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David Winwood, PhD Interim Associate Vice President, Wake Forest Innovations I am a Registered Technology Transfer Professional and have been managing commercialization activities in universities since 1996. Before these university appointments, I served in research, business development, and company leadership roles in startup businesses, with an emphasis on fundraising and corporate partnership development. My experience in academia and the private sector includes basic research, business development, company formation, licensing and management of university intellectual property, technology-based economic development, and related issues. Since 2014, I have served as a Specialist Reviewer for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program and previously as a reviewer for the Research Competitiveness Program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). During my university technology transfer career, I have focused on technology transfer related public policy issues: I served on the Executive Committee of the Washington, D.C.-based Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) and made an invited presentation on patent reform matters to the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. At Wake Forest Innovations my goal is to enhance our capacity to add value and impact to the outputs of research and innovations created by Wake Forest and Enterprise teammates by moving basic research discoveries to partners who will transform these inventions into beneficial products and services, thereby improving quality of life. |
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Kenneth Russell Director, Technology Innovation I specialize in assisting inventors in turning their ideas and inventions into licensable medical devices and digital healthcare products. With over 25 years of experience in the medical devices industry, my expertise is dedicated to helping academic inventors create high-quality devices that hold value for industry partners. I leverage the resources of Wake Forest University School of Medicine to design, test, and develop commercially-ready medical devices and digital healthcare products. My primary goal is to enhance patient care. |
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John Druga, MS, MBA Licensing Director, Technology Commercialization As the Licensing Director in Technology Commercialization, I work closely with both inventors and industry leaders to facilitate the introduction of new medical technologies into the marketplace. My background in product development, biomedical engineering, and finance equips me with valuable insights into the commercialization of medical technologies. My inquisitive nature drives my understanding of market dynamics, motivating me to aid in the transition from inventions to innovations. |
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Osama Zahid, PhD Associate Director, Licensing I serve as the Associate Director of Licensing. I collaborate with researchers at Wake Forest Baptist to evaluate the commercialization potential of their innovative technology ideas. I hold a master's degree in biotechnology and a PhD from Wake Forest University, where I developed single-molecule diagnostic tools for disease detection. My extensive experience allows me to relate to the scientific journey of potential inventors while guiding them to uncover the potential of their ideas in the marketplace. As a natural extrovert, I'm passionate not only about realizing scientific breakthroughs but also about networking and building relationships with researchers. |
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Carter Cook, JD, MBA I serve as the Senior Associate General Counsel for Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. My role involves assisting Wake Forest Innovations in drafting, negotiating, and reviewing legal agreements related to intellectual property. With over 20 years of experience in transactional law, I have helped various parties collaborate to find solutions across a broad spectrum of issues, including licensing arrangements and the formation of new ventures. |
