David helps manage Penn’s relationship with the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. David received his BS in biology from UNC Chapel Hill, followed by his master’s in biochemistry from North Carolina State University, and finally his PhD from UNC Chapel Hill. Subsequently, David did a postdoctoral fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston TX. David’s academic research interests were mouse models of brain tumors, specifically malignant gliomas.
Stephanie is responsible for drafting, reviewing and negotiating industry research-related agreements at PCI. Stephanie engaged in the general practice of law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey prior to joining PCI, but found her ideal fit at PCI, since she is passionate about science and innovation. Stephanie’s Bar Admissions include Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the USPTO. She received her law degree at Rutgers University in Camden and her undergraduate degrees in Cell Biology and Neuroscience, and Psychology, at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
Michelle supports the contracting undertaking of the Corporate Contracts team at PCI. First studying journalism as an Owl (Temple University) and then completing her Liberal Arts master’s as a Quaker (University of Pennsylvania), Michelle has spent her entire career at the University of Pennsylvania. She enjoys hanging out with her niece and nephew, listening to music of all genres, and acting as her family’s genealogist.
Sangeeta joined PCI in 2023 as a member of Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) licensing team. In her current role, Sangeeta is responsible for facilitating the commercialization of a diverse range of PSOM technologies through licensing to either established or startup companies. Prior to joining Penn, Sangeeta gained 9 years of experience in licensing and supporting commercialization of early- stage technologies at a number of other academic institutions.
Sangeeta received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from University of Nebraska Medical Center and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. She enjoys traveling, trying local foods, cooking, and creating healthy dishes with functional benefits.
Sherri Darby provides critical financial administration support for revenue and expense side operations as a key member of the PCI Finance team. This includes invoicing and accounts receivable, procurement, distributions, and managing and appropriately directing inbound communications to the Finance team.
Prior to joining PCI, Sherri Darby was an Administrative Coordinator with Penn Environmental Health & Radiation Safety (EHRS) for 16 years and has been a member of the Penn community since 1998.
Yi-Yen collaborates with faculty at Penn to create companies that commercialize cutting-edge technologies. With over 10 years of healthcare-related experience, Yi-Yen holds a PhD in developmental biology from Nobel Laureate Professor Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard’s lab at the Max-Plank Institute and has diverse experience in venture capital investment, business development, and R&D project leadership.
Gangotri supports the technology commercialization efforts of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She evaluates the commercial potential ion of new inventions, determines a strategy for seeking IP protection, markets the technology to prospective companies, negotiates various agreements and helps to establish relationships between industry and Penn researchers. Gangotri has a PhD in Chemistry and taught undergraduate chemistry prior to her role as a technology transfer professional. She enjoys reading and is currently an active member of PCI’s book club.
Shelby drafts, reviews, negotiates, and finalizes research-related contracts with industrial partners. Shelby studied Psychology at Rowan University and earned her law degree from Widener University Delaware Law School. Upon graduating from law school, Shelby practiced corporate litigation in Delaware, and she is a licensed attorney in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Joyce joined PCI as an Assistant Director of Licensing for the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) licensing team in 2023. She is responsible for faculty outreach, engagement, managing intellectual property and supporting commercialization of assets resulting from PSOM research. Prior to this role, Joyce held various licensing positions in both academia and industry. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from Louisiana State University and worked as a Postdoctoral research associate in the joint Biomedical and Engineering department at UNC, Chapel Hill, where she focused on developing modular microfluidic systems for various cancer and neuronal translational research applications.
Melisa Lopez-Anton 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. Melisa holds an MS in Biomedical Research from the University Pompeu Fabra (Spain) and a PhD from Cardiff University (UK). She is a leader in working with early-stage life science startups, having fostered multiple ventures at both Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania. During her free time, Melisa enjoys outdoor bike rides, salsa dancing, and traveling.