The Fellows
Fellows 2008-09
Jasmina Allen
UC Berkeley
jasmina.allen@berkeley.edu
Jasmina Allen works with the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), where she is developing an on-campus business incubator. Providing laboratory space and business services is expected to enable more efficient implementation of technologies by lowering the barrier to commercialization. She is also drawing on the strengths of the Haas Business and Boalt Law Schools to address the needs facing start-up companies and integrate campus entrepreneurial efforts for increased societal benefit. She received her PhD, in Chemistry and Chemical Biology, from UC San Francisco. There she developed and commercialized techniques for biopharmaceutical research.
Sarah Elson
UC San Francisco
Sarah.Elson@ucsf.edu
Sarah Elson is a policy fellow in university-industry relations at the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3). She works with the QB3 leadership to develop policy recommendations to facilitate university-industry partnerships and strategies to bolster the public impact of research that emanates from UC campuses. Sarah received her bachelor's degree in History of Science from Harvard University and her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from UC San Francisco; her graduate research addressed fungal cell biology and pathogenesis. Additionally, Sarah was a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Academies’ Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy, where she contributed to a report on intellectual property rights in genomic and proteomic research. Previously, Sarah worked in both research and intellectual property at the biotechnology company Exelixis, Inc.
Amy L. Gryshuk
UC Davis
amy.gryshuk@cbst.ucdavis.edu
Amy L. Gryshuk is Director of New Ventures (DNV) at the Center for Biophotonics Science & Technology (CBST), UC Davis. She will use her scientific expertise and co-inventor status on two submitted patents to aid in the development of a Medical Device Foundry within CBST. Her initial focus will be on communication with other medical technology incubators, research parks, and the UC Davis Office of Research, to identify the best practices that should be considered in the development of CBST's Foundry. Amy will also communicate with stakeholders and interested parties from the local community including Economic Development Officers from Sacramento, Yolo and Solano counties, as well as foundations and venture capital funds focused on the Sacramento region. Dr. Gryshuk received her Ph.D. in Molecular Pharmacology and Cancer Therapeutics from The State University of New York at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Division.
Sejal Hall
UC Santa Barbara
ssampat@engineering.ucsb.edu
Sejal Hall is working with the Venture Acceleration Initiative and the Institute for Energy Efficiency at UC Santa Barbara to develop commercialization strategies for technologies developed within the University. Sejal has worked in product development at both Guidant Corporation and Nanogen, Inc and holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from UC Santa Barbara where her research focused on protein engineering and its applications in molecular diagnostics. While at UCSB, she also earned a certificate in technology management. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Central Coast chapter of the MIT Enterprise Forum, organizing events and programs that connect the local entrepreneurial community.
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Nate Heintzman
UC San Diego
nheintzm@ucsd.edu
Nate Heintzman is the Associate Director for the Center for Wireless Communications and the Center for Magnetic Recording Research at UC San Diego. These research centers facilitate collaborative information technology ventures between UCSD scientists and commercial enterprise in the San Diego area and beyond. Nate is involved in diverse activities within CWC and CMRR as a mentor to students and post-docs in the lab, a liaison to current and prospective member companies, and a consultant on project management and industry relations. Nate received his PhD in Biomedical Sciences at UCSD, has consulted for various companies in the science community, and serves as the Vice President of Operations and Chief Academic Advisor for Insulindependence, a non-profit diabetes advocacy organization.
Gabriela Lee
UC Davis
gabriela.lee@cbst.ucdavis.edu
Gabriela Lee is Director of External Relations at the Center for Biophotonics Science & Technology, UC Davis. In this capacity, she works with industry, UC Davis departments, government agencies, and various business organizations to establish long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. Gabriela received her BS degree in Chemical Engineering in Romania, and a joint MBA/MS degree in Biomedical Engineering at UC Davis, Cellular and Molecular Systems track. Previous industry experience includes product development at Cerus Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company, and business consulting in the life science industry.
Paul J. Marc
UC Irvine
paul.marc@gmail.com
Paul J. Marc is the telemedicine and biomedical development manager for the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2) at UC Irvine. He received bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering and chemistry, with minors in math and biology from San Jose State University in 2004. He then earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from UCI in 2005 and 2008, respectively. Marc has specialized training in nuclear and radio chemistry, as well as experience in cancer biology and the integration of micro-technology for analyzing cellular substituents on the single-cell level. His current interest is in facilitating and fostering research and clinical relations between academic clinicians and researchers, non-profit organizations and industry to advance telemedicine.
Jamie K. Miller
UC Davis
jkmiller@ucdavis.edu
Jamie K. Miller is the Assistant Director of the Seed Biotechnology Center at UC Davis and works to develop substantial, long-term collaborations and partnerships between faculty and the seed industry. The Center is designed to connect the university with research, education, outreach, and public service to facilitate discovery and commercialization of new seed technologies for agricultural and consumer benefit. A major goal is to establish the Center as one of the premier seed research and education institutes in the world. Dr. Miller received her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UC Davis where she studied cellular signaling pathways in breast cancer.
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Kathryn A. Nguyen
UC San Diego
nguyenka@ucsd.edu
Kathryn Nguyen is the Director of Research and Academic Development for the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at UC San Diego. Dr. Nguyen has the primary responsibility for providing leadership and overall program strategy in building research and educational collaborations with pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies. She also serves as the liaison for campus-wide multidisciplinary research collaborations. In addition, she develops strong internal alliances with Corporate Relations, Foundations, TechTIPS, and the Office of Contracts and Grants Administration. Dr. Nguyen received her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the School of Medicine at UC San Diego.
Satinderpall S. Pannu
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and UC Berkeley
pannu1@llnl.gov
Satinderpall (Sat) S. Pannu works with the Science and Technology and Industrial Partnering and Commercialization (IPAC) offices at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center at the University of California at Berkeley to facilitate the development of strategic research partnerships with industry. He is the Group Leader for Advanced Materials and Process Technologies in the Center for Micro- and Nano-Technology. Dr. Pannu holds a B.S., M.S., and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. He is the co-inventor listed on 10 patents. His current research interests include biomedical devices, micro-fluidics, and biodetection.
Lada Rasochova
UC San Diego
Lada.Rasochova@rady.ucsd.edu
Lada Rasochova is building a Center for Entrepreneurship at the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego that will provide infrastructure and a hands-on environment for students and faculty to launch new businesses based on innovative technologies. Dr. Rasochova brings extensive experience in product development, managing complex R&D programs and academic collaborations, technology acquisitions, licensing, and spin-outs. Prior to joining UC San Diego, she held various product development leadership positions in the biotechnology industry. Most recently, she was the Manager and Business Development Leader at the Dowpharma division of The Dow Chemical Company, where she built a new start-up business focused on human vaccines. Dr. Rasochova received a Ph.D. degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from Iowa State University and an MBA degree from UC San Diego. She is an inventor on 15 patents and a recipient of numerous domestic and international awards.
Raphael Simon
UC Santa Barbara
simon@lifesci.ucsb.edu
Raphael (Rafi) Simon works in collaboration with second-year Fellow Don Oparah to build the Venture Acceleration Initiative at UC Santa Barbara. The focus of VAI is to proactively accelerate the translation of technological breakthroughs at UC Santa Barbara by providing support to faculty in starting new ventures based on their research. This is accomplished by providing support in three key areas of entrepreneurial consulting, business networking and seed funding. Dr. Simon holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from UC Santa Barbara where he studied the host immune response to pathogen infection. He also completed the Graduate Program in Management Practice offered through the UC Santa Barbara Technology Management Program, studying innovation, technology management and entrepreneurship.
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Bradley Smith
UC Santa Cruz
brad@soe.ucsc.edu
Brad Smith is the Director of Technology Strategy in the Information Technology Services Division, and Adjunct Assistant Professor in Computer Engineering. As a part of his Adjunct appointment he is involved in teaching, research, and the development of an ongoing partnership with Cisco Systems. As a part of his Director appointment he has coordinated the visioning, planning, and implementation of significant new IT services to the campus including upgrading campus network connectivity to dark fiber, data center upgrades in support of significant research efforts, and the provisioning of virtual hosting services. Brad has worked at UC Santa Cruz since 1985. He has served as Computing Director for the School of Engineering, Acting Assistant Dean for the School of Engineering, and participated in the recent consolidation of Information Technology services at UCSC as the Director of Core Technology. Brad received MS and PhD degrees in Computer Science from the UC Santa Cruz in 1997 and 2003.
Aaron Tremaine
UCLA
atremaine@resadmin.ucla.edu
Aaron Tremaine works with UCLA to foster technology spin-outs in the Los Angeles area through on- and off-campus incubators and technology licensing via the Office of Intellectual Property. Prior to UCLA, he was the Technical Director of the Linear Accelerator Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where he led fundamental research and helped develop start-up technologies. Dr. Tremaine holds a PhD in physics from UCLA and an MBA from UC Berkeley.
Karl Umstadter
UC San Diego
kumstadter@ucsd.edu
Karl Umstadter is a member of the PISCES Team at the UC San Diego Center for Energy Research where he is studying the plasma-materials interactions for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Dr. Umstadter received his Ph.D. in Engineering Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1997. His background is in plasma physics, laser technology, diagnostics, and nuclear/materials engineering. His previous experience was as the diagnostics coordinator and senior experimental physicist for Archimedes Technology Group, in a program that employed plasma technology to separate nuclear waste by mass. Prior to Archimedes, he was at Los Alamos National Laboratory where he built and operated an electron-ion trap to study inertial electrostatic confinement fusion, and was also the lead safety diver for underwater operations at LANL's cosmic ray experiment MILAGRO.
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