Scripps Research adds diverse talent to Board of Directors

LA JOLLA, CA—Scripps Research has elected two new members to its Board of Directors: JoAnne Stubbe, PhD, a renowned biochemist and professor emerita at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Herbert Wertheim, OD, DSc, MD (hc), an inventor, businessman and philanthropist with a strong interest in supporting education and healthcare.

Each brings valuable perspectives to the institute’s Board, says Scripps Research President and CEO Peter Schultz, PhD.

“JoAnne, whom I have known since my days as a postdoctoral researcher, has had a spectacular career in science,” says Schultz. “She has a relentless scientific curiosity, and her insights are unparalleled. And Herbie’s passion for science and medicine—in particular his interest in preventative medicine and healthspan—aligns with many of the biomedical research interests at our institute. Each of these accomplished individuals will help us achieve our vision for Scripps Research of bridging basic and translational research and educating future generations of scientists.”

Stubbe is best known for her studies of enzyme mechanisms, in particular ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs), enzymes essential to creating the building blocks of DNA in all organisms. At MIT, she was the first woman to receive tenure in the Department of Chemistry. Her career accomplishments have earned her numerous honors, including the National Medal of Science, and the Priestley Medal, the highest honor conferred by the American Chemical Society. Stubbe earned her doctoral degree in organic chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and is currently working with her many collaborators to collate information about RNRs as a resource for future scientists.

Businessman and philanthropist Wertheim began his career with a successful clinical practice in optometry and visual neurology. A constant inventor, he discovered a way to tint plastic eyeglass lenses and later produced a dye that absorbed ultraviolet light. His inventions led to the founding of Brain Power Incorporated, now the world’s largest manufacturer of ophthalmic instruments, eyeglass lens tints and diagnostic products for eye care professionals. Wertheim performed postdoctoral research at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Florida and later became a distinguished lecturer there. In 1977, he and his wife, Nicole, created the Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Family Foundation that has donated millions of dollars to educational, cultural and healthcare organizations in his home state of Florida and around the world.