Erik Halvorsen, PhD, has been named director of Technology and Business Development at Children's Hospital Boston

Prior to joining Children's, Halvorsen served as director of Business Development at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) and the Harvard Office of Technology Development. Within HSCI, he designed and instituted a comprehensive stem cell business development initiative while simultaneously licensing and commercializing new stem cell technologies and intellectual property that resulted from HSCI grants to member institutions. In his second role at the University within the Harvard Office of Technology Development, Halvorsen evaluated, developed, valued and commercialized a large portfolio of life science technologies and intellectual property around small molecule therapeutics. Before relocating to Boston, Halvorsen worked as a project manager at Spinner Technologies, Inc. and as a licensing associate at the University of Virginia Patent Foundation, both in Charlottesville, VA.

"The research environment at Children's is rich with innovation and discovery," says Halvorsen. "I am tremendously inspired by the sense of purpose I see demonstrated every day at the hospital by clinicians, researchers, nurses, administrators and staff looking to do whatever they can to improve patient care and outcome. I am excited to be a part of this team, and look forward to implementing new initiatives and strategies to help bring discoveries and advances from the labs to our patients' bedsides."

Halvorsen holds a PhD in neuropharmacology from the University of Virginia, a master's degree in human anatomy from the Medical College of Virginia, and a pre-med bachelor's degree in psychology and biology from the University of Virginia. He is a member of the Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals Board of Directors, Association of University Technology Managers, and Licensing Executive Society.

Children's Hospital Boston is home to the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries have benefited both children and adults since 1869. More than 500 scientists, including eight members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and 12 members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Children's research community. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Children's Hospital Boston today is a 377-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care grounded in the values of excellence in patient care and sensitivity to the complex needs and diversity of children and families. Children's also is the primary pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information about the hospital and its research visit: www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom.