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MRIGlobal creates new C-suite role dedicated to translating intellectual property into business opportunities

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Read more at MRIGlobal hires Manning-Boğ to build commercialization opportunities – Kansas City Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

MRIGlobal has hired its first chief innovation officer.

Amy Manning-Boğ will be responsible for leading the identification and translation of the Kansas City-based life sciences nonprofit’s proprietary intellectual property into commercialization opportunities through licensing, royalties and new business venture startups. In her new role, she will also lead MRIGlobal’s engagement with the local biotech community.

Most recently, Manning-Boğ was vice president of drug discovery and translational development for Atreca Inc. The South San Francisco, California-based biotechnology company develops novel therapeutics with a focus on innovative cancer immunotherapeutics.

According to her LinkedIn profile, she also previously worked at Sangamo BioSciences, SRI International, the University of California Santa Cruz, The Parkinson’s Institute and Renovis Inc.

“Having worked in Silicon Valley and at research nonprofits for decades, Amy is a respected scientist and sought-after leader in understanding the challenges and opportunities in scientific research and development. At MRIGlobal, she will foster a culture of innovation that further enables and empowers our researchers to develop unique methods for solving our customers’ most important problems,” CEO Ian Colrain said in a Tuesday release.

“Amy also brings a keen appreciation for Midwestern culture, coupled with first-hand knowledge of Kansas City’s academic and scientific ecosystem. Her experience will help us capitalize on our intellectual property, providing an additional revenue stream from licensing that will support our staff, future research and investments in the institute.”

Manning-Boğ earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Missouri State University in Springfield and a doctorate degree in molecular/cell biology and biochemistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Colrain also is new to the C-suite: He joined the company in June after more than 20 years in scientific research, most recently at Menlo Park, California-based SRI International, a nonprofit with a mission similar to MRIGlobal, where Manning-Boğ worked for almost five years.

Another recent change in the C-suite is Dean Gray, who was promoted to COO of MRIGlobal in August.