150 Years of Women at UCSF
Lucy Field Wanzer became the first woman to graduate from UCSF, then officially known as the Medical Department of the University of California, in 1876. Innovation Ventures salutes the on-going contribution of our female researchers and physicians on healthcare for all.
Alessa Therapeutics
Pamela Munster, MD is CEO of UCSF start-up Alessa Therapeutics. Alessa is focused on the development, clinical validation, and commercialization of localized, sustained drug delivery for early interception of cancer and other solid organ disease.
Siolta Therapeutics
UCSF Alumna Nikole Kimes, PhD is the CEO and co-founder of Siolta Therapeutics based on research she performed while in the lab of co-founder Susan Lynch, PhD. Siolta is developing live therapeutics that target the core drivers of disease.
Regel Therapeutics
UCSF Alumna Navneet Matharu, PhD is the CSO and co-founder of Regel Therapeutics. Regal’s technology targets the epigenome without editing or damaging the DNA to allow for efficient and permanent restoration of normal gene expression.
HS Progress
UCSF researcher Haley B. Naik, MD, MHSc, FAAD is the principal study investigator for the Hidradenitis Suppurativa PRospective Observational REgistry and bioSpecimen repoSitory (HS PROGRESS) a multicenter, prospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study that comprehensively characterizes HS from clinical and biological perspectives.
Encellin
Encellin was founded based on the technology developed in the lab of Dr. Tejal Desai at the University of California in San Francisco and is lead by UCSF Aluma Crystal Nyitray, PhD. Encellin is developing next generation therapies to help patients with chronic unmet clinical needs.
Siren Therapeutics
Former UCSF professor Nikole Paulk, PhD is the Founder, CEO and President of Siren Therapeutics. Siren is combining the promise of two transformative therapeutic technologies, AAV gene therapy and cytokine immunotherapy, into a single, powerful new treatment modality to fight cancer.
Tipping Point Biosciences
UCSF Alumna Laura Hsieh, PhD is the CEO and co-founder of Tipping Point Biosciences based on research she performed while in the lab of co-founder Geeta Narlikar, PhD. TippingPoint’s proprietary platform makes genome packaging states druggable by disrupting or restoring the unique protein-protein networks that package cell genomes to enhance drug specificity and limit drug resistance.
Trial Library
Hala Borno, MD is a physician-scientist, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco, and co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Trial Library, a public benefit company with a mission to advance access to cancer precision medicine.
Mate Bioservices
UCSF alumna Charlotte Nelson, PhD is the CEO and co-founder of the start-up Mate Bioservices. Mate’s platform combines unparalleled data access with explainable AI interfaces, enabling wet and dry lab sciences to tackle months of research in minutes.

Let's Talk About Commercialization...

Translational technology development and commercialization is a complex process because every project is unique. Innovation Ventures is dedicated to helping the UCSF community navigate those complexities by working up close with our research faculty and promising students to really understand their science. We have a single purpose and that is to support the transition of UCSF innovation out of the lab and into the marketplace as more fully developed therapies, with greater confidence of success. Whether evaluating a new discovery, securing funding, seeking external partnerships, or starting new companies, Innovation Ventures is here to facilitate the protection, development, and commercialization of novel and valuable healing inventions.

Innovation Sucess Stories