William H. Andrews

William Henry Andrews (born December 10, 1951) is an American molecular biologist and biogerontologist whose career is centered on searching for a cure for human aging. Andrews is the founder and president of the biotechnology company Sierra Sciences. In the 1990s, he led the team at Geron Corporation that was the first to successfully identify the genes for human enzyme telomerase. This enzyme is responsible for preventing telomeres from shortening in human primordial germ cells (reproductive cells).

Early life and education

Andrews was born on December 10, 1951, to television producer Ralph Andrews and Margaret Andrews. As a child, Andrews was told by his father that he should grow up to become a doctor and find a cure for aging.

Career Andrews has been a medical researcher in biotech since 1981. He first worked at the biotechnology company Armos Corporation then Codon Corporation. Codon was purchased by Schering AG and became Berlex Biosciences. In 1993, Andrews convinced Berlex to send him to an anti-aging conference at Lake Tahoe, California, where he met Calvin Harley of Geron Corporation. Andrews' team later co-discovered the protein component of human telomerase ("hTERT") as well. and shortly thereafter, Andrews became the first paying customer to take the supplement. In 2008, using C0057684 as a positive control, Sierra Sciences developed a more sensitive real-time PCR based high-throughput screening assay, the "hTERT RT-PCR assay," with which they were able to screen 4,000 chemicals per week.

Andrews' team developed an hTERT Gene Therapy, using the Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) as a vector, for research studies. This gene therapy was later licensed to Libella Gene Therapeutics in 2017 to be used in clinical studies.

Andrews is a named inventor on over 50 US-issued patents on telomerase and author of numerous scientific research studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Personal life Andrews is an ultramarathon runner. and 2009, he successfully completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile race through Death Valley in temperatures approaching 130 °F (54 °C).