Charles Cooney was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attended Upper Darby High School. Growing up, he would often play with electronics, inspired by his father who was a systems analyst for General Electric. After graduating high school in 1962, he attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in chemical engineering. There, he entered a National Science Foundation undergraduate research program, where he designed a reactor to study the continuous growth of microorganisms. After receiving his undergraduate degree, Cooney attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT] for his graduate degrees. At MIT, Cooney’s research focused on heat production during the fermentation process, with a thesis in oxygen consumption and CO2 production in microorganisms. He received his master’s degree in 1967 and his PhD in 1970. Cooney then attended the Bristol Myers Squibb Institute for Medical Research for his postdoctoral fellowship, specifically working in penicillin manufacturing. He joined the faculty at MIT and continued working with his thesis advisor, Dr. Daniel Wang. While teaching at MIT, Cooney became interested in the burgeoning biotechnology field and joined Genentech in January of 1980. Cooney’s work at Genentech involved the fermentation of single-cell proteins, recovery of biological products during the manufacturing process, and the planning and design of new plants. He continued his consulting work, helping to form Bioinformation Associates, which worked with the company Genzyme. Cooney joined Genzyme’s board and was active with the company when it went public in 1986. Outside of his work, Cooney is a high-altitude mountaineer, having climbed Ama Dablam, Mt. Blanc, and Kilimanjaro.