When I was able to narrow the pool of suspects to identify DeAngelo , it felt very gratifying to play such a key role in getting this man who had committed such horrific crimes off the street .”
Rae-Venter ’ s work on the case made her one of Nature magazine ’ s “ Ten People Who Mattered in Science in 2018 ,” as well as one of Time ’ s “ 100 Most Influential People of 2019 .” In the Time listing , Paul Holes wrote , “ Since DeAngelo ’ s arrest in April 2018 , more than 25 horrific cold cases — many of which had frustrated their investigators for decades — have been moved forward . Rae-Venter has provided law enforcement with its most revolutionary tool since the advent of forensic DNA testing in the 1980s .” In her postretirement second career , Rae-Venter has guided multiple law enforcement teams on how to best structure their own investigative genetic genealogy teams for maximum efficacy and accuracy .
Her tennis game hasn ’ t progressed , but Rae-Venter doesn ’ t seem to mind ; she finds her newfound genetic sleuthing both rewarding and addictive , and is pleased to have launched such an impactful post-career niche . It ’ s a path that has led her full circle , drawing upon her early interest in the science behind genetics and her subsequent training as a scientist at UC San Diego .
STARTING AS A MUIR STUDENT in the late ’ 60s , Rae-Venter pursued a double major in biology ( specifically biochemistry , then a special projects major ) and psychology . Overall , however , Rae-Venter credits her UC San Diego professors for helping to create an inclusive , engaging and supportive environment that was conducive to learning and collaboration .
“ The faculty were really phenomenal ,” she recalls . “ The fluidity within the campus and the collaboration across labs — not just at UCSD but across the mesa — was really a boon for a student in the biological sciences like me .”
Rae-Venter remembers her thesis adviser — Nathan Kaplan , who chaired the graduate-level biochemistry department — with a special fondness .
Kaplan was also the thesis advisor for J . Craig Venter , her fellow student and husband during her eight years at UC San Diego , who also went on to make a huge splash in the field of human genetics .
“ Back in those early days , we all sat in desks lined up along the main corridor of the fourth floor of the Basic Science building , and Professor Kaplan would stroll up to us and would engage us in a stimulating , freewheeling brainstorming session . This would happen at least a few times a week ,” she says , “ and it was marvelous .”
Rae-Venter also recalls a pre-med genetics class with Dan Lindsley , which fueled her interest in genetics . Lindsley , the pioneering drosophila geneticist known by students as ‘ Dr . Fruit Fly ,’ developed the first comprehensive organismal genetic / genomic database . He was also a strong advocate for lab experimentation and had a hands-on approach to science and teaching .
Armed with these rich experiences and a doctorate in hand , Rae-Venter worked as a postdoc fellow and a cancer researcher before accepting a faculty position at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston , Texas . A few years later , while serving on an admissions committee , she found that the questions she was most interested in asking students revealed a strong interest in the legalities of medical ethics . She decided to take the LSAT , and soon enough , she was a UT Austin law student , as well as a clerk at a local law firm , where she became fascinated with medical ethics issues , such as euthanasia and where frozen embryos go when the parents die or divorce .
By the time she earned her law degree in the mid-1980s , biotech was about to boom . With her science background and drive to be at the cutting-edge of scientific developments , Rae-Venter found herself back in California , wellpoised to join the patent law practice of biotech pioneer Bertram Rowland . With Rowland , Rae-Venter supported the start-up of several biotech firms and prosecuted more than 500 patents ,
GENETIC INSPIRATION Rae-Venter at graduation with her thesis adviser , biochemist Nathan Kaplan , an early influence in her lifelong scientific interests .
including the transformative Cohen and Boyer cloning patents — three pioneering gene-splicing techniques . During her 20-year career , she worked on hundreds of biotech patents that made waves in the industry , including the “ Flavr Savr ” Tomato , considered to be the first genetically modified fruit .
“ For someone interested in the science behind inventions , it was an amazing field to be in ,” says Rae-Venter . “ Since everything was new to some extent , it was a process of constant learning . Very exhausting but also very stimulating .”
It seems constant learning is a pattern in Rae-Venter ’ s life . And while her postcareer vocation of genetic genealogy has been equally exhausting and stimulating , she has no intention of relaxing at this point . In fact , she is currently working with law enforcement on another 50 criminal cases that have gone cold .
“ I hope my career is a testament to that fact that a solid grounding in the biological sciences can propel you in any number of directions ,” says Rae-Venter . “ Look how many times I ’ ve ‘ reinvented ’ myself — from cancer researcher to biotech patent attorney to genetic sleuth . Even after a long career , I ’ m still reinventing .”
Do you have an unexpected job , hobby or life after retirement ? Tell us at tritonmag @ ucsd . edu
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