|
PROVIDENCE, RI - Life science industry leader Dr. Patrice Milos will assume the role of interim president of the Rhode Island Life Science Hub (RILSH), the board announced today. The Cranston resident has over 30 years’ experience in the industry, including post-doctoral work at Brown and Harvard, leadership roles at a number of companies and success as an entrepreneur. In her role as a founding member of RI Bio, she was a driving force behind the 2019 BioHub report that laid a strong foundation for the current Hub. She will assume the role on July 1 while the search for the full-time president and CEO continues in the coming months. Milos will not be a candidate for the permanent position.
“Patrice Milos is the perfect choice to lead the Hub at this early stage of its development and has the confidence of our board,” said Neil Steinberg, Chairman of the Rhode Island Life Science Hub Board of Directors. “Her vision, energy and experience are exactly what we need to maintain the Hub’s initial momentum and continue to establish a path forward to realize its enormous potential here in Rhode Island.”
In her role as interim president, Milos will guide the Hub’s daily operations, building off its early success and positioning the organization for future growth while focusing on immediate objectives. The Hub announced a new small grant fund to support growth of the life science sector in the state two weeks ago. Last month, the group welcomed over 500 attendees to its inaugural summit, bringing together leaders from government, industry, and academia from around the region to advance the life sciences sector in Rhode Island. In April, the Board issued a competitive RFP for a developer or partner to help develop wet lab and incubator spaces, necessary as a catalyst for the industry here in Rhode Island.
“It’s an exciting time to be taking the interim helm of the Hub and I’m thrilled to be in this position, setting the organization up for future success,” said Milos. “Rhode Island possesses all the elements for success in the life sciences - a commitment from our state’s leaders and academia, early-stage investors and industry experts with energy, vision and innovative ideas.”
“Momentum is building here in Rhode Island, with significant progress towards commercialization, new life science buildings at Brown and URI and incubator wet-lab space in the near future,” she added. “We have a unique opportunity to bring these pieces together to create a vibrant ecosystem that supports groundbreaking advancements in the life science industry for patients and great jobs for Rhode Islanders.”
The goal of the Hub is to position the state to deliver on a bold vision of transforming Rhode Island into a globally recognized life science ecosystem. Selecting the most qualified candidate for the full-time permanent CEO position remains a top priority for the group’s board.
“Given how important it is to select the right person to be CEO of the Hub, the board is taking great care to make certain that whoever is chosen is the best fit for the job,” said Steinberg. “We will continue to seek someone with the tools to collaborate with academia, the private sector and government to realize a vision for the Hub that maximizes the tremendous potential of Rhode Island in the life sciences.”
The permanent president and CEO Of the Hub will be subject to advice and consent by the Rhode Island State Senate.
Milos is a seasoned and visionary leader in the field of precision health, with decades of pharma and startup experience in Providence and Cambridge. Milos co-founded Medley Genomics, a Rhode Island startup from Brown University focused on data analytics for complex diseases, particularly oncology. She served as Executive Director of the Cherrystone Angel Group and was CEO of Claritas Genomics, which was spun out of Boston Children’s Hospital. At Pfizer, she spent her early career advancing to Executive Director of Molecular Medicine and later the Boston Site Head for the Centers of Therapeutic Innovation. She has also held senior roles at other early-stage companies.
Currently, Milos will step down as co-chair of the board of RI Bio on June 30th, while continuing to serve on the board. She will be relinquishing her role as corporate secretary of the RILSH board but will remain on the board itself. She will take a leave from the board of the Slater Technology Fund while serving as interim president of the Hub. She is a member of the Brown University Biomedical Innovations to Impact Fund, a founding member of the RIHub Venture Mentoring Services and is a senior advisor to several biotech companies. Dr. Milos earned her MS/PhD in Genetics/Biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
“Patrice is an exceptional leader who understands the needs of Rhode Island’s growing innovation ecosystem and life sciences sector and I look forward to continuing to work with her,” said Steinberg. “With Patrice in the role, we are poised to build on our strong initial progress.”
“I’m honored that the board has entrusted me with this role at such a critical point in the evolution of the Life Science Hub,” Milos said. “We are ready to make significant strides in the life sciences sector and position the Hub as a center of innovation and excellence.”
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2024
Contact: Jillian Scott
401-474-7128
| 
