Ronald Christensen

Biography

Ronald Christensen is the Chief Medical Officer at Mapi. Through his current and previous positions he has participated in the care of countless numbers of patients with rare disorders. He contributes his thought leadership to the industry by participating in key working groups and workshops. His guidance and knowledge of key indications—including Cystic Fibrosis, Crohn’s Disease, and rare disease areas including Cushing’s syndrome and Duchenne’s Muscular—is a true asset in our rare disease experience. Dr. Christensen has a long history of specialization in rare diseases, beginning with his position as the Director of Pediatric Endocrinology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he provided clinical care for children with growth hormone deficiency, diabetes, and a variety of rare endocrine and metabolic disorders. As a faculty member, he participated in the care of countless numbers of patients with rare disorders. Later, as Senior Director of Medical Affairs at Genentech, Inc., Dr. Christensen was involved in clinical development of growth hormone (GH) products and Pulmozyme, a product for treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF). He directed the National Cooperative Growth Study, a registry of over 20,000 GH-treated patients. The Epidemiologic Study of Cystic Fibrosis, a registry of over 23,000 CF patients, was designed and managed under his direction. He also served on the Advisory Board for the Human Growth Foundation. At Mapi, Dr. Christensen has continued his involvement as a thought leader in the rare disease community. He was invited to present at the 5th Annual International Conference on Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs (ICORD), on February 24, 2009, in Rome, Italy. The title of his presentation was “The Value of Registries for Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs.” He is a member of ICORD and the National Organization for Rare Disorders.

Research Interest

Pediatric Endocrinology