Tomas Chlebek Just a few days ago we wrote on Jablíčkára about the ever-increasing importance of health care in Apple products. Now there is more proof - Apple has officially hired Stephen Friend, one of the best in the field of health research.
Stephen Friend's resume includes work on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and the position of head of oncology research at Merck, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. In 2009, he co-founded and became the head of the non-profit organization Sage Bionetworks, which is, among other things, an important proponent of the idea of "open science".
It is an initiative aimed at expanding public access to scientific research and its results and enabling better and livelier interaction between scientists and the public.
Sage Bionetworks has been working with Apple for some time. For example, it released two of the first five research applications built on the platform ResearchKit. Mark Gurman, one of the most reliable sources of behind-the-scenes information related to Apple, he remarked, that Friend with Apple, at least as a consultant, closely has been working together for a year and a half.
Friend will not leave Sage Bionetworks. He will continue to be a member of the board, but his day-to-day activities will move to Apple. Sage Bionetworks Press Release states: "Dr. Friend has accepted a position at Apple where he will work on projects related to health.” Apple declined to disclose the exact title of Friend's position.
