Life Sciences Sector
Comprised of more than 1,000 companies, the sector’s companies and researchers focus on innovations, product and service delivery in biotechnology, medical devices, diagnostics and certain analytical laboratory technologies. Integral to the innovations and developments of these companies are the area’s universities and academic research institutions including UCSD, SDSU, The Salk Institute, The Scripps Research Institute, Sanford Burnham Cancer Institute, La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology and many additional research organizations.
The ‘grandfather’ of San Diego’s biotech companies was Hybritech, Inc., from which dozens of current Life Sciences companies can be traced. With the innovations springing from the entrepreneurial companies, major health care industry companies made strategic decisions to establish a San Diego presence, including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Genentech and Biogen Idec.
Life Sciences Histories
Thomas Adams
Interview – August 4, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Adams served as the Chief Executive Officer of Genta, Inc.
Richard Anderson
Interview – July 7, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Anderson served as Director of Government Affairs for Biosite, Inc.
Howard Birndorf
Interview – April 30, 2008
Interviewed by Matthew Shindell, Historian, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Birndorf served as Chief Executive Officer at Nanogen.
Interview – 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Birndorf served as Chief Executive Officer at Nanogen.
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Part 3
Kim Blickenstaff
Interview – 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the this interview, Mr. Blickenstaff served as the Chief Executive Officer for Biosite, Inc.
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Part 2
Ken Buechler
Interview – June 4, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Buechler was the Vice President of Research for Biosite, Inc.
Kenneth Cohen
Interview – August 5, 2008
Interviewed by Matthew Shindell, Historian, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Mr. Cohen had recently left his position as President and Chief Executive Officer of Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
William Comer
Interview – June 20, 2008
At the time of this interview Dr. Comer served as the Founder, President and CEO of NeuroGenetic Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
John Crawford
Interview – July 8, 2008
Interviewed by Matthew Shindell, Historian, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Mr. Crawford was self-employed as a biotechnology consultant in finance and had recently left his position as Chief Financial Officer of Phenomix Corporation.
Walter Desmond
Interview – June 11, 1999
Interviewed by Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Desmond worked as an educator in San Diego.
Interview – July 30, 1997
Interviewed by Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Desmond worked as an educator in San Diego.
John Dobak
Interview – August 26, 2008
Interviewed by Matthew Shindell, Historian, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Dobak was Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Lithera, Inc.
Jeanne Dunham
Interview – 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Ms. Dunham was President and owner of Bioserv Corporation.
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Part 2
Phil Felgner
Interview – July 22, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Felgner was Director of Product Development, Chief Scientific Officer and founder of Vical, Inc.
Howard Greene
Interview – October 8, 2008
Interviewed by Matthew Shindell, Historian, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Mr. Greene served on the Board of Directors of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Phillip Hagan
Interview – May 26, 1999
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Hagan worked at Veteran’s Administration as a software developer for educational tracking software.
Samuel Halpern
Interview – August 20, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Halpern was affiliated with the San Diego Thornton Hospital in La Jolla and the University of California San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest.
Douglass Jolly
Interview – 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Jolly was the Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Chiron Corporation.
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Part 2
David Kabakoff
Interview – 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Kabakoff served in senior executive positions at Dura Pharmaceuticals Inc.
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Part 2
Karen Klause
Interview – August 8, 2008
Interviewed by Matthew Shindell, Historian, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Ms. Klause served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of CME LLC.
Interview – November 25, 1996
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Ms. Klause was President and Chief Executive Officer at Digirad, Inc.
Paul Laikind
Interview – May 14, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Laikind was co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and President of Metabasis Therapeutics.
Tina Nova
Interview – April 26, 1999
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Nova served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Nanogen, Inc.
Cole Owen
Interview – July 18, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Owen served as President of Owen & Associates, a healthcare industry consulting firm.
Greg Payne
Interview – June 4, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Mr. Payne led the Regulatory Affairs Department at Hybritech, Inc.
William Rastetter
Interview – June 27, 2008
Interviewed by Matthew Shindell, Historian, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Rastetter served as a partner with Venrock.
Interview – July 28, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Rastetter served as the Chief Executive Officer for IDEC Pharmaceuticals.
William Respess
Interview – August 14, 2008
Interviewed by Matthew Shindell, Historian, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Respess served as Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of Nanogen.
Interview – May 9, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Respess served as Vice President and General Counsel to Gen-Probe Incorporated.
Douglas Richman
Interview – August 4, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Richman served as Professor of Pathology and Medicine at the University of California San Diego.
Ivor Royston
Interview – October 14, 2008
Interviewed by Matthew Shindell, Historian, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Royston served as Founding President and Chief Executive Officer for the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.
Interview – 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Royston served as Founding President and Chief Executive Officer for the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.
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Part 2
Part 3
Richard Schneider
Interview – 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Schneider served as General Partner for Domain Associates.
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Part 2
Ron Taylor
Interview – March 14, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Mr. Taylor was Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer for Pyxis Corporation.
Gunars Valkirs
Interview – June 4, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Valkirs served as a scientific investigator at Hybritech Incorporated.
Robert Wang
Interview – October 21, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Dr. Wang served in Pharmaceutical Operations for Genta Incorporated.
Tim Wollaeger
Interview – May 2, 1997
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Wollaeger served as the founder of Kingsbury Capital Partners.
Interview – October 9, 1996
Interviewed by Mark Jones, PhD, UCSD
At the time of this interview, Wollaeger served as the founder of Kingsbury Capital Partners.
