John Lowe Senior Director: Pathology Profile | Education/Background | Top Scientific Papers | Awards & Honors

"I joined Genentech in 2008 as Senior Director of Pathology. Previously, I was a faculty member at Washington University in St. Louis, and at the University of Michigan. Most recently, I was at Case Western Reserve University as chair of a large pathology department whose missions included providing diagnostic laboratory and surgical pathology services supporting of a 985-bed tertiary care hospital and several system hospitals; educating medical students, Ph.D. students, post-doctoral fellows and pathology residents; and managing a comprehensive set of NIH-funded basic research programs in immunity and neuroscience. My own research efforts prior to coming to Genentech focused primarily on discovering functions for cell surface glycans in mammalian organisms, with particular relevance to the immune system. The role of Senior Director of Pathology in Research at Genentech offered powerfully attractive opportunities to continue this research in an outstanding, disease-focused scientific environment, while also leading the growth and development of the scientific discovery and research support activities of the Pathology department at Genentech. These efforts will help Genentech continue to make a major positive difference to the health and well being of a large number of patients afflicted with cancer, autoimmune syndromes, neurodegenerative diseases and other illnesses for which therapies are unsatisfactory or nonexistent. An exceptional team of pathologists, scientific associates and administrative staff now in the department will collaborate with me in these efforts. Additional outstanding pathologists and staff will be recruited to assist us in developing the department. Our task will be made more straightforward by the environment here at Genentech, which is characterized by exceptionally bright, motivated and collaborative colleagues at every level; spectacular facilities; and workplace philosophies that are conducive to the highest levels of achievement."

Current Projects "Each pathologist in the department maintains his or her own research program that typically aligns with one or more of the research programs supervised by scientists in Research Oncology, Immunology, Molecular Biology and Physiological Chemistry. These research projects include, for example, understanding basic mechanisms of angiogenesis — how these go awry in association with oncogenesis, and how such aberrancies provide therapeutic opportunities. Other projects include those that focus on developing an understanding of the basis for molecular heterogeneity in breast cancer and on discovering how faults in the mucosal immune system initiate and perpetuate the pathology of inflammatory bowel disease."

Collaborations "The pathologists and other staff in the Pathology department are extensively integrated into Research and Early Development activities at Genentech. In addition to its own research portfolio, the department facilitates early discovery research in Research Oncology, Immunology, Molecular Biology and Physiological Chemistry through integration of experimental pathology and diagnostics with research into basic mechanisms of disease. The department is expanding to accommodate growth in existing research programs, new Neurobiology initiatives and an evolving emphasis on the use of molecular diagnostics to help choose individualized therapies. The department also maintains core services in clinical pathology, electron microscopy, light microscopy imaging, histology and immunohistochemistry, and tissue banking. These core services facilitate the efforts of scientists in early discovery research, as well as early stage development activities. Core services also interface with the design and implementation of Genentech's clinical trials."

Inspiration/Vision "Most of us in biomedical science always pay close attention to how our scientific discoveries might be applied to improving the quality of life of our fellow human beings. This end has assumed more prominence for me in recent years as a consequence of the unprecedented depth and breadth of information we now enjoy about the inner workings of cells and of the systems that allow cells and organisms to function properly. Harnessing scientific inquiry for the development of new drugs is an exciting and important endeavor and is made especially satisfying by the scientifically rigorous environment at Genentech."