Sue Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH
Former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Sue Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, is a physician-scientist who led the development of the first gene-targeted drug for treating breast cancer.
- Medical, scientific, and philanthropic career spanning 40 years: from academic medicine and clinical practice studying cancer and HIV/AIDS, to running research and product development at some of America’s top biotechnology companies, to leading higher education at one of California’s marquis graduate institutions, to running the world’s largest private foundation.
- Former Chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco (2009-2014), and the first woman to hold the position.
- At the leading biotech firm Genentech (1995-2009), led development of Herceptin® and served as Chief Medical Officer.
- Member of U.S. National Academy of Medicine.
- Co-chaired influential National Academies report that defined and charted the course of precision medicine.