Melissa Starovasnik Director: Protein Engineering Profile | Education/Background | Top Scientific Papers | Awards & Honors

"I came to Genentech in 1993 as a postdoctoral fellow with Wayne Fairbrother in the Protein NMR group, having been trained as a protein biochemist and NMR spectroscopist in Rachel Klevit's lab at the University of Washington. I chose to pursue postdoctoral research here because of the exciting and high-quality science taking place; our highly collaborative, multidisciplinary approach; and the opportunity to work with exceptionally talented colleagues. In 1995, I chose to stay at Genentech as a Scientist in the Protein Engineering Department for essentially the same reasons, and currently head up our Structural Biology group encompassing high-throughput protein expression, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Throughout my time here, I have been involved in many projects, although they all share the common feature of exploring protein/peptide structure and function, with an emphasis on the study of molecular recognition and application to drug development."

Current Projects "Our work involves three-dimensional structural analyses of proteins and peptides of therapeutic interest in order to develop a better understanding of how the molecules function in biology and determine how best to intervene therapeutically to influence human disease. Our research supports drug discovery for multiple therapeutic areas, but I have a particular interest in the study of molecular interactions impacting B-cell biology."

Collaborations "We collaborate with most departments in Research, which greatly enhances the impact of our work."

Inspiration/Vision "Genentech provides a highly stimulating working environment where one regularly interacts with bright and talented individuals, inspiring creativity and success."