# Lewis T. Williams
Lewis T. ("Rusty") Williams is a physician-scientist known for his work on tyrosine kinase receptors (cell-surface proteins signaling via phosphate-adding enzymes), for a decade as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, and for a second career founding and leading biotechnology companies; he is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) • [2](https://www.hhmi.org/scientists/lewis-t-williams) Bibliographic databases blend his record with publications by other researchers of the same name, so identity disambiguation is a recurring problem for this subject.[3](https://research.com/u/lewis-t-williams)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Education | B.S., Rice University; M.D. and Ph.D., Duke University[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) |
| Clinical training | Internal medicine and cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he served on the faculty and practiced cardiology[4](https://www.quancapital.com/en/about/rusty-williams/) |
| Academic posts | HHMI Investigator 1983–1993; professor of medicine at UCSF; director of the Cardiovascular Research Institution and Daiichi Research Center[2](https://www.hhmi.org/scientists/lewis-t-williams) • [5](https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/realta-life-sciences-announces-appointment-of-distinguished-biopharmaceutical-leader-lewis-t-rusty-williams-m-d-ph-d-as-chairman-of-the-board) |
| Industry leadership | Chief Scientific Officer at Chiron; founder, Chairman, and CEO of Five Prime Therapeutics (acquired by Amgen); co-founder of COR Therapeutics (acquired by Millennium Pharmaceuticals); founder of Walking Fish Therapeutics[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) • [5](https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/realta-life-sciences-announces-appointment-of-distinguished-biopharmaceutical-leader-lewis-t-rusty-williams-m-d-ph-d-as-chairman-of-the-board) • [4](https://www.quancapital.com/en/about/rusty-williams/) |
| Honours | Member of the National Academy of Sciences (Research.com records election in 1997)[3](https://research.com/u/lewis-t-williams); fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) |
| Highly cited work | Receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (fms-like tyrosine kinase), about 2,771 citations; FGF receptor multigene family review with Daniel E. Johnson, about 1,933 citations (per Research.com)[3](https://research.com/u/lewis-t-williams) |
| Recent roles | Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Ten30 Biosciences; Chairman of ReAlta Life Sciences; Senior Advisor at Quan Capital[5](https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/realta-life-sciences-announces-appointment-of-distinguished-biopharmaceutical-leader-lewis-t-rusty-williams-m-d-ph-d-as-chairman-of-the-board) • [4](https://www.quancapital.com/en/about/rusty-williams/) |
## Education and training
Williams received a B.S. from [Rice University](https://www.edgepedia.org/rice-university) and both an M.D. and a Ph.D. from [Duke University](https://www.edgepedia.org/duke-university).[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) He then trained in internal medicine and cardiology at [Massachusetts General Hospital](https://www.edgepedia.org/massachusetts-general-hospital), where he joined the faculty and practiced cardiology.[4](https://www.quancapital.com/en/about/rusty-williams/)
## Academic career
The [Howard Hughes Medical Institute](https://www.edgepedia.org/howard-hughes-medical-institute) records Williams as an Investigator from 1983 to 1993; during this period he served on the faculties of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.[2](https://www.hhmi.org/scientists/lewis-t-williams) • [5](https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/realta-life-sciences-announces-appointment-of-distinguished-biopharmaceutical-leader-lewis-t-rusty-williams-m-d-ph-d-as-chairman-of-the-board) He then moved to the [University of California, San Francisco](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-california-san-francisco) as professor of medicine and director of the university's Cardiovascular Research Institution and Daiichi Research Center.[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) While at UCSF he co-founded COR Therapeutics, the transition point between his academic laboratory and a sustained record of company leadership.[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm)
## Research and contributions
Williams's signature science lies in growth-factor receptor biology. Research.com attributes to him two heavily cited papers: "The fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase, a Receptor for Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor," with about 2,771 citations, and "Structural and Functional Diversity in the FGF Receptor Multigene Family," co-authored with Daniel E. Johnson.[3](https://research.com/u/lewis-t-williams)
A caveat on attribution: these citation counts come from Research.com, whose profile for the name also lists 2020–2024 publications, including a TSPO PET imaging tracer, a CRISPR-based monkeypox diagnostic, nitric oxide fluorescent probes, and a pathogen-genomics preprint, that belong to other researchers named Lewis Williams and cannot be attributed to this subject.[3](https://research.com/u/lewis-t-williams)
## Industry leadership and ventures
After UCSF, Williams spent seven years at [Chiron Corporation](https://www.edgepedia.org/chiron-corporation), most recently as Chief Scientific Officer, and served on Chiron's board from 1999 to 2001.[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) He was on the board of Five Prime Therapeutics from January 2002 and served as its [President](https://www.edgepedia.org/president-corporate-title) and Chief Executive Officer from August 2011, retiring as founder, board chairman, and CEO in 2017; Five Prime was later acquired by Amgen.[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) • [4](https://www.quancapital.com/en/about/rusty-williams/) He co-founded COR Therapeutics, which was acquired by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and founded Walking Fish Therapeutics, a private early-stage cell therapy company where he has been co-founder, chairman, and CEO.[5](https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/realta-life-sciences-announces-appointment-of-distinguished-biopharmaceutical-leader-lewis-t-rusty-williams-m-d-ph-d-as-chairman-of-the-board) • [4](https://www.quancapital.com/en/about/rusty-williams/)
His governance roles extend across the sector. He became co-founder and Executive Chairman of Ten30 Biosciences, was appointed Chairman of the Board of ReAlta Life Sciences, a clinical-stage company developing dual-targeting EPICC peptides for rare and acute inflammatory diseases, and joined Protagonist Therapeutics as an independent Class II director effective June 7, 2017.[5](https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/realta-life-sciences-announces-appointment-of-distinguished-biopharmaceutical-leader-lewis-t-rusty-williams-m-d-ph-d-as-chairman-of-the-board) • [1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) He has served on the boards of Cor Therapeutics, Chiron, Beckman Coulter, Duke University, Rice University, and the [Berklee College of Music](https://www.edgepedia.org/berklee-college-of-music), and is a Senior Advisor at the venture firm Quan Capital.[4](https://www.quancapital.com/en/about/rusty-williams/)
## Honours and recognition
Williams is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.[1](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm) Research.com records the election year as 1997, though this comes from a secondary database and the precise election citation is not available in the sources retrieved.[3](https://research.com/u/lewis-t-williams)
## References
1. [Form 8-K — Protagonist Therapeutics appointment of Lewis T. 'Rusty' Williams](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1377121/000119312517197700/d336313d8k.htm)
2. [Lewis T. Williams, MD, PhD | Former Investigator Profile | 1983-1993 | HHMI](https://www.hhmi.org/scientists/lewis-t-williams)
3. [2026 Lewis T. Williams: Biology and Biochemistry Researcher — Research.com](https://research.com/u/lewis-t-williams)
4. [Lewis T. 'Rusty' Williams | Quan Capital](https://www.quancapital.com/en/about/rusty-williams/)
5. [ReAlta Life Sciences appoints Lewis T. 'Rusty' Williams as Chairman of the Board](https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/realta-life-sciences-announces-appointment-of-distinguished-biopharmaceutical-leader-lewis-t-rusty-williams-m-d-ph-d-as-chairman-of-the-board)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Life and health scientists › Life scientists › Researchers in molecular and cell biology › Molecular biology of the cell / cell signaling › Second messenger and calcium signaling researchers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license