John N. Abelson

Functions as a College/University

The Agouron Institute is a private, non-profit research foundation established in 1978 that supports innovative research in biology and chemistry through targeted grants, fellowships, and scientific meetings. The non-profit company is based in Pasadena, CA. The institute initially focused on marine microbiology and later expanded into areas such as protein engineering and computational biology, which led to the creation of Agouron Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company known for developing the HIV protease inhibitor Viracept™. After the sale of Agouron Pharmaceuticals, the institute shifted its strategy to leverage investments in basic and applied biological and chemical research. It organizes focused scientific meetings to identify promising short-term research projects in emerging or underfunded fields, publishes white papers with funding recommendations, and provides grants primarily in structural biology—especially cryo-electron microscopy, electron tomography, and ribosome studies—as well as in geobiology and microbial oceanography. Grants support equipment acquisition, technology development, and research on biomolecular complexes, often in collaboration with other organizations. The institute has historically supported postdoctoral and graduate fellowships in structural biology and geobiology, partnering with established foundations, though some fellowship programs have concluded or been discontinued. The institute does not accept unsolicited proposals and focuses on catalyzing research that may lack traditional funding, occasionally supporting exploratory fieldwork and encouraging other agencies to invest in these areas. Its website offers information on grant programs, funded projects, publications, and scientific meeting activities. The company was founded by John N. Abelson.

Develops and markets pharmaceutical products for the treatment of life-threatening infections