FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2010
Contact: Scott Roark
805-756-6260; sroark@calpoly.edu
Walter Moos to Speak On Saving Lives through Innovation
at the Baker Forum May 2 at Cal Poly
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Walter H. Moos, a distinguished scholar and scientist, will focus on the power of research with a special keynote address titled “The Dollars and Sense of Pharmaceutical Innovation: Saving Lives Through Drug Discovery” at the biennial Baker Forum, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Sunday, May 2, in the Alex and Faye Spanos Theatre. The event is free and open to the public.
In his talk, Moos will address the costs of drug discovery and development – and how it reflects on education and the need for innovative ideas for the greatest impact. He will discuss important roles played by organizations ranging from industry giants to biotech start-ups.
Moos is vice president of the Biosciences Division of SRI International, one of the world’s largest independent, nonprofit research and development organizations. He leads a team of more than 200 people, with all of the resources necessary to take research from initial discoveries to the start of human clinical trials. SRI Biosciences is an integrated organization, carrying out basic research on disease mechanisms, performing drug discovery, and providing preclinical services.
In addition to his role at SRI International, Moos serves on the boards of Rigel, a biotech company and several nonprofits, including the Critical Path Institute and Keystone Symposia. He has served on numerous other boards, including the Biotechnology Industry Organization, Mimotopes, and Onyx. A co-founder of the CEO Council of Red Abbey Venture Partners, Moos has served in numerous leadership roles with such firms as MitoKor (now Migenix), Chiron (now Novartis) and Warner-Lambert (now Pfizer).
Moos has held adjunct faculty positions at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and has been adjunct full professor at UC San Francisco and at James Madison University. He has edited five books, helped to found multiple scientific journals and has approximately 150 published manuscripts and patents. He holds a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and received an A.B. from Harvard University.
About SRI International
Silicon Valley-based SRI International is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. SRI, which was founded by Stanford University as Stanford Research Institute in 1946 and became independent in 1970, has been meeting the strategic needs of clients and partners for more than 60 years. Perhaps best known for its invention of the computer mouse and interactive computing, SRI has also been responsible for major advances in networking and communications, robotics, drug discovery and development, advanced materials, atmospheric research, education research, economic development, national security, and more. The nonprofit institute performs sponsored research and development for government agencies, businesses, and foundations. SRI also licenses its technologies, forms strategic alliances, and creates spin-off companies. In 2009, SRI's consolidated revenues, including its wholly owned for-profit subsidiary, Sarnoff Corporation, were approximately $470 million.
About the Baker Forum
The Baker Forum is a biennial public policy forum convened by the Cal Poly President’s Cabinet, a senior advisory group including state and national leaders in business, industry, government and the community. The forum seeks to further the dialogue on critical public policy issues facing the nation and higher education, giving particular attention to the special social and economic roles and responsibilities of polytechnic and science and technology universities.
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