Dr. Royston is a Founding Managing Partner of Forward Ventures. Dr. Royston has been involved in the biotechnology industry in San Diego from its inception in 1978 with the founding of Hybritech, Inc. (later acquired by Eli Lilly) and with the founding of Idec Pharmaceuticals in 1986 (which later merged with Biogen).  
 
Dr. Royston has been instrumental in the formation, financing, and development of numerous successful public biotechnology companies, including: Applied Molecular Evolution (acquired by Eli Lilly); Combichem (acquired by DuPont); Corixa (acquired by GlaxoSmithKline); Favrille; Genesys Therapeutics (merged with Somatix and acquired by Cell Genesys); and Triangle Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Gilead).  
 
Currently, Dr. Royston is the founding Chairman of Targegen in San Diego, and was elected Chairman of Morphotek in Exton, PA. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Avalon Pharmaceuticals, and Favrille, where he was the founding Chairman.  
 
Dr. Royston was previously the Founding President and CEO of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (1990-2000) and on the faculty of the medical school and cancer center of the University of California, San Diego (1977-1990). He received his B.A. (1967) and M.D. (1970) degrees from the Johns Hopkins University and completed post-doctoral training in internal medicine and medical oncology at Stanford University. In 1997, President Clinton appointed Dr. Royston to a six-year term on the National Cancer Advisory Board.