Michael C. Kiefer, Ph.D., is currently a senior scientist at Genomic Health Inc., a genomics company based in Redwood City, California, where he is developing gene expression-based tests that will help determine the molecular profile of an individual's disease condition and enable physicians to use targeted therapy.

Dr. Kiefer, with 20 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, has specialized in molecular biology, immunology, virology, oncology, apoptosis, pathogenesis, bone growth and cloning. He has been described by his peers as "one of the three best geneticists in the world". His expertise in molecular biology has led to the discovery of various novel, therapeutically-relevant gene products. He has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and is a named inventor on 13 issued U.S. patents (with nine more pending).

He was a former senior scientist at Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, California and director of molecular biology at LXR Biotechnology, Richmond, California and has been a consultant for several San Francisco Bay Area-based biotechnology companies. He has been a scientist at Dupont (gene research in immunology) and Basel Institute for Immunology (leading work on T cell lymphocytes). Dr .Kiefer earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of California at Davis and did post-graduate work at the University of Friburg's Institut fur Biology.