UW News

February 6, 2003

Feb. 27 workshop features Silicon Valley company leaders

An afternoon workshop on Thursday, Feb. 27, will bring five leaders from life sciences companies in California’s Silicon Valley to the UW for presentations and discussion.

Sponsored by the School of Medicine’s Office of Industry Relations, the program is called “From Bench to Boardroom: Turning Great Science into Great Companies.”

Presenters from some of the most noted Silicon Valley organizations will share their first-hand knowledge and experience in converting laboratory research into profitable commercial ventures.

The workshop is from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., at the Center for Urban Horticulture on N.E. 41st St. A reception will follow the program at the same location.

Scheduled presenters, who will be introduced by Dr. Susan Wray, director of Industry Relations, are:



  • Dr. David Apfelberg, assistant professor of plastic surgery at Stanford University Medical Center. He has been a member of several boards of directors and scientific advisory boards for medical device and biotech companies, and has been an advisor to the venture capital industry since 1988.
  • John Clements, a life sciences partner with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He has been an auditor and advisor to global medical device and pharmaceutical venture-backed companies and specializes in public and pre-public technology companies.
  • Casey McGlynn, chairman of the Life Sciences Group at Wilson, Sonsisi, Goodrich & Rosati, a legal firm. His department raised more than $600 million in venture capital in 2001.
  • Andrew Thompson, general partner in SpringRidge Ventures; founder and chief financial officer of CardioRhythm; and founder, director, president and CFO of FemRx.
  • Brad Vale, vice president of Johnson and Johnson Development Company and former manager of medical device research and development at Ethicon, a large corporate investor.


There is no charge for the workshop, but space is limited so participants must register and will be signed up on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, send both first and last name to the e-mail address: uwiro@u.washington.edu

For more information on this and other Office of Industry Relations programs, see the Web site at http://www.washington.edu/medicine/industry/oir.html