David V. Schaffer

Principal Investigator


David Schaffer is the Hubbard Howe Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Bioengineering, and Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and he also serves as the Executive Director of QB3 and the Director of the Bakar Bioenginuity Hub and Bakar Labs. He received a B.S. from Stanford University in 1993 and a Ph.D. from MIT in 1998, both in chemical engineering. He then conducted a postdoctoral fellowship at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies before joining Berkeley in 1999. There, he applies engineering principles to optimize gene and stem cell therapies, work that includes developing the concept of applying directed evolution to engineer targeted and efficient viral gene therapy vectors as well as new technologies to investigate and control stem cell fate decisions. He has published >240 papers, has advised >90 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, is an inventor on >50 patents, and developed technologies that are being used in 8 human clinical trials. In addition, he has co-founded eight companies, including 4D Molecular Therapeutics (NASDAQ FDMT), Ignite Immunotherapies (acquired by Pfizer) and Rewrite (acquired by Intellia). Finally, he has received recognitions including the National Academy of Inventors, Andreas Acrivos Professional Progress Award, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Award, the American Chemical Society Marvin Johnson Award, and the Biomedical Engineering Society Rita Shaffer Young Investigator Award.

Awards and Honors

  • 2021: National Academy of Inventors
  • Andreas Acrivos Award, 2020
  • Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2019
  • American Institute of Chemical Engineers Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Award, 2017
  • American Chemical Society Marvin Johnson Award, 2016
  • Glenn Award for Research in Biological Mechanisms of Aging, 2014
  • Distinguished Lindsey Lectureship, Texas A&M, 2012
  • Eagleson Award, American Biological Safety Association, 2012
  • Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineers, 2010
  • Robert W. Vaughan Lectureship, California Institute of Technology, 2008
  • American Chemical Society Biochemical Technology Division Young Investigator Award, 2006
  • Van Ness Award Lecturer, Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2005
  • Departmental Citation for Excellence in Teaching, 2003
  • Technology Review Magazine “Top 100 Innovator Under 35,” 2002
  • American Institute of Chemical Engineers (NorCal) Excellence in Teaching Award, 2002
  • Hellman Family Faculty Award, 2001
  • Whitaker Foundation Biomedical Engineering Research Award (Young Investigator), 2001-2004
  • National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2001-2006
  • Office of Naval Research Young Investigator, 2001-2004
  • The Biomedical Engineering Society Rita Shaffer Young Investigator Award, 2000
  • Regents’ Junior Faculty Award, 1999
  • NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship (Individual NRSA), 1998
  • MIT Department of Chemical Engineering Outstanding Seminar Award, 1997
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, 1993 (declined)
  • Whitaker Foundation Graduate Fellowship, 1993 (declined)
  • Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship, 1993 (accepted)

Positions and Employment

  • QB3 Executive Director, 2022-present
  • Director, Bakar Fellows Program, 2022-present
  • Director, Bakar BioEnginuity Biohub and Bakar Labs
  • QB3-Berkeley Director, 2020-2022
  • Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology & Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, U.C. Berkeley, 2014-present
  • Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, & Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, U.C. Berkeley, 2007-present
  • Associate Professor, U.C. Berkeley Department of Chemical Engineering & Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, 2005-2007
  • Assistant Professor, U.C. Berkeley Department of Chemical Engineering & Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, 1999-2005
  • Chemist Scientist Faculty, Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 2005-present
  • Director, Berkeley Stem Cell Center, 2011-present
  • Co-Director, Berkeley Stem Cell Center, 2009-2011
  • Associate Director, Berkeley Stem Cell Center, 2007-2009

Additional Affiliations

  • Scientific Advisory Board, DNALite, Inc., 2020-present
  • Board of Directors, GenEdit, Inc., 2020-present
  • Scientific Advisory Board, GenEdit, Inc., 2020-2021
  • Co-Founder, Chief Scientific Advisor, Board of Directors, Axent Biosciences, Inc., 2019-present
  • Co-Founder, Scientific Advisory Board, Rewrite Therapeutics, Inc. (acquired by Intellia), 2019-2022
  • Scientific Advisory Board, Tessera, Inc., 2019-present
  • Scientific Advisory Board, Acrigen, Inc., 2019-present
  • Scientific Advisory Board, Gordian, Inc., 2018-2020
  • Scientific Advisory Board, Juvena, Inc., 2018-present
  • Biologics Advisory Board, Catalent, Inc., 2018-present
  • Editorial Board, Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering, 2017-present
  • Secretary and Board of Directors Member, American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, 2016-2019
  • Scientific Advisory Board, Locana, Inc., 2016-2020
  • Co-Founder and Scientific Advisory Board Co-Chair, Ignite Immunotherapies, Inc. (acquired by Pfizer), 2016-2019
  • Editorial Board, Advanced Biosystems, 2016-present
  • Board of Directors, uniQure Inc. (NASDAQ Symbol QURE), 2014-2020
  • Co-Founder, Chief Scientific Advisor, Board of Directors, 4D Molecular Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ symbol FDMT), 2013-2022
  • Board of Associate Editors, Cell and Molecular Bioengineering, 2013-present
  • Editorial Board, Brain Plasticity, 2013-present
  • Editorial Board, Technology Journal, 2013-present
  • Editorial Board, Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 2012-present
  • Scientific Advisory Board, Adheren Inc., 2012-2016
  • Scientific Advisory Board, Avalanche, Inc., 2012-2014
  • Editorial Board, Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 2012-present
  • Co-Founder, Chair of Scientific Advisory Board, Valitor, Inc., 2011-present
  • Treasurer & Board of Directors Member, American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT), 2011-2014
  • Scientific Advisory Board, Cell Guidance Systems Inc., 2011-2014
  • Scientific Advisory Board, Veristem Inc., 2010-present
  • Editorial Board, Molecular Therapy, 2009-present
  • NIH Study Section, Biomaterials and Biointerfaces (BMBI), 2006-2010
  • Editorial Board, International Journal of Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration, 2004-present
  • Advisory Board, Society for Biological Engineering, 2004-present
  • Scientific and Technology Advisory Board, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., 2003-2016
  • Editorial Board, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2003-present
  • Editorial Board, Journal of Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry, 2002-2007