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The keeper of drug safety standards

Michael Levy, BSc 94, MSc 97
July 4, 2022
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By Richard Burnett, BA 88


Michael Levy is senior vice-president, digital and innovation for US Pharmacopeia (USP), the scientific, non-profit organization that has established standards for medicines and supplements in America since 1820, with a focus on maintaining public trust in the supply of safe, quality pharmaceuticals for humans and animals.

“For 200 years, we've set the standards by which medicines have to comply,” says Levy. “The United States Food and Drug Administration enforces our standards. Canada also follows the USP, as well as other pharmacopoeias.” As the largest pharmacopoeia in the world, Levy says the USP touches about two billion people annually.

Levy’s diverse background includes serving as deputy vice-president of science and regulatory advocacy for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Earlier in his career, he was part of the team that sequenced human chromosome XIV as part of the Human Genome Project.

Proudest moment

"Following my master’s, I got involved in a field which is now called bioinformatics and studied at the Pasteur Institute for a few months. That experience helped me get a job at the Genoscope – Centre National de Séquençage in France, writing the software that would automate a lab so we could accelerate and materially contribute to the Human Genome Project. It was an exciting and important role in what I consider to be our moon landing."

Career challenge

"Every year, USP publishes a book that takes up an entire shelf — it's thousands of pages. My job is to turn that publication into a data feed by taking a lot of existing technologies and systems, adapting them to a 200-year-old dataset and helping to drive an industry that is relatively risk-averse when it comes to its underlying information."

Influential professor

"Daniel McLaughlin [biology] gave me a lab job during my first undergrad summer. I then did my honours project with him, and then my masters. He took a risk on this kid and it was foundational for my future career."

Paying it forward

"Outside of work, I enjoy mentoring and coaching up-and-coming professionals who need help, advice or a friendly ear to talk to."



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