Willam Rutter

Dr. Rutter is Chairman of Synergenics, LLC, which owns and controls a portfolio of biotechnology companies at various stages of development. In his academic career, Dr. Rutter joined the University of California–San Francisco (UCSF) as head of the newly formed department of Biochemistry and Biophysics in 1968, and played a key role in developing UCSF into a major scientific institution. In research, he is particularly known for the discovery of the enzymes involved in the expression of DNA (RNA polymerases), the first cloning of the insulin gene, the cloning of hepatitis B virus (HBV), and formation of an HBV-like particle that provided the basis for a safe and protective vaccine. With 2 colleagues, Dr. Rutter founded Chiron in 1981, a pioneering biotech firm that developed the first recombinant vaccine (against HBV) with Merck and a process for manufacturing insulin from yeast with Novo-Nordisk. Chiron was the first to clone the AIDS (HIV) virus and to discover, clone, and sequence the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Chiron developed quantitative diagnostic tests for HIV, HBV, and HCV, thus providing the means for eliminating blood contaminated with these viruses, a major contribution to public health worldwide. Chiron developed and promulgated the concept of “viral load” as the basis for determining disease status, as well as the basis for developing and evaluating antivirals and other treatment protocols for these and other diseases. Prior to Chiron, Dr. Rutter was a consultant to Abbott Laboratories for about 20 years, and a member of the Amgen Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Rutter’s past board memberships include Novartis, Sangamo Biosciences, Cytokinetics, Nugen, Oscient Pharmaceuticals, and Epitomics. Dr. Rutter also currently serves on the boards of Eureka Genomics, Apexigen, One Globe, and Cellworks. He is Chairman of the Synergenics companies: Synco Biopartners, ReLIA Diagnostic Systems, Numera Health, Ventria Bioscience, Humabs Biomed, Pathologica, and BioEnergenix. Dr. Rutter is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has received numerous awards for his contributions to science and the biotechnology industry.