Richard A. Houghten
Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies
Richard A. Houghten is recognized internationally as an expert in the use of molecular diversity and combinatorial methods in the drug discovery process. He has authored or co-authored over 550 scientific publications and has been issued 70 US patents. In 1989 Dr. Houghten founded the Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies (TPIMS), a not-for-profit research center dedicated to discovering treatment for heart disease, arthritis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, pain modulation and infectious disease. In 1986, he founded Multiple Peptide Systems (NeoMPS) a for-profit company to make synthetic peptides available to the research community. Dr. Houghten also founded Trega Biosciences which became publicly traded in 1995. Dr. Houghten has received numerous scientific awards, but he is especially honored by having received the first San Diego Athena Individual Pinnacle Award in 1999 for Empowering and Promoting Women.