Who are Some of the Most Influential Gen Xers in the Biotech Industry?

It’s no secret that Generation X is known for so many things, both positive and negative. Some call members of this group, born between the years of 1961 and 1981, slackers who lack motivation. However, this certainly isn’t true for many Generation Xers, including those who have shaped and influenced the biotechnology industry we know today. The five scientists on this list collectively made many exciting strides in the field, notably because they had the technological skills to embrace and utilize advances in the realm of computer programming. Strategically combining technology with biology, which is literally the meaning of biotech, allowed the five intellectuals described here to advance healthcare, one small step at a time.

Sebastian Seung, Princeton University

Sebastian Seung, currently a professor at Princeton University's Neuroscience Institute at the Jeff Bezos Center in Neural Dynamics, works to connect neurons in the brain using computer-based technology. He came up with the Connectome Theory, which is best described as being similar to the Human Genome Project, only for the brain. By determining how the brain’s neurons function and connect with one another, strides may be made in treating diseases like Alzheimer’s. Since these neural connections seem to change frequently, computer programs are needed to help create the map. On top of his work in the fields of physics and neuroscience, Seung also gives TED talks and authors books.

Hugh Herr, BiOM, Inc.

Not only is Hugh Herr a well-known biotech leader, but he’s also an avid mountain climber. In fact, the latter greatly influenced his work in the field. Back in 1982, he was involved in an incident on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington that tragically led to the amputation of both of his legs below the knee. But Herr refused to let that stop him from doing what he loved, so he founded BiOM, Inc in conjunction with MIT’s Media Lab, which makes advanced prosthetics for athletes and individuals who want to keep living their lives, despite their physical disabilities. Among other awards, his work has garnered him the 2016 Princess of Asturias Award for Technical & Scientific Research.

Jennifer Doudna, University of California Berkeley

Serving as the University of California Berkley’s Li Ka Shing Chancellor Chair Professor in both the Chemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology Departments, Jennifer Doudna specializes in studying a form of genome editing known as CRISPR. In addition, Doudna determined that the Hepatitis C virus synthesizes viral proteins in a unique way, allowing the development of new vaccines for the disease. Her tireless work in the biotech field has led to several awards, ranging from the American Cancer Society’s Medal of Honor to Rockefeller University’s Pearl Meister Greengard Prize.

Karl Deisseroth, Stanford University

Controlling neurons with optogenetics, which uses light to change how those neurons fire in the brain, is the main breakthrough of Karl Deisseroth, currently the D. H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. Deisseroth has received a number of awards for his research breakthroughs, including the Fresenius Research Prize in 2017, the 2016 Harvey Prize, and the 2019 Warren Alpert Foundation Prize. He’s also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine.

Nina Tandon, Epibone

Swooping in at the tail end of Generation X, Nina Tandon is the co-founder of Epibone, a professor of Electrical Engineering at Cooper Union, and a fellow in the Lab for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering at Columbia. Her background includes degrees in BioMedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering. At Epibone, Tandon and her colleagues create bone tissue out of the stem cells. The tissue then is used for bone grafts in patients, greatly reducing the chances of rejection. Among other accolades, she has been named a Global Thinker by Foreign Policy Magazine, as well as TED Senior Fellow.

It’s no secret these five creative innovators choose discovery over complacency. Together and individually, each of these Gen-Xers made inspirational and memorable discoveries that shaped the life-changing biotech industry we appreciate today.