Dan Buettner
National Geographic Fellow | Five-Time NYT Bestselling Author | Founder of Blue Zones | Emmy-Winning Netflix Host | Longevity & Happiness Researcher
Randy Schekman
2013 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine | Professor of Cell Biology, UC Berkeley | HHMI Investigator | Pioneer of Vesicle Trafficking
A 2013 Nobel Laureate whose discoveries revealed how cells transport proteins — insights now embedded in medicine, biotech, and disease research. Professor at UC Berkeley and HHMI Investigator, Schekman also leads ASAP, a global Parkinson's research initiative spanning 165 labs. His talks offer senior audiences a rare window into how foundational science creates lasting impact.
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Randy Schekman biography
Randy Schekman is a 2013 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine whose discoveries transformed our understanding of how cells organize and execute the transport of proteins — one of the most fundamental processes in biology. A Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and a longtime Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Schekman has spent decades mapping the molecular machinery that governs how cells package, move, and secrete proteins with extraordinary precision.
Nobel Prize speaker Randy Schekman shared the 2013 Nobel Prize with James Rothman and Thomas Südhof for their collective work decoding the vesicle trafficking system — the intricate network of membrane-bound sacs that ferry proteins to the right cellular compartments at the right time. Schekman’s contribution was foundational: using baker’s yeast as a model organism, he identified the genes responsible for regulating vesicle transport, demonstrating that mutations in these genes cause traffic jams within the cell with severe biological consequences. His work established a genetic blueprint for the secretory pathway that has since proven conserved across all eukaryotic life, including humans.
His research laid the scientific groundwork for understanding diseases caused by defects in protein transport, and has informed the biotechnology industry’s use of yeast to manufacture clinically vital proteins such as recombinant human insulin. Among his many honors are the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, the Gairdner International Award, the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize of Columbia University, and election to the National Academy of Sciences.
Science, Open Access, and Parkinson’s Disease
Beyond the laboratory, Schekman has become one of science’s most outspoken advocates for open access publishing. As founder and inaugural Editor-in-Chief of eLife, the high-profile open-access journal backed by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Wellcome Trust, and the Max Planck Society, he championed a model of scientific communication that prioritizes rigor over prestige metrics. He also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In 2018, he took on the role of Scientific Director of Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) — a globally coordinated research initiative partnered with The Michael J. Fox Foundation — now spanning 35 teams across 165 laboratories worldwide, focused on uncovering the molecular origins of Parkinson’s disease.
As a speaker, Randy Schekman brings the rare combination of Nobel-level scientific authority and genuine accessibility to audiences spanning healthcare, biopharma, research institutions, and corporate innovation. His talks translate landmark cell biology into broader lessons about curiosity-driven research, the structures that enable scientific breakthroughs, the politics of academic publishing, and the future of disease research. Senior audiences gain not only scientific insight but a compelling model for how patient, rigorous inquiry — seemingly far from clinical relevance — can yield discoveries that reshape medicine and industry alike.
Randy Schekman Speaking Videos
Publishing important work in the life sciences: Randy Schekman at TEDxBerkeley
Session #1: Life Sciences in the 21st Century – A Pathway to Scientific Discovery - Randy Schekman
Randy Schekman Keynote Topics
This keynote traces the intellectual journey behind Schekman's Nobel Prize-winning discoveries — from genetic experiments in yeast to uncovering the universal machinery that governs how cells sort, package, and deliver proteins. More than a scientific retrospective, it explores what it takes to pursue curiosity-driven research without knowing where it leads, and why the most fundamental discoveries often generate the most transformative applications — from insulin production to a deeper understanding of neurological disease.
Schekman is one of science's most prominent advocates for open-access publishing, and in this talk he makes the case for why the closed-journal model is holding back innovation. Drawing on his experience founding eLife and leading major scientific publications, he examines the incentive structures that distort research priorities, the role of prestige in science culture, and what a more transparent, accessible scientific ecosystem would look like — with implications for biopharma, academia, and the institutions that fund research.
As Scientific Director of Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP), Schekman leads one of the most ambitious coordinated science efforts in recent memory — uniting 35 teams across 165 laboratories to decode the molecular origins of Parkinson's. This talk offers an insider's view of how large-scale collaborative science is organized, what researchers have uncovered about alpha-synuclein and neurodegeneration, and what the next frontier of Parkinson's research looks like. It speaks directly to audiences in healthcare, neuroscience, and any organization invested in the future of disease science.
This keynote makes the case for long-term, curiosity-driven science investment. Using his own career as a throughline — from studying baker's yeast to winning the Nobel Prize to leading a global disease research initiative — Schekman illustrates how discoveries made without immediate application can take decades to yield breakthroughs that change medicine, reshape industries, and save lives. A powerful argument for patient, rigorous research in an era that rewards speed.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Randy Schekman
Why Randy Schekman?
Booking Randy Schekman for your event means securing one of the most credentialed scientific minds available on the speaking circuit. As a Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine and a UC Berkeley professor with decades of landmark research, Schekman delivers something rare: genuine scientific depth communicated with clarity and conviction. His talks span cell biology, open-access science, the future of biomedical research, and the mechanics of discovery — offering senior audiences in healthcare, biopharma, research, and innovation a perspective grounded in Nobel Prize-winning work. His leadership of ASAP, one of the world's most ambitious Parkinson's research programs, further demonstrates his ability to operate at the intersection of science, strategy, and large-scale impact. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to book Randy Schekman for your next event.
What did Randy Schekman win the Nobel Prize for?
Randy Schekman was awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, shared with James Rothman and Thomas Südhof, for discovering the molecular machinery that controls vesicle traffic in cells — the system by which cells package proteins into membrane-bound sacs (vesicles) and deliver them to precise destinations inside and outside the cell. Schekman's contribution was to use genetic analysis in yeast to identify the genes that regulate this process, revealing what happens when the system breaks down. This work has profound implications for understanding diseases caused by defective protein transport and has directly influenced biotechnology applications including the production of therapeutic proteins.
What is Randy Schekman's role in Parkinson's disease research?
Since 2018, Randy Schekman has served as Scientific Director of Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP), a large-scale coordinated research initiative developed in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation and supported by major philanthropic funding. ASAP brings together dozens of international research teams — spanning more than 165 laboratories worldwide — to systematically investigate the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease. His own laboratory at UC Berkeley has also pursued research into alpha-synuclein, a protein whose abnormal secretion and spread in the brain is implicated in Parkinson's pathology.
What topics does Nobel Prize speaker Randy Schekman cover?
Randy Schekman speaks on a range of themes that resonate with scientific, academic, healthcare, and innovation-focused audiences. His core topics include the biology of cellular transport and protein secretion, the science behind his Nobel Prize-winning discoveries, the future of biomedical research and disease science, open-access publishing and the reform of academic incentives, and the leadership of large-scale collaborative research initiatives like ASAP. He is equally compelling in keynote and panel formats, offering audiences both scientific substance and broader lessons on how transformative breakthroughs are built over time. Reach out to Aurum Speakers Bureau to discuss how Randy Schekman can be tailored to your event's theme.
How to book Randy Schekman as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Randy Schekman as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Randy Schekman's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Randy Schekman or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Randy Schekman speaking fee?
Randy Schekman speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Randy Schekman to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Randy Schekman.
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Can I book Randy Schekman for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Randy Schekman is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Randy Schekman for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
