2019 STARS Hall of Fame
H. Michael Shepard, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer, Biologics21.NET Bio-oncology.
Dr. H. Michael Shepard is a Del Campo High School and University of California, Davis alum, currently residing in San Diego. Dr. Shepard is one of the most important biotechnology scientists of our time.
Dr. Shepard and team discovered the relationship of the HER2 protein to the dramatically increased development of deadly, invasive and aggressive Breast Cancer(s).
More importantly and to address this devastating protein once discovered, Dr. Shepard developed and launched the breakthrough drug “Herceptin.” Herceptin is one of the three most effective cancer therapeutics ever created. Before Herceptin, breast cancer was usually a death sentence.
To date, over 500,000 women have been saved from aggressive breast cancer because of Dr. Shepard’s discovery of HER2 and development of Herceptin. Additionally, tens of thousands of people are now being successfully treated/saved with Herceptin for ovarian and other reproductive cancers, as well as many digestive cancers.
Dr. Shepard is now conducting groundbreaking research into the root causes of usually-deadly ovarian and other reproductive cancers.
In recognition of these accomplishments, and the literally millions of people that have benefited from his breakthrough cancer research, Dr. Shepard was recently selected as the 2019 LASKER Foundation Award winner. The LASKER Award is the most important and respected biosciences award in the world.
Among Dr. Shepard’s accomplishments:
Fellow of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology (Oxford)
Visiting Scholar, Indiana University, Bloomington
Affiliate and Mentor, College of Biological Sciences, University of California
Advisor for bio-oncology and other biomarker driven therapeutics discovery
HER2/neu (often just shortened to HER2) is a growth-promoting protein on the outside of all breast cells. Breast cancer cells with higher than normal levels of HER2 are called HER2-positive. These cancers tend to grow and spread faster than other breast cancers.
Because of Dr. H. Michael Shepard’s efforts, women newly diagnosed with invasive breast cancers are always tested for HER2.
Herceptin works by attaching itself to the HER2 receptors on the surface of breast cancer cells and blocking them from receiving growth signals. By blocking the signals, Herceptin can slow or stop the growth of the breast cancer. Herceptin is an example of an immune targeted therapy.
Since Herceptin’s introduction, over 480,000 people have been treated/saved from invasive and deadly Breast Cancer.