University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken has announced the appointment of James Linder, M.D., as senior associate to the president for innovation and economic competitiveness and president of the University Technology Development Corporation (UTDC).
Dr. Linder currently is CEO of UNeMed, the technology transfer arm of UNMC, as well as professor of pathology and microbiology at UNMC.
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James Linder, M.D. |
As president of UTDC, he will work closely with university-related technology development organizations that are under the UTDC umbrella:
- UNeMed;
- NUTech Ventures;
- The Peter Kiewit Institute Technology Development Corporation; and
- The Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corporation.
UTDC is a separate corporation created by the Board of Regents to oversee technology development and commercialization of innovations, ideas and intellectual property developed at the University of Nebraska.
“Jim is an academic with strong entrepreneurial skills who will be an outstanding addition to President Milliken’s team to enhance the intellectual property development of the University system,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D.
“Jim has successfully led UNeMed through a sustained period of growth and his leadership will be missed,” said Don Leuenberger, vice chancellor for business and finance at UNMC. “However, he leaves UNeMed in Dr. Michael Dixon’s very capable hands.”
A key part of Linder’s role will be to develop policies and practices to encourage interested faculty to work with the private sector to capitalize on ideas with strong commercial potential. He will work with faculty on all four NU campuses.
“Jim Linder understands how to bring university researchers together with the private sector to transform innovative ideas into products and processes that can be the foundation of new companies and new jobs in Nebraska,” Milliken said.
Dr. Linder served for 12 years (1995-2007) as a corporate officer and chief medical officer for Cytyc Corporation, a leading manufacturer of diagnostic products and surgical devices. He is chief medical officer of Constitution Medical Investors, a Boston-based private investment firm, and also consults with or serves on the boards of several private biotechnology companies.
“This is a special time in which the university and the private sector can accomplish great things that will benefit our students and the residents of Nebraska,” said Dr. Linder, who will retain a faculty appointment in the UNMC Department of Pathology and Microbiology.