SAN DIEGO, April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- BIOCOM, the association for the Southern California life science community, is pleased to announce eight new members of its 2007-2008 Board of Directors, representing the leadership of the life science industry. The chairman of BIOCOM’s board for 2007-2008 is Greg Lucier, president and CEO of Carlsbad-based Invitrogen .
“I am excited to continue to work with the strongest and most accomplished board of directors in the industry,” said Joe Panetta, president and CEO of BIOCOM. “Their guidance and oversight will continue to build on our association’s growth throughout the region as San Diego prepares to host BIO 2008.”
BIOCOM’s board officers and board of directors consist of more than 50 leaders in the Southern California life science community.
Life Director: William Rastetter, Ph.D. Venture Partner Venrock Associates
Bill Rastetter joined Venrock in 2006 as a Venture Partner. Rastetter comes to Venrock from Biogen Idec, where he was most recently executive chairman. Rastetter joined Idec Pharmaceuticals at its founding and grew it to a multi-billion-dollar market valuation company, while serving as president and CEO. Rastetter, a former chairman of BIOCOM’s board, is currently chairman of the board of Illumina, Inc, a Venrock-invested company. He holds an S.B. in Chemistry from M.I.T., Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Lambda Upsilon, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in chemistry from Harvard University.
Industry Directors: David Broad, Ph.D. Vice President, General Manager Oceanside Product Operations Genentech Inc.
David Broad serves as vice president and general manager for Genentech’s Oceanside Product Operations facility. He joined Genentech with the acquisition of the Oceanside manufacturing facility from Biogen Idec and had been vice president and general manager of Biogen Idec’s West Coast Manufacturing Operations since 2000. He holds a bachelor of science and a Doctorate in Microbiology from the University of London, where he was also a postdoctoral fellow.
Les Cross CEO and President
DJ Orthopedics
Leslie H. Cross, has been the chief executive officer, president and a director of DJ Orthopedics , since August 2001. He served as the chief executive officer of DonJoy, L.L.C., the predecessor of the company, from June 1999 until November 2001, and has served as president of DJ Orthopedics, LLC, the company’s wholly-owned operating subsidiary. Cross earned a diploma in Medical Technology from Sydney Technical College in Sydney, Australia and studied Business at the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa.
Magda Marquet, Ph.D.
Co-President and Co-Chief Executive Officer
Althea Technologies
Dr. Magda Marquet, a founder of Althea Technologies, has had over twenty years of experience in the biotechnology industry in the United States and Europe. She was formerly executive director of pharmaceutical development at Vical Incorporated. Prior to joining Vical, Dr. Marquet held process development positions at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Protein Polymer Technologies, Syntro Corporation and Transgene. Dr. Marquet holds a Ph.D in Biochemical Engineering from the University of Toulouse/INSA.
Scott Salka
Chief Executive Officer
Ambit Biosciences
M. Scott Salka has served at the helm of several genomics companies. Prior to joining Ambit in 2001, he served as the president and chief executive officer of two privately-held genomics companies, Arcaris, Inc. and 454 Corporation. He also previously co-founded one of the first commercial genomics companies, Sequana Therapeutics, Inc., a pioneer in the effort to commercialize the international Human Genome Project. Salka received his M.B.A. from Carnegie Mellon University and his B.S. in finance from San Diego State University.
James Schaeffer, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Worldwide Licensing and External Research - West Coast
Merck Research Laboratories
Dr. Jim Schaeffer joined Merck Research Laboratories in 1986. During his first 16 years at MRL, he directed research groups focusing primarily on neuroendocrine-related projects. Schaeffer joined the Department of External Scientific Affairs in 2003 with primary responsibility for all neuroscience licensing. Schaeffer moved to San Diego in 2004 to assume the role of Merck’s “Science Scout” on the West Coast with the responsibility to identify new opportunities across all therapeutic areas at all stages of development including enabling technologies.
Academic Directors: Bob Sullivan, Ph.D. Dean UCSD Rady School of Management
Robert S. Sullivan, founding dean of UCSD’s Rady School of Management, is an expert on entrepreneurship, knowledge management, operations and venture financing. Prior to his arrival at UCSD, Dr. Sullivan served as dean of UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. From 1995 to 1997, Dr. Sullivan served as director of the University of Texas at Austin’s IC2 Institute. Sullivan holds a doctorate in operations management from Pennsylvania State University, a master’s degree in production management and quantitative methods from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Boston College.
Service Provider Directors: David Marino Principal and Executive Vice President Irving Hughes
David Marino specializes in complex transactions for technology, life science and business services companies. Marino is a licensed California Real Estate Broker who has been exclusively representing tenants since 1991, completing over 10 million square feet of real estate, comprised of over 600 transactions. Marino has been an early stage angel investor in over twenty of his clients and related companies and venture capital funds. Prior to 1991, Marino was employed by Trammell Crow Company.
BIOCOM
CONTACT: Tim Ingersoll of BIOCOM, +1-858-455-0300
