role also involves driving critical path strategy and execution as a highly technical global service partner in early phase therapeutics.

From 2022 to 2025, Dr. Learn has served as senior vice president of cell and gene therapy at Parexel International, where he has been instrumental in the rollout of several innovative advanced therapies achieving marketing authorization. His involvement in the development of several groundbreaking cell therapy programs—known as CAR-T—was particularly meaningful because they addressed indications that have affected his own family. These therapies have since become commercially available options for patients battling cancer. During his tenure, Dr. Learn was recognized as one of five exceptional leaders among 22,000 employees and received the With Heart™ Award from Parexel.

Prior to these roles, Dr. Learn served as the senior director of clinical development at Istari Oncology from 2021 to 2022. There, he helped advance immunotherapy programs targeting difficult-to-treat cancers.

From 2019 to 2021, Dr. Learn was the therapeutic strategy lead for the Cell and Gene Therapy Center of Excellence at IQVIA, where he managed multidisciplinary teams focused on accelerating the development of transformative therapies.

Between 2016 and 2019, he worked as program manager for oncology and hematology at ICON plc, overseeing complex clinical trials in cancer research and over 25 CAR-T programs.

In 2016, Dr. Learn held two positions at ExecuPharm: first as senior clinical scientist, then as clinical development scientist. In these roles, he contributed scientific expertise to the design and execution of clinical trials.

From 2008 to 2015, Dr. Learn served as the senior clinical project manager and therapeutic compound lead at Quintiles (now IQVIA), where he directed large-scale drug development projects across multiple therapeutic areas.

Earlier in his career, in 2007, he served as a senior clinical scientist at Surgical Review Corporation, and from 2006 to 2007, he completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences.

Dr. Learn began his professional journey as an associate in research at Duke University Health System from 2001 to 2006 within the division of neurosurgery's Brain Tumor Center. There, he dedicated seven years to developing cell therapies for patients in the clinic, a formative experience that shaped his commitment to translational research.

Throughout his career, Dr. Learn has been actively involved with leading industry organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology since 2011, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, where he also serves on a committee.

Among his most notable achievements is the acceptance of three Biological License Applications for cell and gene therapies that have received United States Food and Drug Administration approval for commercialization. His work on gene-editing programs in partnership with a Chinese customer stands out as a first-in-class innovation, representing a significant step forward for medicine's future. While cell and gene therapies have played a critical role in early-stage successes under his leadership, Dr. Learn recognizes that gene editing holds unique potential to address the root causes of disease.

Dr. Learn's academic foundation includes a Doctor of Philosophy in microbiology and immunology from Wake Forest Biomedical Graduate Programs, earned in 2000; a Master of Business Administration in general management from North Carolina State University Poole College of Management completed in 2023; and a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry from Virginia Tech where he graduated summa cum laude in 1995. His educational journey was influenced by personal experiences that instilled a conviction that research—not medicine alone—would drive breakthroughs for patients facing limited treatment options.

He has further enhanced his expertise through certifications such as a Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute; Barnett expert good clinical practice training from Barnett International (2010); Statistics Foundations: Probability (2021), Statistics Foundations: The Basics (2021), and Statistics Foundations 3 (2021) from LinkedIn.

Dr. Learn's commitment extends beyond corporate achievements into civic engagement. He has served on the board of the Cory Heidaran Charitable Foundation since 2024 and volunteers with Ronald McDonald House, Habitat for Humanity, and Catholic Charities since 2001, while supporting Catholic Parish Outreach Food Pantry initiatives.

His dedication to mentorship is evident through his annual guidance of six to seven graduate students from Georgetown University's internship program, a commitment recognized by repeated Mentor of the Year honors for their graduate program in biotechnology.

Dr. Learn's contributions are reflected in numerous publications addressing advances in oncology drug development, immunotherapies, biomarkers for hematologic malignancies and operational excellence in cell and gene therapy teams. Notable works include "Developing an Effective Training Curriculum for Cell and Gene Therapy Operational Teams," published by the Journal of Clinical Trials (2020), several whitepapers with Quintiles on oncology drug development strategies between 2013 and 2015, original research articles published by Clinical Cancer Research, Neuro-Oncology, The Journal of Neuroimmunology, The Journal of Biological Chemistry and Surgical Endoscopy.

His leadership has been recognized with significant honors, including the With Heart™ Award from Parexel International, recognition from Johnson & Johnson for program leadership, and repeated Mentor of the Year awards from Georgetown University.

Born in New Orleans with Sicilian heritage rooted in Gentilly, Dr. Learn values family traditions deeply influenced by both his background and his wife's Norwegian upbringing. Together, they are raising two daughters while fostering an appreciation for family closeness in a multi-generational household, a dynamic highlighted in family discussions about higher-education options close to home.

Outside his professional pursuits, Dr. Learn enjoys gardening, herbs and vegetables as well as cooking, activities that reflect his appreciation for nurturing growth both personally and professionally.

Looking ahead, Dr. Learn remains steadfastly committed to advancing cell and gene therapies globally, with a focus on securing funding to support research progress, regardless of geographic or political boundaries, so that patient outcomes remain paramount.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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