Gov. Gregoire applauds appointment of Dr. John DesRosier as executive director of Life Sciences Discovery Fund

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For Immediate Release: July 2, 2012

OLYMPIA - Gov. Chris Gregoire today congratulated the Life Sciences Discovery Fund Board of Trustees on the appointment of John DesRosier, Ph.D. as executive director of the Fund. Effective July 2, DesRosier, who is currently director of programs at LSDF, will succeed founding executive director Lee Huntsman, Ph.D. who announced his retirement effective June 30.

"Our Life Sciences sector has led to new jobs and cutting edge research for which we are known the world over," Gregoire said. "Since 2006, John has been a part of the success and I'm delighted he has accepted the role of executive director, and am confident that he will continue Lee's legacy of exceptional leadership and stewardship of the state's investment."

"I am excited to take the reins at LSDF, and I thank Governor Gregoire, Lee, and the Life Sciences Discovery Fund Board of Trustees for their confidence in me. It is an honor to be following in the footsteps of my mentor," DesRosier said. "I look forward to my expanded role at LSDF, working with our talented and dedicated staff to develop and execute initiatives to move research discoveries out of the lab to benefit both human health and the economy in our state."

The Life Sciences Discovery Fund was established in 2005 by Gov. Gregoire and the Washington State Legislature. Funded by monies from the Master Tobacco Settlement Agreement of 1998, the program issues research grants statewide in support of Washington's growing life sciences sector- improving the health and economic wellbeing of Washington residents.

"I leave LSDF with the certainty that the organization will continue to meet its mission in John's supremely capable and accomplished hands," said founding executive director Lee Huntsman.

"John's successes at LSDF, his many contacts around the state, and his years of experience in technology commercialization and economic development make him the ideal choice to lead the organization," said Chris Rivera, president of the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association.

Before joining LSDF, DesRosier spent six years as a technology commercialization consultant, specializing in the transfer of academic research innovations from nonprofits to the industrial sector. He also worked at the University of Washington for eleven years, where he was responsible for commercialization of biomedical technologies and a liaison to industry. DesRosier brings more than 30 years of research and technology commercialization experience to his new role.

DesRosier received his Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Washington. He went on to work at Ohio Wesleyan University and Middlebury College before joining BioControl Systems in Bothell, Washington where he was part of a team that launched four diagnostic products for detecting pathogenic bacteria in foods.

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