Leon Sakkal
About Leon Sakkal
Leon Sakkal is the Associate Director, I-O Medical Scientist, Melanoma at Bristol Myers Squibb in Princeton, New Jersey, with a background in pharmacy and extensive experience in medical writing and oncology.
Associate Director at Bristol Myers Squibb
Leon Sakkal is currently the Associate Director, I-O Medical Scientist, Melanoma at Bristol Myers Squibb, located in Princeton, New Jersey. Since 2017, Sakkal has been part of Bristol Myers Squibb, initially starting as a Medical Writer and advancing through various roles such as Manager, Publications and Scientific Content for lung diseases before assuming the current position. His work focuses on developing and advancing medical strategies in immuno-oncology, specifically targeting melanoma.
Previous Roles at Bristol Myers Squibb
Before becoming the Associate Director, Leon Sakkal held key positions at Bristol Myers Squibb. From 2018 to 2020, Sakkal worked as Manager, Publications and Scientific Content, focusing on the lung sector. Prior to this, he was a Medical Writer for Scientific Content in Immuno-Oncology from 2017 to 2018. These roles allowed Sakkal to develop in-depth expertise in medical writing, publication management, and the overall scientific content landscape.
Medical and Research Roles
Sakkal gained substantial experience in the medical and research fields through his various roles. He worked at The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson in medical information and oncology for two months in 2016. Additionally, he held a three-month position in Global Medical Information at Pfizer. His academic and research background also includes serving as a QED Program Fellow at the University City Science Center, and a three-year tenure as a Research Associate at Thomas Jefferson University.
Educational Background in Pharmacy and Science
Leon Sakkal holds a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) from Thomas Jefferson University, attained between 2013 and 2017. He also earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Chemistry from the City University of New York-Brooklyn College, where he studied from 2007 to 2012. This strong educational foundation in pharmaceutical sciences and biological sciences has been integral to his career development.
Early Career and Internships
Leon Sakkal began his career with valuable internships that helped shape his future in the medical field. In 2014, he worked as a Pharmacy Intern at Penn Medicine (University of Pennsylvania Health System) for five months. These early experiences provided Sakkal with practical insights and a solid foundation in the pharmacy and healthcare industry.