Christy Wyskiel, the new Senior Adviser to the President for Enterprise Development at Johns Hopkins University, was recently interviewed by The Baltimore Business Journal about her position and the interaction between research and enterprise. She has experience working as an investor in early stage startups, as well as supporting business and management advice to such companies.

One of the companies Wyskiel was involved with is GrayBug, a result of Johns Hopkins research and subsequent technology transfer. The company works to develop controlled release technologies to deliver ophthalmic medications for conditions like age-related macular degeneration. It is also working on technology to reduce inflammation during drug delivery to the eye, which is a common side effect of most current controlled release technologies. This company's eventual formation was the result of life sciences research at Johns Hopkins.

Wyskiel explained to the source that good research isn't always good material for tech transfer. Instead, commercial applications of research should be clear - and clearly in demand - before tech transfer ventures begin.

She also has advice specific to life sciences tech transfers, which will be her primary area of interest at Johns Hopkins. She recommends entrepreneurs interested in bringing technologies to market licensed from universities check the research, and ensure it shows real promise. Without this assurance, tech transfers in the life sciences are much less likely to be successful.