Biography
Kevin Grimes is Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology and Co-director of the SPARK Program at the Stanford University School of Medicine. After serving on the clinical faculty, he received a Hartford Foundation Fellowship to study health economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He was subsequently selected as a White House Fellow and served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. After fifteen years in the life science industry, Grimes returned to Stanford to co-direct SPARK. SPARK’s three-fold mission is to advance promising research discoveries into the clinic as new therapeutics and diagnostics; to educate faculty, post-doctoral fellows and students regarding the translational process; and to identify and promote more efficient approaches to translational research. Over 50% of projects completing SPARK have been licensed and/or advanced to clinical trials. The SPARK methodology has been adopted by over 60 academic institutions throughout the world.

Academic & Commercial Accelerators Showcase:
Stanford SPARK
SPARK provides access to specialized knowledge and technical expertise regarding drug and diagnostic development, dedicated core laboratory facilities, and sources of funding to support translational efforts.

SPARK: Translating Academic Discoveries to Benefit Patients
This talk will discuss SPARK’s collaborative and cost-effective approach to translating promising academic discoveries into novel therapeutics and diagnostics that address unmet patient needs. Over 50% of projects have been licensed and/or advanced to clinical trials. The SPARK methodology has been adopted by over 60 academic institutions throughout the world.