Cassidy led the GRA’s emergence as one of the nation’s premier organizations for technology-based economic development. He expanded the GRA’s mission of recruiting world-class scientists to Georgia universities, investing in state-of-the-art research technology for university labs, launching new companies around university inventions, and forging and strengthening alliances among universities and industry.
The Emory Biomedical Catalyst is a new position designed to provide vision and leadership in promoting biomedical innovation and enhancing the university’s economic engagement in the Atlanta region and beyond. As director, Cassidy will lead efforts to enhance innovation, entrepreneurship and development of intellectual property, as well as identifying and developing areas of frontier research.
In the Georgia Trend article announcing his Hall of Fame election, Cassidy said:
“Of the $2 billion in research conducted at Georgia universities, $1.2 billion falls under the umbrella of biomedical; half of it conducted at Emory. There’s a lot of opportunity built up inside this university. We’ll be looking at how we can commercialize more of that science into profitable businesses. That will be good for the economy of the state. It will create more job opportunities. It will help to put Atlanta and Georgia on the map as a biotech powerhouse.”
In announcing Cassidy’s new position last fall, Jonathan S. Lewin, MD, Emory executive vice president for health affairs and executive director, Woodruff Health Sciences Center, said, “I have tremendous respect for Mike Cassidy and his accomplishments at the Georgia Research Alliance in raising Georgia’s stature as a leading state for biomedical innovation and partnership. His skills and experience make him the ideal director for Emory Biomedical Catalyst, which will serve as a results-oriented catalyst for biomedical innovation throughout Emory University, inspiring colleagues to achieve new levels of expertise, confidence and productivity.”
Cassidy is working closely with Emory research leaders and with initiatives in innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the university, including the Office of Research (WHSC), Office of Technology Transfer, the Emory Healthcare Innovation Hub, the Coulter Translational Research Program, the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, the office of the provost and the office of the senior vice president for research.
He serves on the boards of the State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI), the Health Care Ethics Consortium, Primary Care Innovation Fund, the Global Center for Medical Innovation, Georgia’s Bio/Med Investor Network and Atlanta Emerging Markets Inc. He has a master’s degree in Technology and Science Policy from Georgia Tech and a BBA in Marketing from Georgia State University.