Led By Tulane Medicine and LSU Health
These prominent universities continue working together – along with some of their friends – as they lend their unique Gulf Coast perspective to conversations that will both inform and enable success in the biotech ecosystem.
Our Hosts
James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP
James Zanewicz, RTTP is the Chief Business Officer at Tulane University, and his career has included being a corporate chemist at Rhone-Poulenc, founder of technology transfer offices at the University of Louisville and the HHMI Janelia Research Campus, business development at Tulane University, and even a stint in media and communications for the global daily TV Show EXTRA. He has chaired the Board of ATTP, the global knowledge transfer accreditation body, and served on the boards of AUTM, NACRO, and the AAIH. He earned his BS in Chemistry from Centre college, a JD from Tulane University and an LLM from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Elaine Hamm, PhD
Elaine Hamm, PhD, is the CEO of Ascend BioVentures, a pharmaceutical accelerator that supports early-stage life science startups and evaluates their commercial potential. She is also on the executive team of Cadenza Bio, CLAIRIgene, and Otologic Pharmaceutics, and serves as the Executive in Residence for the Tulane University School of Medicine. With 13 years of leadership experience in commercializing pharmaceutical therapeutics and diagnostics, Elaine has expertise in technology transfer, market analysis, and commercialization of preclinical and clinical-stage products. In 2022, she completed a $100M+ deal with Boehringer Ingelheim. Elaine received her PhD in Microbiology from the University of Oklahoma.
Patrick Reed, RTTP
Patrick E. Reed, RTTP, Executive Director of the IP Exchange at Auburn University, has spent the entirety of his career helping to advance academic innovation for the benefit of the public. Formerly working solely in traditional academic technology transfer, he recognized the importance of “feeding the top of the funnel” and shifted his focus to creating long-lasting relationships with external partners for all things related to the translational research enterprise. Patrick earned a Master of Science degree in biotechnology from the Kellogg Center for Biotechnology at Northwestern University and has worked in the technology transfer offices at the LSU AgCenter, Georgia Tech, LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, and Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
Kaneisha Bailey Akinpelumi
Kaneisha Bailey Akinpelumi is the Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs at Xavier University of Louisiana, where she plays a vital role in identifying and expanding relationships with research partners all across the country. Prior to her current position, Kaneisha spent eight years as the Assistant Grants Policy Officer at the National Institutes of Health. She is a New Orleans native and has extensive experience in research compliance, grants management, legislative analysis, and diversity relations. Kaneisha holds a B.A. in sociology and social welfare from Dillard University and a M.S.W. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice.
Sharon Courtney
Sharon Courtney is the Vice President for Government & Community Relations at Tulane University. Sharon has spent the entirety of her career working either in Government or in higher education/academic medical center advocacy. She spent seven years on Capitol Hill working for members of Congress from Mississippi and Pennsylvania. She has served on numerous boards including National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) Board of Directors, Association of American Universities Council on Federal Relations Steering Committee and ReNEW Schools where she served two terms as President of the Board. She currently sits on the Board of the Data Center and Market Umbrella. Ms. Courtney was in 2006 presented with the Young Leadership Council Role Model award for her work post Katrina in advocating for recovery funding for Tulane University. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi where she majored in journalism.
Nicole Baute Honoree, RTTP
Nicole Baute Honorée is the vice chancellor for economic development and strategic initiatives at the LSU Health Sciences Center at New Orleans, where she leads a variety of strategic programs, plans and policies related to university administration, economic development, technology transfer, and advocacy. Nicole has been active in academic technology transfer for more than 25 years in public and private universities, launching both a comprehensive tech transfer office, a university-affiliated research park, and two university proof-of-concept funds. She has led numerous local, regional and state-wide economic development projects based on university research and commercialization, and was designated an RTTP in 2011. She served on the AUTM Board of Directors from 2015-2017, and has recently joined the BioDistrict of New Orleans Board of Directors. She holds a B.S. in natural sciences from Loyola University New Orleans and an M.S. in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Podcast Description
Are you struggling to find investors, funding, collaborators, and strategic connections in the ever-changing world of biotech?
This show empowers biotech leaders with the tools, assets, and expertise to improve healthcare outcomes.
With over two decades of experience in biotech and business development each, hosts James Zanewicz and Elaine Hamm (from Tulane University School of Medicine) talk with their friends from the Gulf South and beyond to offer advice on networking, communication, and innovation, as well as unprecedented access to interviews with key opinion leaders in biotech.
Every Wednesday, tune in to hear 15–20-minute episodes centered around solving biotech’s greatest challenges. If you’re ready to take the necessary steps towards success, start with fan-favorite Episode 45: Revolutionizing Business Development and Corporate Engagement at Tulane Medicine.
