Being a Bay Area native, Meleeneh has dedicated her career to scientific research with a dream from a young age to one day work for Genentech; therefore, she feels very fortunate to be employed by this patient-centric and data-driven company! Her hard work and dedication directly and positively transform cancer research, patients’ lives, the families of patients, and our healthcare system worldwide. These drivers keep her highly engaged at work on a daily basis.

Since joining Genentech, Meleeneh has started an “Armenians of Genentech” monthly lunch. Currently, there are 30 members (starting with 5 in 2013); membership is growing monthly and has extended to nearby biotechnology companies, including Thermo Fisher Scientific and Denali Therapeutics. Meleeneh shares, “As a result of this group, we have established a great network of individuals at various levels and from different parts of the organization, and we have gained greater insight into what each does and how our functions may work together. Additionally, we inevitably discuss our Armenian heritage and exchange ways we can increase our involvement in the local Armenian community.”

Meleeneh has a PhD in Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Southern California (USC), a U.S. Regulatory Affairs Certification, and a Regulatory Affairs Certificate in Clinical Trial Design and Management from the International Center of Regulatory Science at USC. She completed her undergraduate work at UCLA, majoring in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and minoring in Spanish.

She is married to Argam DerHartunian, and they are the proud parents of two boys, Mihran (3.5 years old) and Emin (11.5 months old).