Acting Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA

Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., is the Acting Director for Operations at FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). In this position, Dr. Cavazzoni provides strategic leadership related to regulatory and scientific programs.

Dr. Cavazzoni received her medical degree at McGill University and completed a residency in psychiatry and a fellowship in mood disorders at the University of Ottawa. She subsequently joined the faculty of medicine at the University of Ottawa as an assistant professor, where she was engaged in clinical work, teaching, and research on genetic predictors of mood disorders, authoring numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications. Following this, Dr. Cavazzoni worked in the pharmaceutical industry for several years, and held senior leadership positions in clinical development, regulatory affairs, and safety surveillance.

Dr. Cavazzoni is certified by the American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry, and she is a fellow of the Canadian Royal College of Physician and Surgeons, a member of the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and recipient of the American College of Psychiatrists’ Laughlin Fellowship.