Peter Marks, MD, PhD, received the 2026 Roscoe O. Brady Award

WORLDSymposium was excited to announce Peter Marks, MD, PhD, as the recipient of the 2026 Roscoe O. Brady Award. Over the past decade, Dr. Marks helped change the dynamic for rare disease research, prioritized innovation and meaningful patient engagement, and championed positive collaborations between researchers, pharmaceutical companies and families during his tenure at the FDA. His open dialogue with families, advocates, and sponsors, helped the rare disease community navigate regulatory considerations, and his years of leadership to advance the safety and availability of therapies and contributions will have a lasting impact on patients and the broader health care community. Dr. Marks has been an extraordinary and unwavering advocate for families experiencing rare diseases. Dr. Marks worked tirelessly to ensure patient voices not only were heard, but those voices also informed and guided the path forward. His legacy will be marked by his compassion, courage, and dedication to making a difference for all individuals with rare diseases. 

Dr. Marks received his graduate degree in cell and molecular biology and his medical degree from New York University. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, later serving in academic medicine and industry before joining the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2012. From 2016 to 2025, Dr. Marks served as Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), where he was integrally involved in responses to multiple public health emergencies. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2022 and, in October 2025, Marks was appointed as the senior vice president of molecule discovery and head of infectious disease at Eli Lilly.

The 2026 Roscoe O. Brady Award was presented at the beginning of the WORLDSymposium 2026 Basic Science Session on Tuesday, February 3 at 08:00 PST.

Following the Award presentation, Dr. Marks shared his perspective in a scientific presentation titled: Accelerating the Global Pace of Progress for Rare Diseases.