Hear Faculty-Entrepreneurs' 'True Confessions' April 8

University of Virginia faculty members and researchers who have considered starting a company and want to learn more about raising capital and founding technology ventures are invited to attend the second installment of a new networking series on April 8.

"True Confessions of a Faculty Entrepreneur" features conversations with U.Va. faculty who have translated their research discoveries into successful start-up ventures.

The next "True Confession" will be that of Kevin R. Lynch, professor of pharmacology and biochemistry and molecular genetics, and Timothy L. Macdonald, professor of chemistry and pharmacology, as they discuss their experiences with "Entrepreneurial Alchemy: Changing S1P and LPA into $1P and £PA."

Their talk will be on April 8 at 5 p.m. in Wilsdorf Hall, room 200. A networking reception will follow.

Lynch and Macdonald co-founded Catena Pharmaceuticals Inc., a U.Va. start-up that is developing therapeutics for pathologies characterized by hyper-proliferation, such as neoplasia and fibrotic diseases. Macdonald has been involved in several additional drug development companies spun out of U.Va., including the very successful Adenosine Therapeutics LLC, which was acquired by global biotechnology company Clinical Data Inc. in 2008.

Those interested in attending must RSVP by April 6 to Crystal Ballif at . For information, contact David Chen at or 434-243-7357, or see the large-format flier (PDF).

The event is hosted by the U.Va. Office of Economic Development, the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Patent Foundation, the School of Medicine Office of Research, the T100 Program, the Wallace H. Coulter Translational Research Partnership, and the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Darden School of Business.

On May 13, Robin A. Felder, professor of pathology and associate director of clinical chemistry and toxicology, will present "From Concept to Capital: How to Place the Odds in Your Favor." His talk will also be at 5 p.m. in Wilsdorf Hall, room 200, with a networking reception to follow.

The first "True Confessions" session, held March 11, was "From Lab Book to License: How to Bring Your Discoveries to the World," with George T. Gillies, research professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering and physics. The session was attended by more than 40 members of U.Va.'s research and entrepreneurial communities.