Pathak takes UC Davis exit

Dushyant Pathak (pictured) is to resign as University of California (UC), Davis’s associate vice-chancellor for innovation and tech commercialisation on September 2, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.
Pathak joined UC Davis in 2012 as associate vice-chancellor for tech management and corporate relations, before becoming executive director for its Venture Catalyst program in 2013 and adding his current title in May 2019.
During his tenure, he is credited with escalating grant awards for UC Davis spinouts, and has also prioritised the delivery of off-campus research units to satisfy businesses looking to scale.
Pathak’s routine duties have included continued oversight of Venture Catalyst as well as responsibility for UC Davis’s patent management operation, named Innovation Access.
Prior to his time at the university, Pathak founded life science startup consultancy VentureEdge in early 2007 and he continues to lead the company as president. He also previously helmed BioProtocol, a biotech database catered to startups, as well as molecular diagnostics developer Cellexicon.
Pathak’s corporate credentials include a spell as senior vice-president for corporate development and strategic planning at drug firm Centaur Pharmaceuticals from 2001 to 2002, followed by four years as vice-president for corporate development at medical device maker Renovis Surgical Technologies.
He was an adjunct professor at University of San Francisco from 2008 until 2015, helping it administer executive MBA programs specialised in entrepreneurial management and venture finance.
In an e-mail cited by the report, Pathak purportedly said: “I have enjoyed my time at UC Davis and sincerely appreciate having had the opportunity to interface with you over the years while creating, along with my team and with your support, a robust engine for driving innovation and technology commercialization at the university.”