ROBERT TERNIK, PhD
IQ Drug Product Leadership Group (DPLG) Chair (2017)
IQ DPLG Member (2012-Present)
IQ DPLG Pediatric Working Group Member (2011-Present)
IQ Communications Committee Member (2018-Present)

Sr. Research Advisor and Design Team Leader, Eli Lilly and Company
PhD, Pharmaceutics, University of Iowa

WHAT BENEFITS HAVE YOU AND YOUR COMPANY ENJOYED AS MEMBERS OF IQ?

The IQ Consortium provided us with a much-needed mechanism to create a US based industry working group with specific focus on pediatric formulation development. Benefits range from personal development through interactions with industry peers, leadership development opportunities in IQ groups, as of course benefit to our capability and strategies through precompetitive benchmarking and sharing.  For the cost of membership, the IQ Consortium is a great investment for Lilly.   

IS THERE A “SPECIAL SAUCE” AT PLAY WHICH LENDS ITSELF TO IQ’S SUCCESS?

I think the “special sauce” lies in the volunteers themselves. IQ offers scientists interested in specific issues the opportunity to create their own working groups to address those topics.  The ability to collaborate on technology and scientific topics that matter to society is what brings most of us to careers in pharma in the first place, and the IQ provides a great mechanism for that across companies.

WHAT WOULD YOU HIGHLIGHT TO PROSPECTIVE MEMBER COMPANIES?

IQ is a platform/mechanism for personal and professional development that can provide tangible benefits to member companies and customers. The opportunity for their scientists to engage and collaborate externally for their continued professional development on a topic of their interest and of consequence to their company. The collegial relationships and discussions that we have at the face-to-face meetings at the summits and symposia.  Those events are very well executed by Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (FD) and the FD Secretariat staff is a truly awesome group to work with.