(JOHN HALPERN)

I've always loved the life sciences, and have been fortunate to have my career take place during a time of profound advances in biology. My first project was a Phase III trial acceleration strategy for what was then Sandoz, now Novartis. That experience provided me with invaluable exposure to many of the central elements of the pharma industry, and gave me a keen appreciation of the challenge of meeting patients' needs in a demanding regulatory environment. The common thread throughout my career has been identifying and realizing new business opportunities based on novel science and technology, and translating new science into successful business opportunities for the benefit of patients and shareholders.

When I joined Alnylam, my daily activities actually became relatively more hands-on compared to my venture capital role. Alnylam's business strategy is to enable the industry to practice RNAi through creative partnerships with a long-term orientation. These partnerships are highly symbiotic with our own product pipeline and business. We use the Greek word for innovation, "kainotomia," to describe our culture and approach, and we are innovative in every aspect of what we do, from science through business. I'm looking forward to continuing to play a role as a leader at Alnylam as we realize the tremendous potential of RNAi in areas such as stem cells, vaccines, bioprocessing, and other applications. It's tremendously gratifying—and a lot of fun—to be part of it.