Detailed Biography:

Roy L. Walford, M.D. was born in San Diego, California, on June 29, 1924. With pre-medical training at the California Institute of Technology and an M.D. from the University of Chicago, he is licensed to practice medicine in California and in Arizona, and is board certified in Pathologic Anatomy and Clinical Pathology. Currently he resides in Venice, CA, is divorced, has 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Dr. Walford has been Professor of Pathology at the UCLA School of Medicine since 1966. Other positions have included: from 1962-72, Director of the School of Medical Technology, UCLA Hospital, 1971-80, Director of UCLA Blood Bank, 1990-94, Chief of Medical Operations, Space Biospheres Ventures (Biosphere 2), Oracle, Arizona, and visiting Professor of Surgery, University of Arizona. Advisor to the World Health Organization in Immunology; Counselor to all the International Histocompatibility Workshops; Senatorial Delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1981; Fulbright Research Scholar (for study in Germany, 1960, laboratory of Otto Westphal), and a Commonwealth Fund Fellow (for study in France, 1968, laboratory of Nobelist Jean Dausset). He was the physician inside Biosphere 2 during its first two years of closure, 1991-93. Dr. Walford's scientific career has been focused largely on research into the biology of aging. He has received various honors and awards, including the Levine Award of the American Society of Clinical Pathology, the Research Award of the American Aging Association, the Kleemeier Award from the Gerontological Society of America, the Henderson Award from the American Geriatrics Society, The Senator Alan Cranston Award, and the Infinity Award of the the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Asteroid #4629 was named after him by its discoverer (E. Helene) in 1986. His membership in scientific societies include: the American Aging Association, Gerontological Society of America, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Blood Banks, Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, New York Academy of Sciences, and the Explorer's Club (New York).