The Translational Research Pipeline: Strategies for Funders to Facilitate Bench-to-Bedside Research [Spring 2025 HRA Members Meeting]
Many non-profit organizations fund biomedical research that ultimately aims to improve human health. This session will provide an overview of the translational science pipeline and explore ways in which non-profit funders can support and facilitate the translation of basic science research into clinical application.
Speakers
Maya Bader, PhD
Director of Research, Lupus Research Alliance
Zimple Kurlawala, MD, PhD
Senior Scientific Portfolio Manager, Translational Research, Michael J. Fox Foundation
Arjan Quist, PhD
Executive Director of Innovation Management, Office of Innovation + New Ventures, Northwestern University
Arjan oversees the Invention Management team and advises on technology assessment, innovation identification, intellectual property protection and translational activities, in support of our mission to bring Northwestern University research to the marketplace. These technology translation efforts involve licensing negotiations with a variety of small to large strategic partners as well as supporting startup company formation. Arjan is a regular lecturer at Northwestern’s Responsible Conduct in Research classes on IP, and a mentor in the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps program.
Prior to joining Northwestern, Arjan was the Director of Nanotechnology at Richmond Chemical, a chemical and biosciences company, where he managed the formation of a nanoscale probe/imaging branch from concept to first revenue generating contract in the pharma space. Previously, Arjan was a Research Scientist in Biophysics at the Neuroscience Research Institute at UC Santa Barbara, and in Materials and Surface Science at the Materials Science Department and Center for Surface Biotechnology at Uppsala University (Sweden). Arjan earned his PhD in Materials Science and Ion Physics from Uppsala University in Sweden, and a MSc in Experimental Physics from the ‘Vrije’ University in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.