Biotech Veteran Joe Panetta Appointed to Stem Cell Agency Board

San Francisco, CA – Joe Panetta, the President and CEO of Biocom has been appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the governing Board of the state’s stem cell agency, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

“I sincerely look forward to serving on the ICOC where I can work with my fellow committee members, researchers and members of the great California life sciences industry to move the promise of stem cell technology from research into development and commercialization. Above all, I am excited to be a member of an institution that is leading the way in developing cures for patients in California and ultimately around the world,” said Mr. Panetta.

Mr. Panetta was chosen because of his more than 30 years of experience in the biotech, government and corporate world. He has been CEO and President of Biocom – the association for the southern California life sciences industry – since 1999. His previous experience includes serving as a senior policy analyst with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C., Vice President of Regulatory and Public Affairs for San Diego-based Mycogen Corporation and Global Leader of Biotechnology Governmental Affairs for Dow Agrosciences. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Regional EDC and CONNECT, Chair of the Board of the CA Biotechnology Foundation, and former Chair of the Board of the San Diego Workforce Partnership and the Council of State Bioscience Associations.

Mr. Panetta takes over the seat left vacant by the death of Duane Roth last year.

“We are delighted to welcome Joe to the Board,” said Jonathan Thomas, Ph.D., J.D, Chairman of the Board, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC). “His experience, expertise and long career in biotech and government will be invaluable in helping us choose the most promising science. He brings a new voice and a fresh perspective and those can only make our Board even more effective.”

 

About CIRM: CIRM was established in November 2004 with the passage of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act. The statewide ballot measure, which provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell research at California universities and research institutions, was overwhelmingly approved by voters, and called for the establishment of an entity to make grants and provide loans for stem cell research, research facilities, and other vital research.