The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), one of the world's largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences announced the appointment of Joel S. Marcus to its Board of Directors.

Marcus is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., an urban office real estate investment trust (REIT) uniquely focused on collaborative life science and technology campuses in the top innovation cluster locations in the United States. 

He co-founded Alexandria in 1994 as a startup with a business plan and $19 million in seed capital and has since led its growth into an investment-grade rated S&P 500 company. Alexandria has a total market capitalization of approximately $15 billion and a significant market presence in key locations, including Greater Boston, San Francisco, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland and Research Triangle Park.

“Joel’s professional experience and business leadership add to the expertise of our current board members,” said Peter G. Schultz, Ph.D., President of TSRI and the California Institute for Biomedical Research (Calibr) in a release. “His creativity, insight and commitment to research and public health will be invaluable in our efforts to create a new model for funding basic and translational research in the nonprofit sector.  We are thrilled to welcome him to the board.”

“TSRI is a world-class biomedical science research and discovery Institute,” said Marcus. “I am honored to join the TSRI board and look forward to helping the Institute achieve its goals of translating new scientific breakthroughs into life-saving medicines under the visionary leadership of Pete Schultz.”

In addition to his work in life science real estate, Marcus is the founder of Alexandria Venture Investments, which focuses on investing in the biopharmaceutical, diagnostic, research tools, agtech, and digital health and technology sectors. He also co-founded the Alexandria Summit, an annual invitation-only meeting that convenes the world’s foremost thought leaders from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agribusiness, technology, medical, academic, venture capital, philanthropic, patient advocacy and government communities to address the most critical challenges in global healthcare, agriculture and the environment.

Marcus serves on the boards of directors for several biotechnology companies, including the Accelerator Corporation (which he co-founded), AgTech Accelerator Corporation, for which he serves as chairman, Atara Biotherapeutics and Intra-Cellular Therapies. He also serves on the boards of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH).

Marcus earned his undergraduate and Juris Doctor Degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles and was a recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Los Angeles – Real Estate).