Pablo DT Valenzuela

Pablo Valenzuela (Latin American Spanish: [ˈpaβlo βalenˈswela]; born June 13, 1941) is a Chilean biochemist dedicated to biotechnology development.^[2] He is known for his genetic studies of hepatitis viruses; participated as R&D Director in the discovery of hepatitis C virus and the invention of the world's first recombinant vaccine (against hepatitis B virus). He is one of the cofounders of the biotechnology company Chiron Corporation and of Fundacion Ciencia para la Vida,^[3] a private non profit institution where he is currently working.

Pablo Valenzuela
Born	(1941-06-13) June 13, 1941 (age 83)[1] Santiago, Chile
Nationality	Chilean
Alma mater	University of Chile, Northwestern University
Known for	Molecular genetic studies of HBV, HCV, HIV and the invention of the first recombinant vaccine, against HBV. Directed scientists which discovered HCV at Chiron Corporation.
Awards	Chilean National Prize for Applied Sciences and Technologies (2002)
Scientific career
Fields	Biotechnology
Institutions	Fundacion Ciencia Para la Vida Pontifical Catholic University of Chile Universidad Nacional Andres Bello Universidad San Sebastian

Biography

Pablo Valenzuela studied biochemistry at Universidad de Chile and earned his Ph.D. degree (1970) in Chemistry at Northwestern University, did a postdoctoral training at University of California, San Francisco and held a position as Professor in the Biochemistry Department of that institution. In 1981, together with William J. Rutter and Edward Penhoet founded the biotechnology company Chiron Corporation that in 1997 was the second-largest biotechnology company in the world, after Amgen.^[4] As Research Director Pablo Valenzuela developed a variety of biotechnological products, specially in the blood banking industry.^[5][6] The invention of the recombinant vaccine against Hepatitis B virus was chosen by Business Week as one of the three most innovative technological products of the year 1986. In Chile Pablo Valenzuela founded Bios Chile, the first biotechnology company in that country, and in 1997 together with Bernardita Mendez he co-founded Fundacion Ciencia Para la Vida a non profit foundation that carries out scientific and technological research. He is the father of Chilean American singer/songwriter, Francisca Valenzuela.

Work

Pablo Valenzuela is the scientist responsible for the development of biotechnology products in USA and Chile in the area of international diagnostics, blood banking and pharmaceutical. He is cofounder and responsible of early activities of biotechnology Start-ups in USA and Chile. He is also Professor and Investigator in graduate programs, generating scientific publications and patents.

Valenzuela was recipient of the Chilean National Prize for Applied Sciences and Technologies in 2002^[7] and is a member of the Chilean Academy of Sciences. He was awarded the UCSF medal in 2014.^[8]

Science & technology developments in USA

• Cofounder of Chiron Corporation.
• Ten products in the area of international diagnostics and blood banking (Hepatitis C, AIDS, Hepatitis B) that have been commercialized by Chiron Corporation, Abbott and Johnson & Johnson.
• Four products in the pharmaceutical area (Hepatitis B vaccine, human insulin, beta-interferon^[9] and a wound healing gel based on PDGF) and one product for the food industry (bovine rennin), commercialized worldwide by Chr. Hansen.

Science & technology developments in Chile

• Co-founder and President of Bios Chile^[10] and Austral Biologicals.^[11]
• Co-founder and Director of Fundación Ciencia para la Vida.
• Co-founder and President of Andes Biotechnologies (start-up 2009).
• Biotechnology products, like vaccines for the salmon aquiculture, licensed to Novartis.
• Products for human health and blood banking (Chagas, H. pylori, rotavirus, blood tests).^[12]
• Responsible Director of the Millennium Institute for Fundamental and Applied Biology, one of 15 centers of excellence in Chile.^[13]

References

1. "Pablo Valenzuela". Retrieved 19 January 2013.
2. This is Chile Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine
3. "Fundacion Ciencia Para la Vida". Archived from the original on 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2011-01-10.
4. New York Times
5. "BIOTECHNOLOGY SPOTLIGHT NOW SHINES ON CHIRON (Published 1986)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-04-06.
6. "A New Model for Biotechnology (Published 1993)". The New York Times.
7. "Pablo Valenzuela Valdés gana el Premio Nacional de Ciencias" [Pablo Valenzuela Valdés Wins the National Prize for Sciences]. El Mercurio (in Spanish). Santiago. 28 August 2002. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
8. "UCSF Medal". Office of the Chancellor. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
9. F.D.A. Approves a Multiple Sclerosis Drug. Archived 2014-02-26 at the Wayback Machine
10. Bios Chile
11. Austral Biologicals
12. GrupoBios Products
13. Millennium Institute

External links

• Fundacion Ciencia para la Vida
• Pablo Valenzuela's Short Talk: "Life Sciences in Chile" (also in Spanish)