Steven Kuemmerle (pictured) yesterday left University of Chicago for a special advisor role at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU)’s Office of Research covering innovation and industry partnerships.
Kuemmerle, a biochemistry graduate of Northwestern University, will report to Ronald Kaplan, executive vice-president for research at RFU, while working on the generation of new spinouts and establishing national and international bioscience partnerships.
Kuemmerle started with University of Chicago in 2013, working his way to become senior director for industry relations at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation after eight months as director for technology commercialisation and licensing.
He previously spent 25 years at healthcare product developer Abbott Laboratories in management positions relating to diagnostics R&D, drug licensing and business development, eventually going on to lead investment at Abbott Biotech Ventures, the company’s corporate venturing unit.
Kuemmerle will liaise with Michael Rosen, a consultant at RFU, as the university continues to develop a new $50m Innovation and Research Park which will host biotech and life sciences businesses from summer 2019.
He will also work with Tom Denison, president and founder of SmartHealth Activator, an incubator affiliate of RFU, and Dora Espinosa, an associate vice-president at RFU and head of its Office of Technology Transfer and Sponsored Research.
Kaplan said: “We are looking to Steve’s outstanding scientific and business leadership to help us get to the next level in technology commercialisation and industry collaborations, as well as startup company formation.”
