Biogen has appointed Michael Ehlers executive vice president, research and development.

Dr. Ehlers will oversee Biogen’s global research, drug discovery , clinical development, and medical affairs functions, defining the strategic direction for the company’s R&D organization and leading its efforts to develop therapies for patients with few or no treatment options. Dr. Ehlers will report to George Scangos, chief executive officer, and will be a member of the Biogen management team. He will begin his tenure at Biogen in late May.

“I am thrilled to have Mike join us,” said Dr. Scangos. “We conducted a thorough, global search, and I am convinced that we have found the right leader to build on our already outstanding R&D team. Mike is a brilliant neuroscientist, having made major contributions to our understanding of the biology of neurons; he is an established R&D leader who has excelled in both academic and corporate settings; and he has demonstrated the ability to translate science into important new medicines.”

Dr. Ehlers joins Biogen from Pfizer, where he served as group senior vice president for BioTherapeutics R&D and chief scientific officer for the company’s Neuroscience and pain research unit. Dr. Ehlers led Pfizer’s Cambridge and Boston research sites and was responsible for a network of collaborations with major academic and government institutions.