Susan Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, a physician, distinguished leader in cancer research, and biotechnology industry executive who most recently served as president of product development for Genentech, has been selected as the new chancellor for UCSF. She was approved by the UC Board of Regents on May 7, and will replace J. Michael Bishop, MD, who is stepping down after 11 years as UCSF chancellor.

Desmond-Hellmann brings a deep clinical, research and executive leadership background and commitment to high-quality patient care to the position of UCSF chancellor. She is a board-certified physician in internal medicine and medical oncology who has dedicated much of her career to cancer research. She has been with South San Francisco-based Genentech for 14 years — as clinical scientist, chief medical officer, executive vice president and president of product development — where she has overseen successful trials for therapeutic drugs, including Herceptin, Avastin and Rituxan, targeting a range of cancers and other diseases.

Prior to joining Genentech, Desmond-Hellmann was associate director of clinical cancer research at Bristol-Myers Squibb, worked in private medical practice, and co-led AIDS and cancer research projects in the African nation of Uganda. She completed her clinical training at UCSF after receiving a medical degree from the University of Nevada, Reno; she also holds a master's degree in public health from UC Berkeley. She has served at UCSF as an assistant professor in hematology-oncology and currently is an adjunct associate professor at the campus.

Desmond-Hellmann is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's Economic Advisory Council and has been named multiple times to Fortune magazine's "Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Business" list.

"I began my career at UCSF, and my heart has never left it," Desmond-Hellmann said. "My life's work has been focused on making a difference for patients, and I cannot think of a better place than UCSF to carry that work forward. As the health needs of the world continue to change, UCSF will continue to play a pivotal role in developing solutions through its research, teaching and clinical care across all health disciplines."

Desmond-Hellmann with Chancellor J. Michael Bishop