Derrick has over a decade of experience in market research and analysis. At PCI, he specializes in gathering and analyzing market data to drive strategic decisions, working closely with the Technology Licensing Officers and Business Development teams. Derrick provides critical market intelligence and develops marketing strategies that help transform innovative research into viable commercial products, combining his marketing expertise and passion for technology to advance PCI’s mission.
A native of Argentina, Tomás Isakowitz is the Program Director for Penn I-Corps and the PCI Fellows program at PCI. Tomás leads Penn I-Corps which develops and delivers Customer Discovery courses to guide scientific research into impactful technologies. He has trained over 200 teams, many of which have secured significant funding and grown into successful companies.
Dr. Isakowitz also created and manages the PCI Fellows program, offering a competitive internship for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior research staff at Penn to gain hands-on experience in technology commercialization. Participants engage in patenting, licensing, and marketing projects, supported by comprehensive training and networking opportunities. Graduates of the program are well-prepared for successful careers in fields like Technology Transfer, IP Law, and Consulting.
Dr. Isakowitz earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania, with prior degrees in Mathematics from the University of California at Santa Barbara and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After serving as an Assistant Professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business, he transitioned to senior roles in equity research on Wall Street, focusing on Electronic Commerce, Online Advertising, and Computer Security. Tomás loves to spend time with his family. In his free time, he practices meditation and Yoga, and enjoys traveling, hiking and pickleball.
Raquel provides administrative support to the PCI Ventures team. She is primarily responsible for coordinating all aspects of company formation, managing schedules, preparing marketing materials, updating websites, and supporting UPstart companies.
Prior to joining PCI Ventures, Raquel was the Medical Education Program Assistant for the Pediatric Residency at the University of New Mexico. She coordinated the Pediatric Grand Rounds and provided support to the directors and 50 resident physicians.
Raquel graduated with a B.A. in Secondary Education with a concentration in Spanish from the University of New Mexico.
Dr. Mohanraj manages a portfolio of life sciences companies, partnering with Penn faculty, researchers, and staff to build startups around innovative medical devices, therapeutics, and diagnostic technologies.
Prior to joining PCI Ventures, Bhavana was the Director of R&D for Biorez, an early-stage regenerative medicine company, where she developed implants for the sports medicine market. Her interest in entrepreneurial ventures developed during her time in academia, where she co-founded a startup based on a drug delivery system to improve orthopedic tissue repair.
Bhavana graduated with a B.S. and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Dishowitz manages a portfolio of PCI Ventures startup companies, focusing on the medical device, biotechnology, and therapeutic sectors. His primary responsibility is to build businesses that commercialize Penn intellectual property by recruiting management, developing business strategies, fundraising, supporting company operations, and executing deals. He is also the director of Penn’s medical device startup accelerator, DevelUPmed, and manages several capital acquisition and business development programs.
Prior to joining PCI Ventures, Mike was a member of ICON Commercialisation & Outcomes (formerly PriceSpective), a boutique consulting agency, where he specialized in asset valuation and pricing & market access of emerging life science technologies. Before entering industry, Mike spent several years in academia, studying the impact of cell signaling pathways on orthopaedic injury and repair. He is also co-founder of a startup company based on his thesis research that uses a combination drug-device to promote bone formation and regeneration.
Mike graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania.