Featured Researcher: Douglas (Doug) Bassett – Bristol Myers Squibb

Douglas Bassett

Douglas (Doug) Bassett, PhD

Senior Vice President, Informatics and Predictive Sciences

Seattle, WA

Biography

Doug Bassett serves as senior vice president of Informatics and Predictive Sciences. In this role, he leads a team of data scientists and analysts who harness the power of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in search of deeper insights into disease biology. The Informatics and Predictive Sciences group applies machine learning and artificial intelligence to leverage predictive analytics and models that help research teams evaluate potential new medicines and therapeutic approaches, as well as identify novel biomarkers for predicting how patients may respond to treatment. 

 

“Predictive models allow us to make better informed decisions about which future medicines are most likely to work best and be most impactful for certain patient subpopulations,” he said.

 

Doug and his team, in partnership with the company’s IT organization, developed a Research Compute Environment, an in-silico virtual laboratory environment that enables computational researchers to build analytical models that fuel prediction.

 

“Computational and machine learning team members are embedded within each of the company’s Thematic Research Centers,” he said. “This allows for connection and collaboration in real time around ongoing programs and innovations, making the Research Compute Environment an active and fully integrated component of all the programs we’re running.”

 

Prior to joining Bristol Myers Squibb by way of Celgene, Doug served as chief scientific officer and vice president of Translational Research Bioinformatics at QIAGEN and spent 12 years at Merck subsidiary Rosetta Inpharmatics, culminating as executive director, Informatics & Molecular Profiling and head of its Seattle-based research site. 

 

Doug earned his PhD in human genetics at John Hopkins University, trained in bioinformatics at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, and was a National Institutes of Health Intramural Research Training Award fellow. He also obtained an MBA from the University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business. 

Interests and Expertise

Doug is part of Bristol Myers Squibb’s Seattle Leadership Team. As a strong supporter of diversity and inclusion efforts, he is an executive sponsor of Bristol Myers Squibb’s Seattle chapter of the Black Organization for Leadership and Development (BOLD) People and Business Resource Group. Doug helped lead an initiative that brought analytics in to measure diversity and inclusion efforts to ensure continuous progress toward Bristol Myers Squibb’s commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.

 

In his free time, Doug enjoys hiking, camping and kayaking throughout the Pacific Northwest with his two sons. Additionally, he has made it his New Year's resolution to learn to play the guitar.