Region

Auckland

Job

After a decade as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Genesis R&D, Jim is working back in the lab.

In the last decade the tools and techniques for science have changed dramatically but the problems have not. The incidence of autoimmune diseases, diabetes, asthma, and prostate and breast cancer is growing. Jim would like to use the new techniques to look at these old problems.

Careers: I didn't want to milk cows for the rest of my life (V0067)

Former Genesis CEO, Dr Jim Watson, remembers how he came to be a scientist and the role that mentors played in this journey.

Duration: 0:57

He believes the two most important new techniques are flow cytometry – which uses dyes and tags to identify molecules and processes inside a cell, and interference RNA (RNAi) – which allows us to block the expression of certain parts of the genetic code.

Jim says he'll just be part of the team, helping with direction and motivation. The diseases that really interest him are prostate and breast cancer because of their prevalence and the lack of knowledge as to their causes.

Career Pathway

Jim Watson received his PhD from the University of Auckland in 1967 and his area of expertise is immunology. He then worked as a postdoctoral fellow worked at Syntex Corporation in Palo Alto, California (1967–69) and the Salk Institute (1969–75).

Biotechnology and the unpredictable ride (V0066)

Science is all about finding out 'Why?'.

Duration: 0:41

Jim has held professorships at the University of California – Irvine (1976–81), and the University of Auckland (1981–93), serving as head of the Department of Molecular Medicine (1983–93). He was a director of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (1999–2002), and president of the Australasian Society of Immunology (2001).

Jim is currently president of The Royal Society of New Zealand, a member of the government’s Growth and Innovation Advisory Board and a trustee of the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research.