On Jan 1, 2012, renowned biochemist Michael A. Marletta became president and CEO of The Scripps Research Institute (SRI) succeeding Richard A. Lerner, MD, who led the institution for more than two decades. SRI’s first director was Frank Dixon, MD, who arrived with his colleagues at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (a forerunner of The Scripps Research Institute) in 1961. Lerner, who had led the institute since 1987, remained a member of the Scripps Research faculty.

Marletta moved to Scripps Research from the University of California, Berkeley, where he served as chair of the Department of Chemistry. A former recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship as well as many other awards and honors, Marletta has focused his laboratory research on the intersection of chemistry and biology. He is an acknowledged pioneer in discovering the role of nitric oxide, a critical player in communication between cells.