Aubrey Watkins III, Ph.D., M.S.

Aubrey Watkins III is a trusted leader and subject matter expert in the field of biopharmaceuticals bringing deep experience and proven success in business development, corporate strategy and oversight of research and development activities. 

Prior to joining JAX, Watkins was senior director of business development and corporate strategy at Emergent BioSolutions, where he played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s product portfolio and revenue from $600 million to $1.6 billion. His expertise in search and evaluation, due diligence and market analysis has been instrumental in identifying high-value business opportunities and driving corporate growth. Watkins also previously held key positions at Merck & Co., where he strengthened partnerships with institutions and biotech and expanded the clinical stage oncology pipeline, advancing innovative and lifesaving therapies.

Watkins serves as a board member of WorkSource Montgomery in Montgomery County, MD. He is a former member of several other service boards, including the Board for (Maryland) BioHealth Innovation, Inc; the Merck League of Employees of African Descent (LEAD); and Black Originators, Leaders, and Doers (BOLD) at Emergent BioSolutions, on which he served as chair. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves (12B Combat Engineer, 1987-1995) and is committed to helping veterans begin life sciences careers and businesses. He holds a Ph.D. in molecular pharmacology and structural biology and an M.S. in pharmacology from Thomas Jefferson University. He received his B.S. in biochemistry and biophysics from the University of Pittsburgh.

The David Shaw Family Endowed Vice President of Corporate Development position is generously funded by JAX Chair Emeritus David Evans Shaw who served on the JAX Board of Trustees from 1990 to 2001 and has a longstanding commitment to harnessing the power of science to address crucial needs in healthcare and other markets.