David McKinzie, PhD

Biologist

Dr. David L. McKinzie has over 25 years of experience in neuroscience and pharmacology, known for his collaborative leadership, translational expertise, and deep commitment to advancing neuroscience research.

He earned his B.A. from Purdue University and his Ph.D. from Binghamton University, followed by postdoctoral training and a faculty role at Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM).

He joined Eli Lilly’s Neuroscience Discovery Research Division in 1999, where he spent 19 years leading cross-functional teams focused on psychiatric and neurological disorders. In 2018, David returned to IUSM to establish the Behavioral Phenotyping Core, supporting a wide range of therapeutic research efforts. He later joined Karuna Therapeutics, where he supported regulatory filings for Cobenfy and helped launch new discovery programs. In 2024, David founded McK-NeuroConsulting, LLC, offering strategic neuroscience consulting to biotech, pharma, and venture capital firms.

He has worked with Praesida Biotherapeutics since that time, contributing to the development of optimized drugs targeting clinically validated mechanisms.