Richard H. Scheller Executive Vice President: Genentech Research & Early Development Profile | Education/Background | Top Scientific Papers | Awards & Honors

"I joined Genentech in 2001 as senior vice president, Research and was named executive vice president of Research in September 2003 and appointed chief scientific officer in 2008. Following the Roche merger in 2009, I became executive vice president of Research and Early Development. In this role I oversee Genentech's discovery research through clinical proof of concept. I am a member of Genentech's Executive Committee and a member of the Enlarged Executive Committee of Roche.

I was initially drawn to Genentech because its culture lies somewhere between academic and corporate and comprises the best of both worlds. Like a university, Genentech values research and individual creativity tremendously, with its basic and clinical scientists publishing many important papers in prestigious journals. But because we are a therapeutics company, we encourage scientists to focus much, but not necessarily all, of their research on potential applications to medicine."

Current Projects "I spend my days hearing scientific progress reports from different groups in the Research organization, grappling with how basic science can be translated into medical applications. I enjoy the breadth of scientific discovery that I encounter every day and the challenge of trying to turn research into potential therapies for patients. I also enjoy interacting with the clinical groups and attend the development review committees (DRCs), where critical decisions on clinical trial programs are made.

In general, my mission is to make Genentech Research and Early Development a place where individuals can fulfill their dreams and excel to their full potential. In particular, I am dedicated to having an environment where basic science and clinical researchers engage in world-class research that is second to none. Another goal I have is to strike a balance between the visionary and the practical in the Research department, between risky projects that encourage scientific innovation and exploration and safer projects that have a higher likelihood of moving into the clinic."

Inspiration/Vision "The thing that I and all basic and clinical scientists live for is that moment when you understand something you've been thinking about for days or months or years. Suddenly, something that perplexes you begins to make sense and you're onto something that could change the way people think. This was true for me in the academic setting and is true for me at Genentech.

It is also such an exciting time to be a life scientist, especially as we understand the human genome better and better and unveil more of the mysteries of disease. There's so much potential for biotechnology and science in general to be of immense practical use to people's lives."