Melissa Starovasnik Vice President: Research Operations & Structural Biology Profile | Education/Background | Top Scientific Papers | Awards & Honors

"I came to Genentech first as a postdoctoral fellow in the protein NMR group in 1993, and was hired as a scientist in Protein Engineering in 1995. I was drawn to pursue 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. Throughout my time here, I have been involved in many exciting projects, all sharing the common theme of exploring protein/peptide structure and function, with an emphasis on the study of molecular recognition and application to drug development. My role has broadened significantly in recent years, where I now have both scientific and operational responsibilities within our research organization. On the science side, I lead the Structural Biology department encompassing high-throughput protein expression, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography, with the aim to provide a detailed structural understanding of the molecular nature of our drug targets and candidates. While on the operations side, I oversee all operational activities for our 1300-member research organization, and serve on the research leadership team."

Current Projects "Research in the Structural Biology department 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, who inspire creativity and success and are all motivated by a strong shared desire to discover and develop important medicines that will make a difference in patients' lives."