Changing Cultures and a Quest to Cure Cancer - Genentech’s Sara Kenkare-Mitra

The world is better than ever. People are living longer, healthier lives. Diseases like cancer are no longer a death sentence. New treatments and potential cures are entering development and trials each day. To make these medical advances possible, there is an army of scientists dedicating their lives to finding cures. These scientists are supported by inspiring leaders committed to employee development and the creation of visions of the future. One of these leaders is Sara Kenkare-Mitra.

Nearly three decades ago, Sara made a life altering decision to follow her passion for medical sciences. She left India and moved to Austin, Texas to attend pharmacology school. Upon completion of her PhD, she was offered a job with Genentech where over the years she pursued roles in designing cancer treatments becoming a leader in her field. Now, Sara oversees dozens of drugs in development and helps determine the viability of new treatments.

In this interview, Sara describes the long journey required for drug approval, the importance of celebrating failure along the way, and how her leadership has developed over the course of her career.

Sara received her PhD in Biopharmaceutical Sciences from the University of California, San Francisco, where she also stayed on as a Post Doctoral Fellow in Clinical Pharmacology before joining Genentech. Sara has worked for Genentech for 21 years, creating drugs that save lives and make the world a better place.