John C. Shallman (Top) & Kennth Massey (Bottom)

DETROIT — Wayne State University's Technology Commercialization Office welcomed John C. Shallman as senior director of licensing, and Kenneth Massey as senior director of venture development on May 13. 

With over 24 years of diverse experience in the technology commercialization arena, Shallman will lead Wayne State's licensing efforts to help identify, evaluate, develop and execute potential new innovations.  For the past six years, he was director of commercialization at William Beaumont Health System, and prior to that was the life sciences sector development manager at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, where he managed life sciences initiatives for the State of Michigan's Technology Tri-Corridor Investment program, and worked across the state to develop startup and attraction programs in the life sciences. 

Massey's combined 28 years of biomedical research and business experience in the academic, pharmaceutical and biotech arenas will benefit Wayne State University's efforts to identify start-up opportunities and facilitate efforts of WSU entrepreneurs to create companies that will license and develop WSU technology. He will play an important role in interacting with other academic institutions, regional and state economic development agencies and the venture community.  Before joining Wayne State, he was managing director of MicroDose Life Sciences and its associated venture capital fund, LifeLine Ventures. Prior to MicroDose, Massey was an assistant professor of anesthesiology and pharmacology at the University of Michigan before joining Pfizer where he was responsible for the scientific and operational aspects of several drug development programs. 

"We are excited to have John and Ken join our technology commercialization team," said Hilary Ratner, vice president for research at Wayne State. "Together, they bring new synergy and skills to our technology commercialization team that will speed and expand our ability to translate important university scientific and technological expertise into the marketplace and contribute even more to the regional economic ecosystem."

Shallman received his B.A. in business administration from Grand Valley State University; Massey received a B.S. in biology and chemistry from Eastern Michigan University and his Ph.D. in cardiovascular physiology from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. 

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About Wayne State University
Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.