MD of Sciences Future Inc Speaks on Innovation in Biotechnology
Posted on: 16 April 2010
Managing director, Nola Masterson, of Science Futures Inc., a US based- investment and advisory company, shared her experiences and key insights into the development of the biotechnology industry at an Innovation Alliance event, a public interview chaired by Professor of Biochemistry, Luke O’Neill at Trinity College Dublin this week.
The Science Futures Inc., MD emphasised that a highly-educated work force was the most important asset, quoting Diogenes Laertius: “the foundation of every state is the education of its youth”.
Nola Masterson and Professor of Biochemistry, Luke O’Neill.
She stressed that life sciences was an area of business that contained certain risks, and that as an industry it was still only at the beginning of development. Ms Masterson shared her experiences as the first biotechnology analyst on Wall Street for Drexel Burnham and Merrill Lynch and how her knowledge of the industry helped her setting up her own businesses.
When asked about the next wave of innovation she said that it would be personalised medicine, with a focus on keeping healthy. The American MD was very positive in relation to Ireland’s potential. She saw Ireland a a knowledge-based economy that needed to continue at a pace to develop the skills and expertise in order to stay competitive.
Cross institutional and multi-disciplinary collaborations and academic/industry collaborations were the key to future progress according to Ms Masterson. The goal for biotechnology development should be collaboration across translational stage – from basic research through applied research or development, to sustainable implementation or commercialisation.
About Nola Masterson
Nola Masterson is Managing Director of Science Futures Inc., a 27-year old investment and advisory firm. She currently is investing in Vietnam’s publicly traded markets, with her third fund, Science Futures Vietnam LLC.
Ms. Masterson is a biotechnology industry leader with more than 35 years of business experience in the life sciences industry and in venture capital investment. From 2000 to 2005, she was a Venture Partner with TVM Capital GmbH, one of the first and largest venture capital firms in Germany. She was also co-founder and President of Sequenom, Inc., a DNA sequencing company which went public on Nasdaq in 2000,
Click here to view a video of the presentation.