Geneticist Cynthia Kenyon is Heading to Google

Google's mysterious health venture dedicated to extending human life has quietly lured a prominent scientist away from UCSF, The Chronicle has learned.

The university confirmed that Cynthia Kenyon, a biochemistry and biophysics professor acclaimed for her discoveries about the genetics of aging, left UCSF this month to join Calico, Google's nascent biotechnology company. She had served as a part-time adviser to Calico since November.

Google has revealed little about Calico since the search giant formed the independent company in September, except that it wants to slow aging and fight age-related diseases. As Google CEO Larry Page once put it, Calico is truly a "moon shot."

Kenyon, a global pioneer in aging research since the 1990s, joins a roster of A-list scientists led by Chief Executive Officer Arthur Levinson, who also chairs the boards of Genentech and Apple.

Google "really wants to pull together initially a very small group of people who have worldwide reputations," said George Geis, an adjunct professor who specializes in technology mergers and acquisitions at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. "Cynthia clearly does."

Kenyon, who will remain affiliated...