Marc Tessier-Lavigne

Marc Tessier-Lavigne, born on December eighteenth, nineteen fifty-nine, is a distinguished Canadian-American neuroscientist renowned for his contributions to the field of brain development. He currently serves as the co-founder, CEO, and chair of Xaira Therapeutics, an innovative AI biotech firm. In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, he is a respected biology professor at Stanford University, where he held the prestigious position of the university's eleventh president from two thousand sixteen to two thousand twenty-three.

Before his tenure at Stanford, Tessier-Lavigne was the tenth president of Rockefeller University in New York City from two thousand eleven to two thousand sixteen. His academic journey also includes a significant role as a professor at the University of California, San Francisco. His extensive experience in the biotech industry includes serving as executive vice president for research and chief scientific officer at Genentech, where he made substantial contributions to neuroscience.

In two thousand eleven, he joined the boards of directors of several prominent pharmaceutical companies, including Agios Pharmaceuticals, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Pfizer Inc. He further expanded his influence in the biotech sector by joining the board of Juno Therapeutics in two thousand fourteen and co-founding Denali Therapeutics in two thousand fifteen.

In two thousand twenty-two, Tessier-Lavigne faced scrutiny when the Stanford board of trustees initiated an investigation into allegations of potential fabrication of results in articles published between two thousand one and two thousand eight during his time at Genentech. However, he was cleared of any scientific fraud and misconduct in July two thousand twenty-three, following the release of the trustees' report. Shortly thereafter, he announced his decision to step down as president of Stanford, effective August thirty-first, two thousand twenty-three. His research has significantly advanced the understanding of brain wiring mechanisms during embryonic development.