Dr. Patrinos joined Synthetic Genomics from the Department of Energy's Office of Science. He was the director of the Office of Biological and Environmental Research overseeing human and microbial genome research, structural biology, nuclear medicine and health effects and global climate change. Dr. Patrinos is well known for his leading roles in the development of the U.S. Global Change Research Program and the U.S. Human Genome Project. In addition, he helped create the Joint Genome Institute and developed and launched the Genomes to Life Program, a research program dedicated to developing technologies to use microbes for innovative solutions to energy and environmental challenges. Dr. Patrinos received his undergraduate degree from the National Technical University of Athens and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University. He is a member of several prestigious professional societies and is the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees, including three Presidential Rank Awards and two Secretary of Energy Gold Medals.