Dr. Michelle A. Booden has joined the CVI faculty as the director of partnership alliances and business development for biomedical sciences. Dr. Booden has extensive experience in leading and managing business development, as well as overseeing the function of intellectual property management. She will work closely with UGA’s Industry Engagement and Innovation Gateway teams to identify technologies appropriate for new company formation and provide strategies for de-risking and attracting investment capital, including identifying technologies that complement the University’s current intellectual property and negotiating technology combination deals with non-profit organizations. Dr. Booden has a track-record of identifying and strategically developing revenue streams from biopharmaceutical companies and other non-grant sources that sustain and expand the vaccine and drug candidate pipeline.
She comes to the CVI from the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, where she was the senior director of technology in their Office of Technology Development. While there she also served as the director of licensing and intellectual property and registered patent agent. Dr. Booden is developing a long-term vision and strategic plan for both CVI and UGA biomedical faculty with a focus on leveraging technologies, resources, and expertise in biomedical research to identify and realize business opportunities that provide strategic and financial returns.
“Having a full-time professional who is dedicated exclusively to advancing the strategic opportunities of the CVI, and ultimately UGA, is critical,” said Ted Ross, director of the Center for Vaccines and Immunology. “Dr. Booden is highly regarded throughout the industry, her wide-ranging experience will help us to expand our existing partnerships, and grow new ones. I couldn’t be more excited to have her on our team.”
