W Ben

Biography

As Head of the Disease Interception Accelerator (DIA), Ben Wiegand, Ph.D., leads a team focused on addressing the root causes of select diseases, intervening earlier than today’s clinically accepted point of diagnosis to stop, reverse or inhibit progression to disease. With more than 20 years at Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Ben brings a range of experience in identifying and piloting new business and funding models, accelerating growth opportunities and scouting new and emerging scientific areas to deliver innovative solutions. Prior to joining the DIA, Ben served as Vice President, Global Open Innovation and New Business Models Research & Development for the J&J Group of Consumer Companies. His responsibilities included the creation of disruptive innovations and the progression of emerging scientific areas, like the microbiome and big data, to progress advances in healthcare. Ben has served as General Manager and Vice President, Science and Innovation, J&J Wellness & Prevention, Inc. He also held responsibility for the Employer Franchise, focused on providing health and performance solutions to large employers to help manage healthcare costs and improve employee productivity. During his tenure with Wellness & Prevention, Ben led science and innovation efforts to support the enterprise, including oversight of an innovation development program and measurement/reporting of industry-leading organizational outcomes. Ben earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Illinois and a Master of Arts and a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Harvard University. 

Research Interest

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