Technology Development: The Pull Model and Lessons Learned

Jonathan Lasch, PhD

Executive Director

Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering

University of Southern California

Abstract: Taking an idea from the bench to the marketplace in the life science industry is often fraught with many unexpected challenges, is expensive, and time consuming. It’s also an exciting adventure, where every day makes a difference, and the products and services improve the quality of life for patients. Each technology development venture teaches different and important lessons in science, technology, medicine, and entrepreneurship. The Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering at USC is an accelerator that has developed technologies such as imaging devices, ophthalmic devices, reversible adhesives, stents, stem cell related products, diagnostics, and other medical tools. We’ll cover how the institute operates, lessons learned on our way to some successful launches, what works and what doesn’t, and why we use a pull model to guide our projects forward.

Bio: Dr. Lasch is the Executive Director for the Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California (AMI-USC), where he brings more than 30 years of experience in science and technology development and evaluation in the fields of biomedical instruments and systems, biotechnology, chemistry, and materials science. Jon is a Research Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Viterbi School of Engineering and a Professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship in the Greif Center of the Marshall School of Business at USC. Currently, Jon serves on the board of directors of several local development stage life sciences companies. From 2002-2007, Dr. Lasch was on the board of directors of Precision Dynamics Corporation, a privately held healthcare products company, and he currently serves as the vice chairman of the board of directors of the Southern California Biomedical Council. He has held leadership positions at Materia, a materials science company spun out of Caltech, where he served as founding President and CEO, and Cyrano Sciences, a Caltech spin out based on chemical sensor technology. Dr. Lasch received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Science from the University of Texas at El Paso and his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.