Jennifer Kerr - Our People - Purdue Engineering

Jennifer Kerr

President, Cook Research Incorporated
BSIDE (Biomedial Engineering) 1993

Leslie Geddes’ influence is written all over Jennifer Kerr’s career. She learned about his pioneering work in medical device development and biomedical engineering during two summer internships at Eli Lilly, and she was eager to connect with him on campus.

“After spending a day with him in the Potter Building, I transferred to interdisciplinary engineering and followed his guidance in outlining the remainder of my undergraduate coursework.”

She conducted undergraduate research on a novel biomaterial — porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) — which became the foundation of her graduate research under Geddes’ leadership. Little did she know, SIS would be licensed to Cook Medical in 1995 and lead to the treatment of millions of patients requiring soft tissue repair.

Over the course of her 30-year career, she has remained loyal to Cook Medical, rising through the ranks in various capacities.

Today, she is president of Cook Research Incorporated in West Lafayette, a subsidiary of Cook Medical that is focused on the identification, development, testing and regulatory approval of innovative medical products. She oversees a large staff of engineers, scientists, regulatory professionals and clinical experts responsible for producing hundreds of life-changing products that combine minimally invasive medical devices, drugs, biologic materials and cellular therapies. These products included the development of groundbreaking tissue-grafting technology discovered by Purdue researchers.

Also a member of the executive leadership team, she represents her company on the board of directors for the Medical Device Manufacturers Association, meeting with U.S. Congressional members to discuss industry challenges. She also is the chair of the executive committee for the National Evaluation System for health Technology (NEST), collaborating with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, industry representatives, patient advocacy organizations and healthcare professionals to identify innovative pathways for bringing new technologies to patients.

On the international level, Kerr’s work has impacted best practices for conducting global clinical research through her participation in Harmonization by Doing, and she works with global leaders, regulatory authorities and experts on Good Clinical Practice in revising international standard ISO 14155, the clinical standard for conducting medical device studies.

In addition, she is active with the Tobias Leadership Center at Indiana University Indianapolis, serving on the advisory board for the Tobias Fellows Program and was a fellow herself in 2017.

She is a familiar face at Purdue, where she is a member of the advisory council for the Women’s Global Health Institute and has taught clinical design strategies to graduate students. In 2020, the School of Engineering Education honored her with the Outstanding Alumni Award.

Like many first-year engineering students, Kerr said she was “quickly humbled by the classwork and high expectations” at Purdue. The academic and career counseling she received early on gave her the confidence and determination to keep going.

Geddes’ colleagues — Joe Bourland, Willis Tacker and Charlie Babbs — were biomedical giants in their own right, each playing a part in influencing Kerr as she progressed through her educational and professional journeys.

“They emphasized that success is not merely about accomplishments but about embracing teamwork and continuous discovery. I am profoundly grateful for their mentorship, support and encouragement.”

Career Highlights

Education