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CFB Announces New Bioentrepreneur & Executive-In-Residence

March 5, 2020

The Center for Biotechnology at Stony Brook University has announced the appointment of Dr. Mario R. Mendoza as Executive-In-Residence, and Dr. William Mann as its newest BioEntrepreneur-In-Residence (BEIR). Drs. Mendoza and Mann have extensive bioscience industry experience affording them unique perspectives in their respective roles in residence at the Center for Biotechnology (CFB). Each will work with the CFB and the Long Island Bioscience Hub (LIBH), a collaboration between Stony Brook University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and the Feinstein Institute at Northwell Health. Dr. Mann will identify commercially promising academic technologies that have the potential to support company formation while Dr. Mendoza will serve in an advisory capacity for bioscience startup companies in the hub.

Dr. Mario R Mendoza is a clinical anesthesiologist (practiced at the NIH) and currently a healthcare and pharmaceutical industry medical/medical affairs consultant with over 13 years of combined experience in patient clinical care, clinical development, R&D, medical affairs (Abbott, Pfizer and Centrexion Therapeutics), and FDA medical devices regulation. Dr. Mendoza earned his BS degree in chemistry from SUNY College at Old Westbury, and a MS in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He earned his M.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and then completed an FDA Commissioner’s Fellowship Program and stayed on at FDA as a Medical Officer/Medical Consultant.

Dr. William R. Mann is Principal of Lodestar Biopharma Solutions LLC, which assists clients in the development of R&D strategies for regulatory and commercial success, business development, and M&A. Previously, he was President and CEO at Helsinn Therapeutics (US), where he transformed the sixteen employee R&D start-up into a profitable commercial company with a team of over one hundred. At Sapphire Therapeutics, Dr. Mann facilitated an investor exit through M&A while managing the company’s lead clinical development program. He also held leadership positions at Novartis in R&D and business development. Dr. Mann holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and an MBA from Rutgers University.
“We are excited to have Mario and Bill join us at the Center for Biotechnology. Their extensive and varied industry experiences are wonderful assets to our program. The further expansion of our BEIR Program allows us to continue to advance our agenda, fueling the developing bioscience industry in the region” Diane Fabel, Director of Operations at the Center for Biotechnology said.

“I’m thrilled to become an Executive-in-Residence for the Center for Biotechnology.” stated Dr. Mendoza “I’m greatly looking forward to getting involved with biotech industry innovators collaborating with the organization. I believe the bioscience community in the region is robust and the support and partnership with organizations like the Center for Biotechnology are critical in driving innovation in the biotech space, and in getting innovative patient-centric products to market for the benefit of the patient and healthcare provider communities.”

“The work of the Center for Biotechnology is incredibly important to the bioscience community in the region, and I’m eager to be joining the organization.” Dr. Mann stated. “The innovation potential within the region is immense, and I look forward to the collaborative opportunities that lie ahead.”

Dr. Mann will work to identify a technology or technologies from within LIBH partner institutions that will create the foundation for licensing and company formation. He will have the support of the Center for Biotechnology business and technology development staff, as well as the support of external industry advisors to develop successful commercialization strategies. Ultimately, the goal is to help the company position itself for SBIR/STTR grant opportunities, as well as Angel and VC investment. In his role as Executive-in-Residence, Dr. Mendoza will offer invaluable support to the CFB client company portfolio by providing guidance and expertise in diverse areas including, but not limited to, product development, intellectual property strategy, regulatory affairs, capital formation, medical affairs and reimbursement.

The addition of Drs. Mendoza and Mann marks ten entrepreneurs and two executives-in-residence working with the Center for Biotechnology under their BIER program. Collectively, the Center for Biotechnology BEIRS have launched twelve new companies since the program’s inception in 2013.

View PDF announcement. 

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                    [post_content] => 

Applications are now open for the 12th BioREACH Award Program from the Center for Biotechnology, which provides $50,000 in translational research funding for Stony Brook faculty and postdoctoral researchers to generate the evidence needed to advance promising innovations to the next stage of development.





BioREACH funds milestone-driven studies and welcomes biomedical innovations as well as platforms, tools, computational technologies, and other enabling technologies with the potential to contribute to solutions addressing unmet needs in health.





Application deadline: October 29, 2026, 5:00pm ET





For info sessions, eligibility and deadlines visit our REACH Website and FAQ.





The Center for Biotechnology (CfB) has helped advance some of Stony Brook University’s most impactful biomedical innovations, among them the yeast two-hybrid system, Xiaflex®, ReoPro®, Oracea®, and 3D virtual colonoscopy. The CfB has supported more than 475 faculty-led translational research projects and contributed to 306 license agreements generating $51 million in royalty returns to the University.





Questions? Reach out to our program contacts or sign up for office hours:





Dee Dao, PhD, Associate Director, dee.dao@stonybrook.edu
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 2–3:30 PM | Sign up Here





Zelda Mendelowitz, PhD, Venture Associate, zelda.mendelowitz@stonybrook.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 8–11 AM | Sign up Here












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                    [post_content] => BARDA is supporting US government market research to identify medical countermeasures with the potential to help address the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak. The agency wants to hear from companies developing diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, or other products.

They are asking for a very brief (500-word) description of the product or technology, accompanied by a quad chart slide and one other short slide deck of your choosing. Please note that while they will use any information you present as market research, submission is no guarantee of funding and your submission will be shared across U.S. Government agencies involved in nCoV countermeasure research and development.

Learn More: https://medicalcountermeasures.gov/app/barda/coronavirus.aspx
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                    [post_content] => Stony Brook University, iCell Gene Therapeutics and University of Louisville collaborate to offer a new CAR T immunotherapy to treat patients.

Stony Brook University, iCell Gene Therapeutics, and the University of Louisville, have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for an Investigational New Drug (IND) for the treatment of relapsed and refractory T-cell leukemia and lymphoma. The approach is the first to use chimeric antigen receptor engineered T-cells directed against the target protein CD4 (CD4CAR). Together, Stony Brook University, the University of Louisville, and iCell Gene Therapeutics expect the first in-human Phase I clinical trial to begin accruing patients before the end of 2018.

“We are excited to partner with the University of Louisville and iCell Gene Therapeutics to offer this innovative first-in-human CAR T cell immunotherapy clinical trial for patients who are suffering from these extremely difficult to treat T cell lymphomas and leukemias,” said Huda Salman, MD, Principal Investigator for the IND and an oncologist at Stony Brook University Cancer Center. “CD4CAR T cells may prove to be a promising and novel therapy in this setting.”

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                    [post_content] => The Center for Biotechnology, on behalf of Long Island Bioscience Hub (LIBH), is pleased to announce the opening of the 8th round of the LIBH Technology Development RFP.

Two specific funding programs have been designed to help faculty, physicians, surgeons, medical fellows, and post-docs develop their academic innovations toward commercial goals. The RFP is and forms for the funding programs can be found on the Center for Biotechnology website here.

Those interested in applying are strongly encouraged to discuss the proposal with:
Anton Xavier (anton.xavier@stonybrook.edu)
William Hanes (william.hanes@stonybrook.edu)
Heather Bielski Lawler (heather.bielski@stonybrook.edu)
Johnna St Clair (johnna.stclair@stonybrook.edu)

They are happy to introduce this Technology Development program and provide support to address unfamiliar questions in the application.

Deadline for submission is Sep 13th, 2019. All proposal should be submitted through the online portal HERE. Please note an approval from your Sponsored Programs Office is NOT required prior to the submission but will be required if the project is selected for NIH secondary review. Eligible applicants will be notified if their application is selected to move forward.

The Center for Biotechnology, in collaboration with Stony Brook University, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, formed the LIBH. A principal goal of the LIBH is to foster the development of therapeutics, diagnostics, devices and research tools emerging from within the four partner institutions that address diseases within the mission of NIH. The LIBH is supported by the National Institutes of Health REACH initiative (Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub), our four partner institutions, The Research Foundation for SUNY, and Empire State Development.

 
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Applications are now open for the 12th BioREACH Award Program from the Center for Biotechnology, which provides $50,000 in translational research funding for Stony Brook faculty and postdoctoral researchers to generate the evidence needed to advance promising innovations to the next stage of development.





BioREACH funds milestone-driven studies and welcomes biomedical innovations as well as platforms, tools, computational technologies, and other enabling technologies with the potential to contribute to solutions addressing unmet needs in health.





Application deadline: October 29, 2026, 5:00pm ET





For info sessions, eligibility and deadlines visit our REACH Website and FAQ.





The Center for Biotechnology (CfB) has helped advance some of Stony Brook University’s most impactful biomedical innovations, among them the yeast two-hybrid system, Xiaflex®, ReoPro®, Oracea®, and 3D virtual colonoscopy. The CfB has supported more than 475 faculty-led translational research projects and contributed to 306 license agreements generating $51 million in royalty returns to the University.





Questions? Reach out to our program contacts or sign up for office hours:





Dee Dao, PhD, Associate Director, dee.dao@stonybrook.edu
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 2–3:30 PM | Sign up Here





Zelda Mendelowitz, PhD, Venture Associate, zelda.mendelowitz@stonybrook.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 8–11 AM | Sign up Here












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BioREACH: Translational Research Funding Opportunity

September 1, 2026

More Information

BARDA Seeking Info to Identify Countermeasure to 2019 Novel Coronovirus

January 31, 2020

More Information

Client News: First In-Human Clinical Trial Targeting CD4 Protein for Aggressive T-cell Leukemia and Lymphoma to be Launched

August 13, 2018

More Information

Funding Opportunity: Long Island Bioscience Hub REACH

August 26, 2019

More Information