Scientific American magazine has named Scott Johnson of Saratoga one of the year's 50 innovators for his work in creating a foundation with an interdisciplinary approach to curing disease -- in this case multiple sclerosis.
The Chronicle profiled Johnson and his Myelin Repair Foundation in April in a story that emphasized how he had channeled Silicon Valley values into the pursuit of medical research. According to the article:
"Influential observers say the foundation has already made a significant contribution to medical research in how it goes about its work. Johnson and his team have persuaded top academic scientists and universities to work together to an unusual degree. The result, observers say, is a research organization that blends the freewheeling curiosity of science with the pedal-to-the-metal urgency of a startup."
In a statement issued Friday, Johnson said:
"Our scientific team, our staff and our supporters are on a mission: to improve quality of life for the 2.5 million people who suffer from M.S. To know that our model could help millions of others as well is more than I could have ever dreamed."
