Andrew Conrad
{{Short description|American geneticist (born 1964)}}
{{Infobox scientist
|image = AndrewConrad2019.jpg
|caption = Conrad (2019)
|birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1964||}}
|birth_place = United States
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|field = Genetics
|work_institutions = North Carolina Research Campus
|alma_mater = University of California, Los Angeles
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|spouse = Haylynn Cohen
}}
Andrew J. Conrad is an American geneticist who was a co-founder at Verily, a life sciences division of Alphabet Inc.{{cite news | url = https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/07/25/meet-the-google-x-life-sciences-team/ | title = Meet the Google X Life Sciences Team | author = Alistair Barr | publisher = The Wall Street Journal | date = Jul 25, 2014 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}} As its chief executive officer, Conrad has recruited a multidisciplinary team of chemists, doctors, engineers, behavioral scientists and data scientists to research health and disease.{{cite news | url = http://www.statnews.com/2015/12/07/verily-google-life-sciences-name/ | title = Verily, I swear. Google Life Sciences debuts a new name | author = Charles Piller | publisher = STAT News | date = December 7, 2015 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
Early life
Conrad grew up in Malibu, California and enjoyed surfing there.{{cite news | url = http://www.statnews.com/2016/03/28/google-life-sciences-exodus/ | title = Google's bold bid to transform medicine hits turbulence under a divisive CEO | author = Charles Piller | publisher = STAT News | date = Mar 28, 2016 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
Education
Conrad graduated with a B.S. in neurobiology and a Ph.D. in cell biology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the late 1980s.{{cite news | url = http://www.xconomy.com/texas/2015/08/10/jlabs-meet-andy-conrad-of-google-life-sciences/ | title = Meet Andy Conrad of Google Life Sciences | author = Johnson & Johnson Innovation Labs | publisher = Xconomy, Inc. | date = Aug 10, 2015 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}{{cite web | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=9548535&privcapId=30643 | title = Andrew J. Conrad Ph.D.: Executive Profile & Biography | publisher = Bloomberg Businessweek | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
Career
In 1991, Conrad co-founded the National Genetics Institute (NGI) along with Mike Aicher.{{cite news | url = http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130102005274/en/Genome-Interpretation-Company-Omicia-Appoints-Mike-Aicher | title =Genome Interpretation Company Omicia Appoints Mike Aicher as CEO | publisher = BusinessWire | date = January 2, 2013 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}} He served as its chief scientist and helped grow it into one of the largest genetics laboratories in the world.{{cite web|url=http://www.ngi.com/company/bio_conrad.asp |title=National Genetics Institute » Who We Are » Andrew Conrad, Ph.D. |access-date=Mar 28, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306140759/http://ngi.com/company/bio_conrad.asp |archive-date=2016-03-06 }} With the money earned from the sale of NGI, Conrad built a vacation home on the Lānaʻi island of Hawaii.{{cite news | url = http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/shortest-hollywood-marriages-gallery-1.82104?pmSlide=1.82141 | title = Shortest Hollywood marriages: Courtney Thorne-Smith and Andrew Conrad, 7 months | publisher = NY Daily News | date = Aug 21, 2004 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}{{cite news | url = http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,618804,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080321011834/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,618804,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 21, 2008 | title = Thorne-Smith, Hubby: Split | author = Stephen M. Silverman | author-link = Stephen M. Silverman | publisher = People magazine | date = Jan 4, 2001 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}{{cite news | url = https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=111289 | title = End of Honeymoon for Thorne-Smith | work = ABC News | date = Jan 4, 2001 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
At an art auction in Lānaʻi, Conrad met David H. Murdock, chairman and owner of Dole Food Company, and also owner of Lānaʻi island. Murdock came to trust Conrad and eventually gave him board membership on companies he controlled: Castle & Cooke, Dole Food Company and NovaRx. Conrad invested his money with Murdock and his son, Justin.
In 2005, Conrad helped set up the North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC), a life sciences research center in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Murdock donated $700 million to NCRC as its founder.{{cite news | url = https://www.nih.gov/precision-medicine-initiative-cohort-program/andrew-j-conrad-phd | title = Precision Medicine Initiative: Andrew J. Conrad, Ph.D. | publisher = National Institutes of Health | date = November 10, 2015 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}} As its chief scientific advisor, Conrad attracted prominent scientists and companies to NCRC to develop products focused on agriculture, food, nutrition, and health.{{cite news | url = http://slspublish.bits.baseview.com/ncrc/367661383293864.php | title = Conrad brings it | author = Hugh Fisher | publisher = Salisbury Post | date = Jul 1, 2008 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160409232227/http://slspublish.bits.baseview.com/ncrc/367661383293864.php | archive-date = April 9, 2016 | url-status = dead }}
In November 2006, Conrad founded the California Health and Longevity Institute inside the Four Seasons Westlake Village, California in partnership with Murdock and Wellpoint.{{cite news | url = http://www.chli.com/content/dam/westlake/press/CHLI_Background.pdf | title = California Health and Longevity Institute Background | publisher = California Health and Longevity Institute | date = Jan 19, 2012 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160416203607/http://www.chli.com/content/dam/westlake/press/CHLI_Background.pdf | archive-date = April 16, 2016 | url-status = dead }}{{cite news | url = http://www.independenttraveler.com/trip-reviews/10-wellness-activities-at-the-four-seasons-westlake-village | title = 10 Wellness Activities at the Four Seasons Westlake Village | author = Jill Weinlein | publisher = The Independent Traveler, Inc. | date = March 2015 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
In March 2013, Conrad joined the life sciences unit of Google X after 22 years at NGI.{{cite news | url = https://backchannel.com/were-hoping-to-build-the-tricorder-12e1822e5e6a | title = Steven Levy interviews Andrew Conrad: "We're Hoping to Build the Tricorder"| author = Steven Levy | publisher = BackChannel | date = Oct 28, 2014 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}{{cite news | url = https://transforming-science.com/google-xs-newest-breakthrough-endeavor-duke-involved/ | title = Google X's Newest Breakthrough Endeavor (and How Duke Is Involved) | author = Ibanca Anand | publisher = North Carolina Research Campus | date = January 8, 2015 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
In June 2013, Murdock started the process to take the Dole Food Company private and appointed Conrad at the head of a four-person special committee of independent directors to approve a deal.{{cite news | url = https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/dole-foods-buyout-in-2013-looks-a-lot-like-one-in-2003/ | title = Dole Food's Buyout in 2013 Looks a Lot Like One in 2003 | author = Steven Davidoff Solomon | work = The New York Times | date = September 17, 2013 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}} Murdock initially offered $12 a share in cash,{{cite news | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-06-11/dole-food-chairman-murock-offers-to-buy-out-shareholders | title = Dole Food Chairman Makes $645 Million Bid to Go Private | author = Jack Kaskey, Simon Casey | publisher = Bloomberg Business | date = June 11, 2013 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}} a price that the committee found too low. Murdock ultimately closed the deal at $13.50 but shareholders sued anyway. In 2015 they were awarded $148 million in damages while Conrad was found to have acted with integrity, and was not held liable.{{cite news | url = http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-08-27/dole-s-ceo-got-himself-too-sweet-a-deal | title = Dole's CEO Got Himself Too Sweet a Deal | author = Matt Levine | publisher = Bloomberg View | date = Aug 27, 2015 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
In August 2015, the life sciences unit of Google X was spun out as its own company under the Alphabet Inc. with Conrad as its CEO.{{cite news | url = https://www.theverge.com/2015/8/21/9187131/google-life-sciences-becomes-first-alphabet-company | title =Google confirms Life Sciences as the first new company under the umbrella of Alphabet | author = Ben Popper | publisher = The Verge | date = August 21, 2015 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}} In December 2015, the company changed its name from Google Life Sciences to Verily.{{cite news | url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-life-sciences-rebrands-as-verily-1449543619 | title = Google Life Sciences Rebrands as Verily | author = Josh Beckerman | publisher = The Wall Street Journal | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
In January 2023, Stephen Gillett became the new CEO of Verily,{{cite news | url = https://verily.com/blog/stephen-gillett-begins-tenure-as-verily-ceo/ | title = Stephen Gillett begins tenure as Verily CEO | publisher = Verily | access-date = Jan 19, 2023}} while Conrad shifted roles to become the executive chairman amid a corporate restructuring.{{cite news | url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/alphabet-unit-verily-to-trim-more-than-200-jobs-11673466950 | title = Alphabet Unit Verily to Trim More Than 200 Jobs | author = Miles Kruppa | publisher = The Wall Street Journal | access-date = Jan 19, 2023}}
In February 2024, Conrad joined S32, a venture capital firm founded by Bill Maris, as a General Partner. Conrad, a notable figure in the fields of technology and data science, previously held senior roles at various Alphabet Inc. divisions, including Verily Life Sciences, Google Ventures, and Google X. His extensive experience in technology and computational biology complements S32's focus on investing in the frontiers of technology.{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-02-22 |title=S32 Names Dr. Andy Conrad as General Partner |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/s32-names-dr-andy-conrad-as-general-partner-302068930.html |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Alphabet's Verily Founder Andy Conrad Departs for VC Firm S32 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-22/founder-of-alphabet-s-verily-andy-conrad-joins-vc-firm-s32 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240223143021/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-22/founder-of-alphabet-s-verily-andy-conrad-joins-vc-firm-s32 |archive-date=2024-02-23 |access-date=2025-05-17 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}
Awards
Conrad was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in Biopharma 2015 by FierceBiotech.{{cite news | url = http://www.fiercebiotech.com/special-reports/influentials-2015-andrew-conrad-google-life-sciences | title = The 25 most influential people in biopharma in 2015: Andrew Conrad – Google Life Sciences | author = FierceBiotech | publisher = FierceMarkets | date = May 13, 2015 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
Publications
Personal life
Conrad is an avid surfer and has a casual dressing style. He is married to Haylynn Cohen, a model, with whom he has two children.{{cite news | url = http://theculturalomnivore.co.uk/2014/01/06/a-conversation-with-haylynn-cohen/ | title = A Conversation With Haylynn Cohen | publisher = The Cultural Omnivore | date = Jan 6, 2014 | access-date = Mar 28, 2016}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
{{Portal|Biography|Biology|Internet}}
- Andrew Conrad speaks at the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNlLDbQrQdA WSJD Live conference].
{{University of North Carolina}}
{{Alphabet Inc.}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conrad, Andrew}}
Category:Scientists from Los Angeles
Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni