Richard Alan Lerner (August 26, 1938 – December 2, 2021) was an American research
La Jolla, California
.
Biography
Lerner grew up on the
nonprofit
entity, Lerner became its first president.
Lerner's research into
catalytic antibodies provided a method of catalyzing chemical reactions thought impossible using classical techniques. He was one of the pioneers in developing the field of combinatorial libraries, and in 1992, together with Sydney Brenner, he published a sentinel paper launching the field of DNA-encoded libraries. In addition, Lerner has led extensive studies into protein structure,[2] characterised cis-9,10-octadecenoamide, a novel lipidhormone that induces sleep,[3] and provided the first evidence of a role for ozone in human disease.[4] In 1967 Lerner discovered the role of anti-GBM antibodies in the pathogenesis of Goodpasture's disease. As of 2007, Lerner's résumé listed 67 patents and 403 published scientific papers.[1]
Lerner was the Lita Annenberg Hazen Professor of Immunochemistry and Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Chair in Chemistry. He has been the recipient of over 29 honors and prizes.
Princess of Asturias Award
, which is often called the Spanish Nobel Prize, with Sir Gregory Winter for Professor Pieczenik's conception and their development of combinatorial antibody libraries.
Under Lerner's leadership, The Scripps Research Institute grew threefold in terms of laboratory space and more than quadrupled its staff levels, making it among the largest nonprofit biomedical research organizations in the world. He also oversaw the establishment of a sister research campus, called Scripps
Palm Beach County. In 2006, Lerner announced that he intended to "return to full-time research in [his] laboratory" in five years.[7] In 2011 it was announced that Lerner's replacement as Scripps President would be Michael Marletta. Lerner officially stepped down on January 1, 2012, having led the Institute for 25 years.[8]
When he was Scripps Research Institute president, in 2005 Lerner's salary was US$1,212,071, placing among the top ten percent of nonprofit executives in the USA.
Lerner's entrepreneurial activities have drawn comment. A consumer advocacy organization,
St. Petersburg Times, "a young scientific investigator who swears off wealth and status in favor of public service work".[1]
Lerner married Nicola Green Lerner, a physician, in 1981.[9] He has three adult children; Danica, Arik and Aaron[clarification needed] by a previous marriage to Diana Pickett, a psychotherapist.[10]
The Nobel laureate in chemistry Benjamin List started his career as a protegé of Lerner.[11]
Lerner died on December 2, 2021, at the age of 83 in his home in La Jolla.[12][13]
References
^ abcdefghSydney Freedberg. Scientist Tycoon. St. Petersburg Times, June 17, 2007
