Cure for Diabetes

[Editor’s note: We asked a group of Xconomists to answer the following question: “If you could patent one thing, what would it be?”]

If I can only pick one, I’d patent a functional cure for diabetes—whether it’s an artificial pancreas, a treatment to spare beta cells, or a means to prevent insulin resistance. However it can be done, this is the largest unmet need out there, and therefore an opportunity to improve the lives of tens of millions of people worldwide. We all know the statistics, but it is an enormous threat to our country—chronic, expensive, and debilitating.

Author: Bryan Roberts

Bryan Roberts, Ph.D. is a partner with Venrock. He joined Venrock as a Kauffman Fellow in 1997. He is based in Venrock's Palo Alto office and focuses on a broad range of healthcare investments. Bryan currently serves on the Board of Directors of Ironwood (NASDAQ: IRWD), as well as a number of private companies including Achaogen, Coderyte, Fate Therapeutics, Ikaria, Satiety and Ventana. Past investments include athenahealth (NASDAQ: ATHN), Xenoport (NASDAQ: XNPT); Sirna Therapeutics (acquired by Merck) and Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN). Immediately prior to joining Venrock, Bryan received his Ph.D. in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from Harvard University. He previously held positions in corporate finance at Kidder, Peabody & Co and received his B.A. from Dartmouth College. Bryan was named a Henry Crown Fellow by the Aspen Institute in 2006, he was named to healthspottr's 2009 Future Health 100 list and was the highest-ranking healthcare investor on Forbes' Midas List in 2008 and 2009.