Life Sciences Foundation
 | |
| 501(c)(3) public charity | |
| Industry | Biotechnology |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, United States |
Key people |
Heather Erickson, President and CEO Arnold Thackray, Founding President and CEO |
Number of employees | 8 (2011) |
| Slogan | Telling the story of biotechnology |
| Website | www.biotechhistory.org |
Life Sciences Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that has as its main goal the recording and preservation of the history of biotechnology and of the life sciences.
Mission
The Life Sciences Foundation has been established to record, preserve, and publicize the history of biotechnology.[1] LSF conducts historical research and acts as a clearinghouse for historically relevant materials and information.[2]
Oral History Program
The Life Sciences Foundation is conducting oral history interviews with pioneering bioscientists and industrialists. Transcripts and audio recordings are available on LSF’s website. The site also features links to existing oral histories housed at institutions across the globe.[3]
Archives
Original documentary materials pertinent to the history of biotechnology and the life sciences are being collected. The materials include personal papers and correspondence, donated company records, laboratory notebooks, photographs, video and audio recordings. Collected materials will be guided to permanent repositories in appropriate institutional settings. Electronic reproductions will be made available to scholars, journalists, educators, and the general public in a digital archive.[4]
Publications
LSF historians work on a range of publications including a quarterly magazine, scholarly articles, white papers, and books. These works are intended for multiple audiences and focused on the emergence and evolution of biotechnologies in pharmaceutical discovery and development, agriculture, energy production, and environmental remediation.[4] In October 2011, the University of Chicago Press released Genentech: The Beginnings of Biotech by Life Sciences Foundation historian Sally Smith Hughes.
Leadership
Arnold Thackray was the Founding President and CEO of the Life Sciences Foundation. Previously, he had served as the Founding President and CEO of the Chemical Heritage Foundation.[4] Thackray received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in the history of science from Cambridge University. He was Founding Chairman of the Department of History and Sociology of Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr.Thackray is a Fellow of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry.[5] After founding and leading the Life Sciences Foundation for three years, Dr. Thackray retired in June 2012. He was succeeded by current President and CEO, Heather Erickson.[6]
Founding partners of Life Sciences Foundation include Burrill & Company, Celgene, Eli Lilly & Co., Genentech, Genzyme, Merck & Co., Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and Quintiles. Its executive and advisory board members are leaders from biotech, venture capital, academic institutions and trade associations.[7]
References
- ↑ "Story of Biotechnology | The History of Science Society | Newsletter". Hssonline.org. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
- ↑ "The STS Profession- Announcements". 4sonline.org. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
- ↑ "Q&A with Arnold Thackray, President & CEO of the Life Sciences Foundation - News - Massachusetts Biotechnology Council". Massbio.org. 2011-12-14. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bioworld February 2, 2012 Morrison, Trista (2012-02-02). "Life Sciences Foundation Looks to Capture History of Biotech". BioWorld(bioworld.com)
- ↑ "Arnold Thackray | Chemical Heritage Foundation". Chemheritage.org. 2012-02-16. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
- ↑ "Life Sciences Foundation Names Heather R. Erickson President and CEO". Yahoo! Finance. 2012-07-02. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
- ↑ "Telling the Story of Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News". Genengnews.com. 2012-05-01. Retrieved 2012-07-05.