Heather Steinman

Heather Steinman, Ph.D., MBA, is Vice President for Business Development and Executive Director of Technology Transfer at The Wistar Institute, the nation’s first independent research institution devoted solely to biomedical science and a world leader in cancer, immunology, virology and infectious disease research.

Dr. Steinman joined Wistar in 2014. Since then, the Business Development team has been working to advance Wistar science and technology development through creative partnerships to turn innovative discoveries into transformative treatments.

Dr. Steinman’s proactive approach involves removing risk from early stage science by forging new strategic partnerships with industry experts, non-profits and local academic research institutions, and accelerating commercialization opportunities for Wistar’s growing pipeline of biomedical discoveries including small and large molecule therapeutics, diagnostics, vaccines and target discovery/validation platforms in the oncology, immunology and infectious disease space. Dr. Steinman brings more than 20 years of experience in technology transfer and commercialization of early stage-life science discoveries.

She previously served as Director of the Penn Center for Innovation, Perelman School of Medicine Office at the University of Pennsylvania. There, she played an essential role in supporting Penn’s UPstart program. Before that, Dr. Steinman spent more than a decade in roles of increasing responsibility as a technology licensing professional in the Office of Technology Management at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Dr. Steinman holds a doctorate in biomedical sciences from the University of Massachusetts Medical School and an MBA from the university’s Isenberg School of Management. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Baldwin-Wallace College with dual degrees in biology and psychology in the honors program.