Stephen Benkovic

Stephen J. Benkovic, also known as Steve, Ph.D., was a Scientific Advisor at Ascent Biomedical Ventures and Azevan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. until January 27th 2016. Stephen Benkovic is a Scientific Partner, Rho Ventures at Rho Capital Partners, Inc. Stephen Benkovic began working with the firm in the mid-1990s prior to joining as a Scientific Partner in 2001. He also serves as a Special Limited Partner at Care Capital. Stephen Benkovic is a Co-Founder and Director at Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc. He is a Director of Boragen Inc. His current and recent Scientific Advisory Board seats include Senomyx, Solexa, Dihedron, Archemix, and Cumbre. He serves as a Member of Scientific Advisory Board of Odyssey Thera, Inc. He is the Member of Scientific Advisory Board of Adnexus Therapeutics, Inc. Stephen Benkovic serves as a Member of Science Advisory Board at Myriant Technologies LLC. Stephen Benkovic is the Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Eberly Chair of Chemistry at Penn State University. After a period as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he joined the Chemistry Department at Penn State University in 1965 and became a full Professor of Chemistry in 1970, followed by recognitions as an Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry, and in 1988, the holder of the Eberly Chair in Chemistry. Stephen Benkovic's work has been recognized by awards and fellowships including: Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, NIH Career Development Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, the Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry, the Gowland Hopkin Award, the Repligen Award for Chemistry of Biological Processes, the Alfred Bader Award, the Chemical Pioneer Award from the American Institute of Chemists, and the Christian B. Afinsen Award. His research has emphasized the study of the mechanisms of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. He formerly headed the Scientific Advisory Board of GlaxoSmithKline. Stephen Benkovic recent work has focused on the mechanism of action of the folate requiring transformylase enzymes in de novo purine biosynthesis, the characteristics of enzymes in antibiotic resistance, the assembly and kinetic characteristics of the T4 replication complex; the importance of dynamic coupling of proximal and distal residues on the function of dihydrofolate reductase, and the development of novel catalysts based on biological materials. Stephen Benkovic earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the Cornell University. He received a B.S. in Chemistry and an A.B. in English literature from the Lehigh University.