BIOSCIENCE LEADERS, CAL STATE L.A. PROFESSORS CONVERGE ON IDEAS TO FOSTER STUDENTS’ SUCCESS
Los Angeles, CA – “An idea is a feat of association,” wrote the 20th century poet Robert Frost.
To create ideas for advancing the business of bioscience in the 21st century, Cal State L.A. recently hosted a roundtable titled “Managing the Bioscience Firm: Learning from Each Other” to bring 14 executives and senior scientists from industry together with 10 faculty members from the University’s programs in management, biology and chemistry.
Cal State L.A. management Professor Mary Pat McEnrue, a key organizer of the event, said they gathered to increase the dialogue between the University and bioscience executives to ensure that the University’s management curriculum gives students “a solid understanding of the industry and prepares them to succeed in it.“
The May 30 session included representatives from Molecular Express, Amgen, the Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio), GENE Fluidics, Codexis and the Pasadena Bioscience Collaborative. SoCalBio President and CEO Ahmed Enany, in a keynote talk, presented an overview of key segments in the regional and national bioscience industries.
Bioscience industry representatives indicated several ways firms would help Cal State L.A. students prepare for careers in the quickly evolving realm:
● Providing guest speakers who can provide contemporary, on-the-ground perspectives to classes.
● Working with faculty on research projects.
● Serving as the subject of a business case study in management classes.
● Participating in the on-campus celebration of International Entrepreneurship Week next November.
● Providing informal advice and “real-world” examples to strengthen the curriculum’s applicability.
The roundtable also gave those who are forming Cal State L.A.’s new graduate Program in Applied Biological Sciences (PABS) a chance to gauge the future needs of the bioscience business community.
Co-organizing the roundtable with McEnrue were Ellen Drost of the management faculty; and Howard Xu and Sandra Sharp of biological sciences. For details about ways bioscience firms can engage with Cal State L.A. faculty, contact McEnrue at (323) 343-343-2890 or [email protected].
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Cal State L.A. faculty organizers of the roundtable
Mary Pat McEnrue, Ph.D., Professor of Management
(323) 343-2890, [email protected]
Dr. McEnrue is former chair and associate dean of the College of Business and Economics. She teaches courses in entrepreneurship and small business management, and in leadership. Her research focuses on leadership development and the product development process in emerging industries.
Ellen A. Drost, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management
(323) 343 2965, [email protected]
Dr. Drost teaches courses in strategy, international business and management. Her research focuses on academic international research teams, cross-cultural research methodology, international human resource management, strategic decision-making, and entrepreneurship.
Sandra B. Sharp, Ph.D, Professor of Biological Sciences
(323) 343 2072, [email protected]
Dr. Sharp serves as a member of the Strategic Planning Council of the California State University Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB) and directs the CSULA Biotechnology Certificate Program. She teaches "From Concept to Market," a senior/graduate level course surveying the progress of an idea in the biotechnology and medical device industries. Her research addresses molecular aspects of muscle development.
Howard Xu, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Microbiology
(323) 343-2188, [email protected]
Dr. Xu serves on the CSU Intercampus Coordination Team responsible for planning the PBS PSM curriculum and has recently developed a biotechnology skills applications lab course in connection with this effort. He has seven years experience in industry as a scientist and director of research.
Bioscience industry participants
(with representative in attendance and submitted description)
GENE Fluidics
Vincent Gau, Co-founder, CEO and President
Monterey Park, CA 91754
[email protected]
GeneFluidics develops a fast, accurate, and simple testing system for improving worldwide health. By integrating novel bionano and microfluidic technologies, the company's revolutionary platform will enable complex tests to be performed by anyone, anywhere.
Molecular Express
Gary Fujii, President and CEO
Rancho Dominquez, CA 90220
[email protected]
Molecular Express, a subsidiary of Molecular GPS Technologies™, is a research and development technology company specializing in the application of life science technologies.
Grifols Biologicals
Willie Zuniga, President and CEO
Los Angeles, CA 90032
www.grilfols.com
Grifols Biologicals researches, develops and produces therapeutic proteins from human plasma. Grifols Biologicals uses the most cutting-edge technology for protein purification.
Amgen
Amos Tsai, Principal Scientist, Process Development
Thousand Oaks, CA 91210
www.amgen.com
Amgen discovers, develops and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing novel medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient.
Codexis, Inc
David Rozzell, Vice President, Biocatalysis Technology and Applications
Pasadena, CA 91106
[email protected]
Codexis is leading the way with powerful biocatalysts that integrate biology and chemistry. Codexis makes production of pharmaceuticals, biofuels and industrial products faster, cleaner and less expensive.
Osmetech Molecular Diagnostics
Deborah Roland, Director Human Resource
Pasadena, CA 91105
www.osmetech.com
USA Osmetech Molecular Diagnostics is focused on providing cutting-edge, cost-effective molecular diagnostic technologies and tools that enable a broader range of hospitals and laboratories to offer molecular diagnostic services for improved patient care.
The Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio or SCBC)
Ahmed A. Enany, President and CEO
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.socalbio.org
The Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio or SCBC) is the trade association of the life-science industry in Greater Los Angeles. The mission of SoCalBio is to represent and promote medical-device and biotechnology industry in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, as well as in adjacent communities in the Inland Empire and Gold Coast.
Los Angeles / Orange County Biotechnology Center
Wendie Johnston, Director
Pasadena City College
[email protected]
The L.A./Orange County Biotechnology Center serves 28 community colleges in workforce development for the biotechnology industry. Dr. Johnston oversees the Pasadena Bioscience Collaborative wet-lab incubation facility for early-stage companies.
Pasadena Angel Investors
John Isaacson, Chair
Executive in Residence, College of Business and Economics, Cal State L.A. [email protected]
Pasadena Angels is a 100-member angel investing group in Pasadena. Since its inception in 2000, the Pasadena Angels have invested $14 million in more than 50 ventures, ranging from nanotechnology to entertainment. From 2001 to 2007, Isaacson was executive-in-residence in the College of Business and Economics at Cal State L.A., where he taught courses in securities analysis. He continues as a visiting professor helping students manage a $100,000 equity portfolio.
Biotechnology Commercialization
Michael Reilly, Consultant
[email protected]
Michael Reilly is an independent consultant working with emerging biotechnology companies on commercialization and business development. He has over 20 years of biotechnology experience in leadership positions at Baxter, Amgen, Sanofi, and Sterling Drug. His last position was as head of Strategy for Baxter Bioscience in Westlake Village.
Labyrinth Strategic Business Guidance
John G. Petrovich, Principal
[email protected]
John Petrovich offers strategic and tactical advice to private and public companies as a corporate finance attorney and serial entrepreneur/executive. He has served as CEO of two startups (Calando Pharmaceuticals and Insert Therapeutics) and advised others (VasGene) in developing therapeutics from startup through Phase I clinical trials.
David Dyer
Cypress, CA 90036
[email protected]
David Dyer is a biotechnology consultant and the incoming Program Director of Professional Science Masters (PSM) Program in Applied Biotechnology of the four Cal State campus consortium: Fullerton, Cal Poly Pomona, Dominguez Hills and Los Angeles. He has over 12 years of biotech experience as senior scientist.
ChromoLogic LLC
Dr. Naresh Menon, Managing Partner
Pasadena, CA 91107
Xencor
Julie Casciani, Director, Human Resources
Monrovia, CA 991016
Working for California since 1947: The 175-acre hilltop campus of California State University, Los Angeles is at the heart of a major metropolitan city, just five miles from Los Angeles’ civic and cultural center. More than 20,000 students and 205,000 alumni—with a wide variety of interests, ages and backgrounds—reflect the city’s dynamic mix of populations. Six colleges offer nationally recognized science, arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education and humanities programs, among others, led by an award-winning faculty. Cal State L.A. is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Jazz Orchestra and to a unique university center for gifted students as young as 12. Programs that provide exciting enrichment opportunities to students and community include an NEH- and Rockefeller-supported humanities center; a NASA-funded center for space research; and a growing forensic science program, housed in the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center. www.calstatela.edu