Herbert W. Boyer

Biography

Herbert W. Boyer has served as a director of Genentech since he co-founded the company in 1976 with Robert A. Swanson, a venture capitalist. He also was a vice president of the company from 1976 to 1990. A biochemist and genetic engineer, Herb first demonstrated the usefulness of recombinant DNA technology to produce commercial medicines, which laid the groundwork for Genentech's development. In addition to his role at Genentech, Herb was a professor at the University of California, San Francisco and an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. When Genentech was formed, he was teaching microbiology and working as a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UCSF, as well as the director of the graduate program in genetics. In 1993, he was awarded the prestigious Swiss Helmut Horten Research Award, along with Dr. Stanley Cohen of Stanford University, for their pioneering use of research in the use of gene technology in medicine. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and in 1985 he was elected to the California Inventor's Hall of Fame. Herb received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement in 1981 and the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award in 1980. He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received the Industrial Research Institute Achievement Award in 1982. Boyer serves on the editorial boards of several scientific publications and has written or co-written more than 100 scientific articles.

Research Interest

Herbert W. Boyer has served as a director of Genentech since he co-founded the company in 1976 with Robert A. Swanson, a venture capitalist. He also was a vice president of the company from 1976 to 1990. A biochemist and genetic engineer, Herb first demonstrated the usefulness of recombinant DNA technology to produce commercial medicines, which laid the groundwork for Genentech's development. In addition to his role at Genentech, Herb was a professor at the University of California, San Francisco and an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. When Genentech was formed, he was teaching microbiology and working as a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UCSF, as well as the director of the graduate program in genetics. In 1993, he was awarded the prestigious Swiss Helmut Horten Research Award, along with Dr. Stanley Cohen of Stanford University, for their pioneering use of research in the use of gene technology in medicine. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and in 1985 he was elected to the California Inventor's Hall of Fame. Herb received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement in 1981 and the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award in 1980. He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received the Industrial Research Institute Achievement Award in 1982. Boyer serves on the editorial boards of several scientific publications and has written or co-written more than 100 scientific articles.