as director of Life Science Innovation & Entrepreneurship (LiSIE) Program advanced graduation certificate, Rui Peña sometimes jokes that he is a “recovering scientist.” An inventor, author of eight patents, businessman, and entrepreneur, his current role allows him to combine his two passions, with one foot in both the worlds of science and business.
The goal of the program is to Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences And that business collegeis to teach life science students the key principles of business and prepare them to work in the business side of science.
“Not all science students want to be researchers or academics,” he says. Peña, Associate Professor of Practice By joint appointment in Department of Biomedical Engineering and at a business college. “A lot of people want to get into the industry, but it’s often not well known. This is like his mini-MBA program for STEM students that facilitates the transition. ”
The LiSIE program offers graduate students a path to joining the management side of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, or joining startups.
“To do that, you need to know what ideas have value,” Peña says. “How do you commercialize it? This program covers that entire field and helps you jumpstart into biotechnology.”
LiSIE is Fundamentals of the bioscience industry Operating for almost 20 years under SBU Biotechnology Center.
“This was a great project-based immersion program that introduced me to how the biotechnology industry works, and it became the backbone course of the LiSIE program.,“Students will work with real biotech leaders on Long Island and learn about intellectual property, finance, valuation, and more,” he said.
Peña said what makes Stony Brook’s program better than others is the nature of the projects.
“Many university classes have a project that students do at the end, and it’s a kind of ‘make-believe’ project,” he says. “In our courses, it’s the real thing. Our instructors, who are local industry experts, go to the Intellectual Property Partners (IPP) office here on campus, look at published patents, and get clearances. Choose three or four actual patents to use.
Peña said the students will have to sign a non-disclosure agreement and then work on their research.Leverage your intellectual property, create a business model, and pitch it to real investors and industry experts.
Elpida Manolas ’24, biomedical engineering master’s student; I enrolled in the program after completing my degree in biomedical engineering.
“I am interested in pursuing a career in the biotechnology industry and felt it would be valuable to take the classes offered as part of the LiSIE graduate certificate,” she said. “The information and knowledge I gained about the fundamentals of bioengineering was invaluable. But I also wanted to make sure I understood each element of the field, including the business side.”
Manolas said he was able to listen to lectures on basic financial skills, legal knowledge and the entire lifecycle of starting your own business.
“We cover a wide range of topics and I really appreciate gaining that knowledge,” said Manolas, who hopes to pursue a career in the engineering/biotechnology industry. “Understanding how biotech and pharmaceutical companies function as a whole is necessary to see the big picture and help companies succeed.”
Samantha Hayashi, a PhD candidate in the Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate program, said, “I have always been interested in learning about the business side of the industry, but the hectic schedule of pursuing a Ph.D. Back then, I couldn’t take courses in business or entrepreneurship.” requirements. “
“I took the Bioscience Industry Fundamentals course during my senior year and really enjoyed it,” Hayashi said. “Finally, sir, Peña is here to introduce the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Life Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The timing was perfect as I was just about to complete my graduate program. ”
This program introduced Mr. Hayashi to intellectual property, regulations, types of companies, and management.
“We also got to hear different perspectives and experiences from different guest speakers,” she said. “I really enjoyed seeing these lessons digested through hands-on learning. Some courses in this program require you to work with a team to start a new company and design your own product. We had a semester-long project.”
Hayashi called these projects a valuable part of the program.
“The project had a demanding yet encouraging environment where you were thrown into building a product and business,” she said. “We were pushed outside of our comfort zones while learning important skills in both business and interpersonal relationships.”
Hayashi plans to graduate in 2025 and pursue a career in industry.
“I envision working with the team to develop new products and explore further regulations,” she said. “This program centered my understanding of how the industry works and where I could fit in, adapting it to real-world scenarios I might face as I pursue future endeavors. It helped me prepare.”
Peña said he hopes the program will be expanded. Renaissance Medical University At Stony Brook.
“If we’re interested in biomedical technologies that benefit people, it’s not just about scientists developing drugs and devices,” Peña said. “Physicians are on the front lines of medicine, but it’s not easy to understand what they think. When we see an opportunity for innovation, we need to learn about the commercialization process early on, but at the moment it’s difficult to understand. Entrepreneurship in medicine doesn’t necessarily mean starting a medical practice. Perhaps they want to bring a new heart valve to market. Due to interest, we have developed a proposal with the help of Dr. Andrew Wackett, Assistant Dean of Medical Education, which will incorporate elements of the LiSIE program into medical education training, in the hope that it will be funded. Sho.”
Peña said the program gives graduates the opportunity to explore new avenues they might not have otherwise discovered.
“People in science graduate programs are obviously interested in science and research, but they’re also looking to the future,” he said. “The industry has always been a kind of ‘black box.’ This program opens that black box and shows you how.”
– Robert Emplot
