Dr. Cornelis Wortel is a senior pharmaceutical executive with over 25 years of experience working with both large and small companies across the U.S. and internationally. He has a proven track record in designing and implementing R&D and clinical development plans, regulatory strategies, and pharmacovigilance activities, as well as serving on Data Safety Monitoring Boards (DSMBs) and Clinical Event Committees (CECs). His expertise extends to business development, board roles, and venture capital engagements. Dr. Wortel began his career focused on the development of innovative immunological treatments for autoimmune and rare diseases. After earning his MD and PhD in cytokine/immunology research from the University of Amsterdam, he joined Centocor in the U.S. as a clinical team leader, contributing to the development of Remicade. He later founded a CRO after serving in senior positions at three biopharmaceutical companies. His CRO has supported numerous client companies in developing novel approaches for a wide range of indications across various technology platforms. 

Throughout his career, Dr. Wortel has served as a clinical development expert, in-house team leader, Medical Monitor, and acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for many client organizations, particularly in autoimmune and immuno-oncology indications. He has chaired and presented at DSMBs, CECs, and regulatory agency meetings in both the U.S. and Europe. His extensive experience spans international trials from first-in-man/Phase I through Phase IV (post-marketing), encompassing a wide array of disease indications and new chemical entities (NCEs) and medical devices. Dr. Wortel’s European heritage, fluency in multiple languages, and deep U.S. and international experience, combined with a service-oriented mindset and strong team focus, make him a highly valuable, hands-on resource at the executive level. Recently, Dr. Wortel has developed a strong interest in digital health, human data science, and innovative approaches using real-world data and AI/ML, further enhancing his versatile expertise in the pharmaceutical and CRO industries.