Matthew T. Rondina, MD, MS, has been named Director of Translational Ventures within the Chief Innovation Office of University of Utah Health. In this new role, Rondina will connect U of U Health basic and translational researchers with industry partners seeking cutting-edge scientific expertise. He will also expand non-federal funding through sponsored research, fee-for-service agreements, and co-development partnerships.
U of U Health generates world-class basic and translational science across medicine, engineering, and the life sciences, yet many of these discoveries remain underutilized due to limited engagement with industry partners capable of advancing them toward patients and markets. Rondina and dedicated initiatives in the Chief Innovation Office seek to change that.
Working alongside the Technology Licensing Office, Rondina will leverage his background as a physician-scientist, entrepreneur, and translational researcher to identify industry partners aligned with Utah's basic and translational science strengths, facilitate productive faculty and industry connections, structure partnership pathways that protect academic integrity, and position Utah as a national destination for companies seeking to build on foundational scientific discovery.
Industry demand for academic partnerships rooted in rigorous basic and translational science is surging across therapeutics, diagnostics, biologics, and next-generation research platforms, while federal funding pressures are driving academic medical centers to diversify their revenue streams. U of U Health, with its depth of basic science expertise, strong translational infrastructure, and collaborative culture, is ideally positioned to lead.
This role creates a clear, centralized front door for industry engagement built around standardized partner evaluation, comprehensive faculty mapping, a streamlined industry gateway and rigorous performance tracking to ensure efficient, accountable, and impactful collaboration between Utah's research community and industry partners.
Rondina is a professor of internal medicine and pathology at the University of Utah, where he also directs the Molecular Medicine Program and serves as Medical Director of the Thrombosis Service at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center. A physician-scientist trained in Utah, with deep roots in the University of Utah and broader community, he has built an internationally recognized research program in hematology and oncology. Rondina brings unique expertise to entrepreneurship, combining a strong foundation in translational research with deep industry relationships and a track record of moving scientific discoveries from bench to marketplace, making him uniquely suited to lead the university's next chapter in academic-industry engagement.
The Office of the Chief Innovation Officer is pleased to welcome Rondina to this role and looks forward to the transformative industry partnerships and scientific impact he will bring to our research community and the patients we serve.