"Leader of a top research institute, cofounder of a pioneering biotechnology company, Bill Rutter is that rare combination of entrepreneurial spirit and high-level management skills so important to the rapid growth of biotechnology both as a discipline and as a global industry," said Arnold Thackray, president of CHF.
The award will be presented at a plenary breakfast at the four-day BIO 2003 Annual Convention, June 22-25, at the Washington, D.C., Convention Center. More than 3,000 scientists and biotechnology leaders are expected to attend the award presentation.
The Biotechnology Heritage Award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of biotechnology through discovery, innovation, and public understanding. Walter Gilbert and Phillip A. Sharp were honored in 2002 for founding Biogen, a pioneer company in biotechnology. Both men are Nobel laureates. Francis S. Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, and J. Craig Venter, former president of Celera Genomics, received the award in 2001 for their key roles in the sequencing of the human genome.
About William J. Rutter
Rutter is the cofounder of Chiron Corporation and served as chairman of its Board of Directors from Chiron's inception in 1981 until 1999. In 1969 Rutter joined the faculty of UCSF as Hertzstein Professor and served as the chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics from 1969 to 1982.
From August 1983 through April 1989, in addition to his responsibilities at Chiron, Rutter was the director of the Hormone Research Institute at UCSF. He became a professor emeritus in 1991. Rutter has served on the Board of Overseers of Harvard University, the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, and several private company boards.
The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
BIO represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers, and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial, and environmental biotechnology products. www.bio.org
About the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF)
The Chemical Heritage Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, operates a historical research library; creates and circulates traveling exhibits; develops and disseminates educational materials; publishes books and Chemical Heritage newsmagazine; offers fellowships and travel grants; conducts oral histories with leading scientists and industrialists; and hosts awards, conferences, and public events. For more information, visit www.chemheritage.org.