The Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI) recently announced Bolong Cao, PhD, as director of business development. Dr. Cao was previously senior technology manager, licensing officer and technology manager for more than six years at the University of Washington Center for Commercialization. Prior, he was technical director, Business Development for Cerep, Inc. in Redmond, Wash., and director, Technology Assessment and Licensing at Molecumetics, Ltd., Bellevue, Wash. Dr. Cao also has a strong scientific background and worked as a senior scientist and manager for more than seven years. He has a master’s degree in business administration and holds a doctorate in chemistry/structural biology from the University of Washington.
Dr. Cao is the first director of business development for BRI, a new position created to develop and implement an intellectual property management and technology commercialization strategy for the BRI portfolio of intellectual property. This includes evaluating BRI inventions for potential patents and commercialization, negotiating technology transfer and license agreements, and providing support for scientists’ entrepreneurial activities such as starting companies.
"BRI’s commercialization efforts will accelerate delivery of brand-new therapies into the treatment arena faster," said Jack Nagan, executive director of BRI.
"BRI is conducting a great deal of exciting research with tremendous commercial potential," said Dr. Cao. "These new inventions can be used to diagnose or treat diseases. BRI’s broad spectrum of innovation that translates laboratory research into real-life applications is unique and very promising. Commercializing research discoveries benefits the public and can generate additional resources for the scientists and research work at BRI."
