Besa Cote, MS

Besa Cote is a pharmacokineticist and toxicokineticist with approximately 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including 4.5 years specializing in pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics. She currently works remotely from Maryland for Charles River Laboratories, a third-party testing facility based in Madison, Wisconsin, where she conducts preclinical safety assessments of new pharmaceutical compounds in support of FDA IND applications. Her expertise uniquely integrates mathematical and statistical analysis with pharmacokinetics, a skill set shared by only around 2,000 practitioners in the United States.

In her role at Charles River, Cote analyzes data from preclinical studies, assessing the safety of pharmaceutical compounds before they transition from non-clinical to clinical testing. Her work spans multiple therapeutic areas, including eye and kidney disease, and requires rapid evaluation of diverse compounds daily. Prior to this, she worked at Novartis in Canada as a cancer treatment specialist, serving as a medical advisor and patient advocate. In that role, she provided guidance to physicians on drug selection and managed ethical decisions regarding patient access to treatment. Earlier in her career, she gained foundational experience working at a compounding pharmacy.

Cote is actively pursuing a transition from non-clinical research to clinical trials leadership, aiming to leverage her pharmacokinetic expertise and statistical knowledge in a broader strategic capacity once she reaches five years of experience in pharmacokinetics.

Outside of her professional work, Cote serves as President of the Albanian American National Organization, a non-political NGO founded in 1946. The organization focuses on cultural events and scholarships for youth, with a particular emphasis on encouraging girls to pursue STEM education. Her volunteer work reflects her commitment to fostering the next generation of scientific and medical professionals.

Cote earned her Master of Science from Michigan State University and her Bachelor’s degree from Carleton University. Her career reflects a rare combination of advanced scientific expertise, clinical insight, and dedication to community engagement.

• Master of Science (MS), Michigan State University
• Bachelor’s Degree, Carleton University

• Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)
• Standard Operating Procedures
• FDA Regulatory Certifications

• Woman of Influence Award

• President, Albanian American National Organization (AANO)

• Founder/President, Albanian American National Organization – cultural programs and scholarships for youth, with emphasis on girls in STEM