Arthur D. Riggs

Art Riggs passed away peacefully on March 23, 2022, surrounded by his family and loved ones. He was Director Emeritus of the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope in Duarte, CA. He was Chair of the Biology Department from 1982-2001, Director from 2000-2007, and was Chair of the Diabetes Research Department. He was also the founding dean of the City of Hope’s graduate school.

Riggs received the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Research Award in 1979 for work leading to the bacterial production of insulin. He collaborated with a number of colleagues using chemically synthesized DNA to produce the first man-designed and man-made genes—the genes for somatostatin and human insulin. He catalyzed the development of the biotech industry, aided by key, dominant patents held by Genentech.

Riggs was a Member of the National Academy of Sciences, elected in 2006. He received his BA in Chemistry from University of California, Riverside in 1960 and his PhD in Biochemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1966. His postdoctoral training was at the Salk Institute during 1966-1969.