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Michael Varney Senior Vice President: Small Molecule Drug Discovery |
"I joined Genentech in June of 2005 as vice president, Small Molecule Drug Discovery. In this role I am responsible for all aspects of the small molecule discovery effort, which includes Medicinal chemistry, DMPK, Computational Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Assay Development, High Throughput Screening, Formulation, Analytical Development, and Small Molecule scale-up and process chemistry.
I was attracted to Genentech because of my long-standing interest in translating excellent science into therapies to treat unmet medical needs. I am excited by the prospect of utilizing Genentech's deep expertise in biology to discover and develop small molecule drugs that are innovative and contribute to the health and well-being of our community. I have always been attracted to the idea of building large diverse teams of scientists who work together to solve very difficult problems. I like to build."
Current Projects "My current project is to develop both a short-term and long-term strategy for Small Molecule Discovery within Genentech. This will include blending a focus on high-quality science and innovation with our desire to bring forward novel and exciting new drug candidates. I hope to build a group that is team-focused, excited about contributing to our projects, and in tight partnership with other groups within Genentech."
Inspiration/Vision "What has always inspired me is the unknown. I like taking on challenges that are large and complex and can only be solved by multidisciplinary teams. I like football more than I like tennis. I am excited by the opportunity to use our great biological knowledge to decide which targets are the best targets and to pursue these targets independent of whether they reside inside cells or outside of cells. My vision is to build a dedicated coherent group of scientists who enjoy taking on difficult problems and who are inspired by the prospect of improving the quality of people's lives."