Laura de Pedis

I have a broad background in biotech research, technology transfer, and type 1 diabetes, as well as the passion, dedication, and leadership to carry out this proposal successfully. At University of California, Santa Barbara, I carried out the research proposal “Activation of STAT3 and STAT6 in Polycystic Kidney Disease,” and graduated with Distinction in the Major for the Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology Department. At Georgetown University, I successfully completed all my master's coursework with a perfect 4.0 GPA, and two capstone projects, one at a clinical-stage biotech company and the second at Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. At LLNL, I worked in the tech transfer office, Industrial Partnerships Office, focusing on evaluating the market potential and patentability for early stage technologies at LLNL. As a result of this work, I am keenly aware of the difficulties faced by early stage technologies for commercialization – not only in technical risk but market viability and adoption. In fall 2013, the team at Azurite under mentorship of LLNL successfully completed the NSF Innovation Corps through University of California, Berkeley where they won the award for the Best Interviewers – testing and understanding the steps necessary to transition this technology into the market place for use by patients with type 1 diabetes as a novel sensing device. In short, the demonstrated record of success, communication, and focus to take on new challenges have prepared me to lead this research project through to fruition and make an impact in live of people with type 1 diabetes. Outside of this project, my passions include professional horseback riding, downhill skiing, traveling, and creative writing.

September 2013