June Innovation

Mind Your Matter

In Grace We Honor

Atul Butte's Life

As many of you already know, a dear colleague, prolific research scientist, and caring soul, Atul Butte, 55, passed away this weekend after a long battle with cancer. Atul had a rich career in next-generation medicine and was a trailblazer in computational approaches to further precision medicine. Innovation Ventures knew Atul well as a regular presence in our offices, consistently engaging us with new technologies, supporting our office's work on innovation, and championing our work with entrepreneurs. He always brought with him an unbridled curiosity and excitement for science.

Before his death, he was honored for his exceptional career and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. You can read more about this below.

He was a visionary innovator at UCSF, and he will be deeply missed.



His science lives on.

How to Build a Successful

Biotech Startup in 2025

A Conversation With Stephanie Marrus

90% of biotech start-ups fail. UCSF Innovation Ventures' own entrepreneurship champion, Stephanie Marrus, joined the "Building Successful Biotech Start-ups" panel of the major European conference Hello Tomorrow to discuss how to identify and nurture innovation.

“The key is cultivating a business mindset from day one. You can have amazing science, but without a solid business case, it will remain confined within academia.”



Stephanie Marrus, MBA, MA

Managing Director of Entrepreneurship, UCSF

Innovative Events

Reinvigorating Innovation: UCSF Leads ALS Workshop Uniting UC Campuses and Industry Leaders

UCSF Innovation Ventures’ Office of Strategic Alliances proudly hosted the 2nd Annual UC system-wide ALS workshop, “Reinvigorating Innovation in ALS”, on May 15-16, 2025, at the University of California Livermore Collaboration Center (UCLCC) in Livermore, CA.

This transformative event brought together the brightest minds from all five UC medical campuses, renowned national laboratories, leading industry executives, ALS patients and caregivers, and key funding managers to tackle ALS challenges and drive interdisciplinary collaboration in research and development.

The workshop commenced with a compelling Welcome Address by Camille Bibeau, Executive Director of Partnerships and Outreach at UC National Laboratories, followed by an inspiring Keynote from Dr. Bruce Miller, Distinguished Professor in Neurology at UCSF. Over two days, attendees were immersed in thought-provoking presentations, dynamic panel discussions, an interactive poster session, and impactful lightning talks. Group discussions and networking breaks sparked lively dialogue and paved the way for promising collaborations.

Empowering Women in Biotech:

A Transformative Panel Event

We are thrilled to announce the resounding success of our recent panel event, co-hosted with Bakar Bio Labs, QB3, and the Biotech Ceiling Breakers. This dynamic gathering celebrated the entrepreneurial spirit of inspiring female leaders at various stages of the start-up ecosystem.

A heartfelt thank you to our exceptional panelists—Catherine Smith, Nikole Kimes, Widya Mulyasasmita, and Chelsea Bahney—whose insights and experiences illuminated the path for future innovators. We also extend our deepest gratitude to our dedicated organizers, Katarina Klett, Diana Laird, and Darya Bubman, whose unwavering commitment to scientific advancement made this collaboration possible and immensely rewarding.



Working alongside such passionate and innovative individuals and institutions is truly an honor, and events like these underscore the exciting future of female-driven biotech innovation.

Fireside Chat with Hal Barron:

CEO and Founder of Altos Labs

On May 28, 120 attendees joined us at UCSF Mission Bay for an engaging Fireside Chat with Hal Barron, MD, UCSF alum, CEO and Founder of Altos Labs and former President of GSK R&D. In conversation with UCSF Entrepreneurship Managing Director Stephanie Marrus, Hal shared insights from his stellar career path, from cardiology and epidemiology at UCSF to leading global R&D for GSK and now CEO of one of the hottest companies in Silicon Valley.

Altos Labs is a cellular reprogramming company that raised an eye-popping $3 billion of startup venture capital and has three Nobel Laureates on its Board. Hal reflected on leadership, decision-making, and combining the academic and corporate cultures that coexist at Altos, as well as describing the exciting longevity science foundation of the firm. He encouraged the audience to take smart risks to solve healthcare problems.

A big thanks to all who engaged.

Per ardua ad astra

Out of this World Science and Innovation

Last week, the University of California, San Francisco, under the guidance of UC Space Health Director Aenor Sawyer, hosted an event focusing on the impact of space initiatives on human health and the planet. Leading experts in their respective fields - Charles Chiu, Sonja Schrepfer, M.D., Ph.D., and Tammy Chang - shared perspectives from diverse specialties. Dr. Sawyer reminded us that we were an audience of "learners."

The event not only showcased the expertise of the speakers but also shared their inspiring stories of passion and perseverance, a discussion which continued among participants who highlighted the value of interdisciplinary studies across UCSF and UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society.

Stay tuned to hear how this event inspired significant health tech innovation from the many faculty, students, and staff participants. Exciting news awaits!

California Life Science

Spotlighting Big Ideas and Bold Science

CLS’s Spring Innovation Showcase was held on June 4th at the UC Berkeley campus. Our own assistant vice chancellor of business development, innovation, and partnerships, Peter Kotsonis, was invited to speak at the California Life Science Spring Innovation Showcase, where he anchored the panel. Moderated by Geno Serge, the managing director of Bakar Labs, the panel featured Luke Gruenert, Director, Strategic Innovation at Chiesi Global Rare Diseases, Sonia Maryam Setayesh, Investment Partner with Civilization Ventures, and Wesley Jackson, President & CSO at Valitor.

The panel explored how early-stage life sciences companies can leverage strategic partnerships with pharma, biotech, academia, and investors. 

AI in Biology

QBI Symposium

We are excited to share the highlights from the QBI: AI in Biology Symposium held on June 18, 2025, which UCSF Innovation Ventures proudly participated in.

Networking Session Success

UCSF Innovation Ventures joined fellow innovators at the symposium’s networking session from 12-2 PM. It was a pleasure connecting with attendees and showcasing our initiatives. Our booth attracted considerable interest, and we were delighted to see many participants scanning our QR code to learn more about our work. We look forward to engaging further with those who reached out.

Panel Discussion Highlights

Innovation Ventures also had the honor of contributing to the panel discussion at 10:20 AM, titled “The Good, the Bad, and the Overhyped: Data, Expertise, and the Trajectory of AI in Biology.” Moderated by Ali Bashir, the panel featured distinguished speakers Dale Webster from Google Health, Angela Pisco from Insitro, and Cam Linke from AMII. We provided a brief overview to set the stage for what proved to be a dynamic and insightful conversation.

Acknowledgments

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this event a success. Amy Gryshuk, Roopa Ramamoorthi, Olivia Roberson, Hailey Zhang, Cathy Smith, Gemma Rooney, and Kathy Wilson-Edell.

Your efforts were invaluable.

UCSF Success

UCSF Tech in the News