Michael Cleare has been named associate vice provost for research and executive director of the Center for Technology Transfer at the University of Pennsylvania. In that role, he will oversee Penn’s technology-transfer office and will guide the university’s industry-sponsored research collaborations.
Cleare will join Penn Aug. 1 following a seven-year stint as executive director of science and technology ventures at Columbia University. Prior to that, he held a number of executive positions in research and development and new business development at materials technology firm Johnson Matthey.
Cleare received a BS and MS in chemistry from Imperial College and a PhD in chemistry from the University of London.
David Kabakoff has joined the venture capital firm Sofinnova Ventures as executive-in-residence and manager of its new San Diego office. His chief responsibilities will be to identify and vet prospective companies for funding, and coach portfolio company CEOs in leading successful businesses. Sofinnova invests in early-stage life sciences and information technology companies.
Kabakoff is the co-founder of Salmedix, a developer of cancer drug treatments, and served as its chairman and CEO. In June 2005, Kabakoff negotiated the $200 million acquisition of Salmedix by Cephalon. Kabakoff also served as executive vice president and president at Dura Pharmaceuticals; as CEO for Spiros Development and Corvas International; and in senior executive positions with Hybritech, which is now a unit of Beckman Coulter.