Dr. Tessier-Lavigne is a world leader in the study of brain development and regeneration. He has pioneered the identification of the molecules, including Netrins and Slits, that direct the formation of connections among nerve cells in the mammalian brain and spinal cord. These mechanisms are also providing essential tools to assist regeneration of nerve connections following trauma or injury, such as paralyzing injuries to the spinal cord.

Dr. Tessier-Lavigne is currently Executive Vice President, Research Drug Discovery, at Genentech Inc. Prior to taking up his current appointment in 2003, he was the Susan B. Ford Professor in the Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University and an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Dr. Tessier-Lavigne's accomplishments have earned him numerous awards and prizes, including being Elected Member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, Fellow of the Royal Society of London, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and Member of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the UK.