Overview

Gender

male

Investor Type

Investment Partner

Ralph Christoffersen joined Morgenthaler Ventures in 2001. Based in Boulder, Colorado, he focuses on biotechnology investments.

Previously, Ralph was the President and CEO of Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Morgenthaler portfolio biotechnology company with a mission to commercialize the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of ribozymes for use as human therapeutics.

He currently serves on seven corporate boards. Chris has been involved with a number of other successful ventures in the biotechnology field including Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Avidia Biosciences, and Morphotek, Inc.

He has also served as the Senior Vice President of Research at SmithKline Beecham, Vice President of Discovery Research at The Upjohn Company, and President of Colorado State University.

Ralph received an honorary doctor of law degree from Cornell College in 1983, the “Outstanding Researcher of the Year” Award from the International Society of Quantum Biology in 1981, the “W.E. Upjohn Award” for contributions in biotechnology in 1988, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 from the Colorado Biosciences Association.

Ralph received his B.S. in chemistry and mathematics and an Honorary J.D. from Cornell College. He received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Indiana University.