Stanford University
Showing 341-350 of 485 Results
-
Elizabeth Ponder
Executive Director, Sarafan ChEM-H
BioElizabeth Ponder is a recognized leader in innovation and translation at the non-profit / for profit interface. Ponder has spent 15+ years building and scaling high-impact research organizations at the intersection of biomedical innovation, global health, and drug development — focused on ensuring the human health impact of transformative scientific discoveries while fostering the next generation of scientists.
As Executive Director of Sarafan ChEM-H, Ponder leads the institute's efforts to drive academic innovation and training at the interface of molecular disciplines. Ponder oversees Sarafan ChEM-H's research, education, and translational programs, guiding initiatives that foster collaboration, innovation, and impact.
With over a decade at Stanford, Ponder has changed the landscape of interdisciplinary molecular research and training. Under her leadership, the institute recruited 19 faculty representing the “scientific maverick” phenotype from diverse fields of molecular research, including 2022 Nobel Prize laureate Carolyn Bertozzi; established an innovative Ph.D. training program (NIH and philanthropy-funded) serving 150+ doctoral trainees since 2015; and designed and opened a 235,000 sq ft interdisciplinary research complex to house the institute. Her responsibilities include oversight of strategy, planning, and operations for the institute.
Most recently, Ponder oversaw the design and implementation of the “Nucleus" as a scalable model for democratizing access to cutting-edge research technologies and expertise and leveraged the Nucleus infrastructure to support a 6-year pilot program for strategic translational investments in new medicines based on Stanford discoveries, the Stanford Innovative Medicines Accelerator. The Nucleus has touched more than 600 research projects in 200+ faculty labs across the Stanford campus contributing to patents, publications, and new grant funding. The translational portfolio included 135+ projects, 8 successful exits to VC-backed biotechnology companies, and 9 clinical trials of experimental therapeutics, including 2 first-in-human trials of experimental therapeutics discovered and developed entirely within Stanford. Ponder also played a critical role in external relationship management for the portfolio, ranging from key philanthropic donors to biopharmaceutical partners and venture capital investors.
Ponder was recognized for leadership excellence at Stanford through selection for Leadership@Stanford (2025 cohort) and the 2023 Marsh O'Neill Award for exceptional support of Stanford's research enterprise.
Before joining Stanford, Ponder led policy, research, and training initiatives at the global health - biopharmaceutical industry interface. She served as Executive Director of the Wheeler Center for Emerging & Neglected Diseases at UC Berkeley where she designed and launched new programs addressing neglected disease research. She also served in roles of increasing responsibility in Scientific Affairs at BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH), where she provided scientific leadership to project teams and executive leadership, advancing BVGH's mission to increase innovative biotech participation in drug, vaccine, and diagnostic development for neglected diseases of the developing world.
Ponder completed her Ph.D. and postdoctoral research at Stanford in the department of microbiology and immunology, supported by an NSF National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and Stanford Dean’s postdoctoral fellowship. She published multiple peer-reviewed scientific publications focused on protease function and drug target potential in Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes human malaria. Her early work in infectious diseases inspired her life-long passion for improving human health through scientific innovation. -
Sunita Rajdev
Senior Director for Licensing and Strategic Alliances, Office of Technology Licensing (OTL)
BioSunita Rajdev is the senior director of licensing and strategic alliances, life sciences, at the Stanford Office of Technology Licensing (OTL). She has over twenty years of experience in university technology transfer with expertise in intellectual property management, leading the negotiation of licensing and research collaboration agreements, business development, and startup formation. Sunita also extensively collaborates with other Stanford translation-focused groups to help create and manage strategic alliances with non-profit and for-profit entities to translate innovations from Stanford labs into products and services for public benefit.
Before joining the OTL in December 2019, Sunita held various technology transfer positions at UCSF, including time as its interim executive director, with multiple responsibilities in addition to licensing that included supporting the creation and management of large research collaborations.
Sunita received her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Pittsburgh and completed her postdoctoral training at UCSF. -
Serena Rao
Senior Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, Vice Provost and Dean of Research
BioSerena is the Senior Associate Dean in the Office of the Vice Provost and Dean of Research (VPDoR) at Stanford University. Reporting directly to the Dean, Serena supports Stanford's interdisciplinary labs, centers, institutes, and research-support offices. She guides their strategic activities, advises on operational challenges, and oversees all administrative activities. She also plays a key role in facilitating strategy development and leading the implementation of the university's research initiatives.
Serena’s extensive experience at Stanford includes over six years in the University Budget Office, where she was a vital member of the Provost’s Budget Group. In this capacity, she led complex analytical projects that informed strategic decisions for senior leadership and contributed significantly to the development of Stanford's annual consolidated budget. Prior to higher education, Serena managed city-wide infrastructure planning initiatives, annual capital budgets, and long-term debt forecasts for the Mayor's Office of Management and Budget in New York City.
Serena earned her Doctor of Education (Ed.D. ) degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Passionate about higher education and working in service to learning, Serena takes pride in getting things done effectively and creatively and excels in operating at both strategic and tactical levels.
