Richard Scheller Executive Vice President: Research and Chief Scientific Officer 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. In this role, I am responsible for setting strategy for Genentech's research and drug discovery activities. I chair Genentech's Research Review Committee and am a member of Genentech's Executive Committee.

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 scientists publishing many important papers in prestigious journals. But because it is a therapeutics company, it encourages scientists to focus their research on potential applications to medicine and provides them with resources so that they don't have to constantly worry about fund-raising. I am excited about the growth in research at the company, including the expansion of the Founders Research Center, and the chance to influence the direction of that growth."

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.

In general, my mission is to make Genentech Research a place where individual researchers can reach their full potential and engage in excellent science. 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 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."