Steven Freedman, MD, PhD

Biography

Steven D. Freedman M.D., Ph.D. is Director of the Pancreas Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Chief of the Division of Translational Research, and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. He has played a leadership role in clinical/translational research both at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and at Harvard Medical School through his prior role as the Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research and Co-director of the Harvard CTSA (Harvard Catalyst). He is Director of the Grant Review and Support Program (GRASP) of the Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center, which is a unique longitudinal program that provides project management support and grant writing tools to enhance the transition from the NIH K to R01 grant for junior faculty across the Harvard affiliated hospitals.

Dr. Freedman’s expertise is in exocrine pancreatic disease with a particular focus on pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, pancreatic enzyme development and cystic fibrosis as well as diseases of premature infants. He is an internationally recognized leader in these areas with an extensive research program that encompasses both basic science discovery/fatty acid metabolism as well as clinical trials.

He helped establish the CF Foundation funded DIGEST program to train pediatric and adult gastroenterologists in the GI aspects of CF. He also plays a leadership role for the CF Foundation to design, develop and carry out GI related CF research across the U.S. He helped create RELiZORB and led the clinical trials and its FDA approval. He has now helped develop a recombinant version of pancreatic enzymes which is now in Phase I trials.