Launched in 2019, the VIC Fellows Program was created to harness the talents of individuals from a wide variety of scientific, medical, and commercial backgrounds and immerse them in the dynamic world of life science innovation. Designed as a bridge between academic discovery and commercial success, the program empowers Fellows to play a hands-on role in identifying and evaluating promising technologies emerging from universities, research institutes, and national laboratories around the globe.
Over the past five years, VIC Fellows have played a pivotal role in identifying breakthrough technologies, facilitating licensing agreements, and launching new portfolio companies built around transformative science. Several fellows have gone on to take leadership positions in startups they helped bring to life through the program. Kelly Mabry, PhD, now serves as CEO of Cellia Science, a company bringing rapid, accurate microscopy-based assays out of the lab and into the clinic. Matthew Lemming, PhD, is CSO of Enhance Diagnostics, which is developed an at-home breath test for ammonia. Jonathan Rayner, PhD, has taken on multiple roles, including CSO, Board Member, and Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board at i-Seq Biotechnology, a company focused on advance novel, broad-spectrum, vaccines and therapeutics against infectious disease pathogens impacting human health globally. Their journeys exemplify how the VIC Fellows Program not only trains future leaders in life science commercialization but also provides a launchpad for real-world impact.
Today, VIC Fellows alumni are contributing at every level of the life science ecosystem, from regulatory oversight and product discovery to startup development and commercialization. Michael Gaspar, MD, now serves as a Senior Staff Surgeon and Orthopaedic Medical Officer at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Monika Magon, PhD, is Product Owner and Product Discovery Lead at Roche, driving digital tech initiatives and enabling early-stage pharma and diagnostics R&D within one of the world’s leading biopharmaceutical companies. Secondra Holmes, PhD, is advancing therapeutic development in dual roles as a Product Development Associate at Fannin and Radiomer Therapeutics. “The valuable hands-on experience I gained as a VIC Fellow helped shape how I think about therapeutic product development and building biotech companies from the ground up.” Says Holmes. These examples underscore the broad and lasting impact of the VIC Fellows Program, with alumni shaping the future of healthcare across industry, government, and entrepreneurship.
Several Fellows remain deeply engaged with VIC Tech, continuing to shape the organization’s strategic direction and scientific priorities. Cristhiaan Ochoa, MD, PhD, a former Senior Fellow, now serves as Chairman of the VIC Medical Advisory Board, leveraging his clinical and scientific expertise to guide portfolio development and investment decisions. Natalie Gassman, PhD, also a former Senior Fellow, contributes as a member of the Strategic Advisory Board, where her insights help steer VIC’s long-term vision.
VIC Tech is currently recruiting the next class of Fellows, continuing its mission to empower the next generation of life science innovators. As the program enters its sixth year, the future looks brighter than ever for translating breakthrough science into real-world impact.