Honoring a Research Legend

Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (CMBB) dedicated its annual meeting, held Sept. 15 at the John D. MacArthur Campus, to honoring the center’s founding director Herbert Weissbach, Ph.D.

Weissbach is a professor emeritus in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, FAU’s only faculty to be a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and an internationally recognized pioneer in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology. He joined FAU in 1997 with a vision to produce a talented workforce to reinforce and invigorate Florida’s biotech industry. He served as director of the CMBB for 20 years. During this time, he established laboratories on the MacArthur Campus alongside the Scripps Florida Research Institute, helping to pave the way for the campus’s current reputation as a regional hub for biotech research and innovation.

Weissbach gave the keynote address during the luncheon. His talk charted not only his personal journey, but also a history of biomedical research from the post-World War II era to today.

By the time Weissbach came to FAU, he was more than four decades into a renowned career in biotech research. In 1953, he started at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as one of the first students in a new joint graduate program between the NIH and George Washington University. He can trace his time at the NIH from an unassuming building without enough workspace to today’s sprawling, state-of-the-art campus.

Among his many early-career achievements, he helped characterize the inter-relationship between vitamin B12, folic acid and one-carbon metabolism – a fundamental biochemical pathway for DNA and RNA synthesis, as well as for maintaining brain and heart health. This and other discoveries led to a collaboration with Nobel laureate Marshall W. Nirenberg, Ph.D., whose lab cracked the genetic code.

In 1967, he joined his first NIH mentor, Sidney Udenfriend, Ph.D., in founding the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology (RIMB), a basic science institute under the biomedical company Hoffman-La Roche. Weissbach held leadership roles at the institute for nearly 30 years.

When his time at RIMB ended, he did not settle for a quiet retirement in Florida. He contacted the then-dean of FAU’s College of Science, John Wiesenfeld, Ph.D., and told him about his idea for creating a base for advanced biotechnology and molecular biology education and research to support South Florida’s emerging biotechnology sector. From there, the CMBB was born.

Valery Forbes, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science; Gregg Fields, Ph.D., vice president for research; Howard Prentice, Ph.D., professor of biomedical science in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, and Wiesenfeld spoke in honor of Weissbach and his wife, Renee. The event culminated with a special award presentation to the Weissbachs.

“This event was a special opportunity to honor Dr. Herb Weissbach and Renee Weissbach for their many contributions, support and inspiration over the years,” said Shailaja Allani, Ph.D., current director of the CMBB and associate scientist in the College of Science’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “Their legacy continues to shape the lives of our students, faculty and collaborators.”

Under Allani’s leadership, the CMBB has continued to gain momentum as an important hub for research, education and talent development. In addition to celebrating past achievements, the event highlighted new developments, including a new research agreement with Cleveland Clinic’s Florida Research and Innovation Center to train graduate students in advanced biomedical research, expanded internship opportunities with URIKA [bioworks], enhanced workforce readiness trainings for students interested in careers in biotech, and a summer program to introduce high school students and high school science teachers to biotech research.

“Herb’s vision and dedication have been the foundation for everything we do here,” said Dean Forbes. “We are grateful for his profound contributions to science, to CMBB, to the Schmidt College of Science and to Florida Atlantic University. Herb’s constant presence and mentorship continue to inspire us and guide the future of this center.”


Herbert Weissbach, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, spoke about the history of biotechnology and his legacy at FAU's Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.


Gregg Fields, Ph.D., vice president for research; Herbert Weissbach, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the College E. Schmidt College of Science; and Randy Blakely, executive director of the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute.


Valery Forbes, Ph.D., dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, presents Herbert Weissbach, Ph.D. with a recognition award in recognition of his contributions to advance biotechnology research and education at Florida Atlantic University.