Ventures Office | UC Davis Health

Donald P. Taylor, PhD, MBA, CLP, is the inaugural Chief Ventures Officer of UC Davis Health Ventures, where he leads efforts to develop and commercialize intellectual property and advance research translation in partnership with innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry engagement teams at UC Davis and UC Davis Health.

Before joining UC Davis, Dr. Taylor served as Executive Director of Licensing at The Ohio State University and as the inaugural Assistant Vice Chancellor for Commercial Translation in the Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was also an Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics in the School of Medicine, Co-Director of the Center for Commercial Applications of Healthcare Data, and Executive Director of sciVelo.

A five-time life sciences entrepreneur, Dr. Taylor began his entrepreneurial career as co-founder and CEO of Net Health, which grew into one of the world’s largest providers of electronic medical records (EMR) for alternative site care. He later held executive roles at Cellumen, Cernostics, Vivisimo, Strategic Healthcare Programs, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, where he played key roles in driving innovation and commercialization. These experiences extended his expertise across bioinformatics, molecular diagnostics, drug discovery tools, and global biotechnology product distribution. In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Dr. Taylor spent over five years in venture investments and economic development at the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, supporting and funding early-stage life sciences companies.

Dr. Taylor serves on the Board of Governors for Certified Licensing Professionals, Inc., and co-chairs the Intellectual Property Committee for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

In 2023, Dr. Taylor was conferred as a distinguished alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh for his pioneering work in biomedical entrepreneurship and research translation. He earned his B.S. in Information Systems from Carnegie Mellon University, his M.S. and Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering, and an MBA from Pitt’s Katz Graduate School of Business. He also conducted postdoctoral research in pathology at Pitt’s School of Medicine.

Dr. Andrew Brown is the Director of Strategic Product Portfolios at UC Davis Health Ventures, where he drives the expansion of human health product and commercial development expertise at UC Davis and UC Davis Health. In this role, he focuses on building high-value intellectual property portfolios collaborating closely with UC Davis Technology Transfer Office, Venture Catalyst, Foundation & Corporate Engagement, and other stakeholders.

Prior to joining Health Ventures, Dr. Brown was the Founder & CEO of a dental regenerative medicine company, where he gained hands-on experience in medical product development and successfully raised funds from both traditional investors and non-dilutive grant funding mechanisms.

Dr. Brown was also the Associate Director for sciVelo at the University of Pittsburgh, where he played a key role in transforming how the institution led the commercial translation of human health innovation. In this capacity, he helped drive translational research initiatives across digital health, precision medicine, and regenerative medicine.

Dr. Brown holds a PhD in Bioengineering and a BS in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh. His doctoral research in the School of Dental Medicine focused on biomaterial development and tissue engineering. As research faculty at Pitt, he led teams advancing commercial translation in digital health, precision medicine, and regenerative medicine.

He also spent a decade at UPMC as a clinical biomedical engineer, supporting adult and pediatric patients on left ventricular assist devices and other mechanical circulatory support systems.

Patrick Cantini is the Director of Translational Funding Programs at UC Davis Health Ventures, where he leads teams and initiatives that support research and investment funding for faculty, startups, and companies at UC Davis. His work is instrumental in shaping the vision, strategy, and funding mechanisms that advance human health translational research with commercial and societal impact, strengthening UC Davis Health’s position among the nation’s top academic health systems.

Prior to joining UC Davis, Patrick served as Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer for the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. For over a decade, he spearheaded strategic initiatives to drive both short- and long-term growth, accelerate technology translation, and build key alliances across government, industry, and the global research community. He also played a key role in identifying emerging trends in regenerative medicine and optimizing programs for greater impact.

Earlier in his career, Patrick was the Chief Business Officer at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, overseeing strategic planning, business development, and long-range policy implementation. He also served as Associate Director for the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative (PTEI), a nonprofit think tank focused on advancing regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.

Patrick’s career began in the automotive manufacturing industry, where he held leadership positions at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the Society for Manufacturing Engineers (SME) before transitioning into biotechnology in 2001.

Chris Loryman is the Director of Faculty Engagement and Education at UC Davis Health Ventures, where he supports faculty-driven innovation across research and clinical disciplines at UC Davis and UC Davis Health. In addition to direct faculty engagement, he oversees the Lab to Life seminar series and other initiatives that foster a high-impact community of innovation and commercialization.

Before joining UC Davis, Chris was the Associate Director for Life Sciences at UC San Diego, leading a team overseeing more than $1 billion in annual research activity. He has extensive experience in the medical device and biotechnology industries, with roles spanning the development of cell-based therapies, medical devices, biopharmaceuticals, and gene therapy technologies.

Throughout his career, Chris has helped launch over 30 new companies, which have collectively raised more than $1 billion in venture financing. He was also a co-founder of a London-based biotech company and co-founder of the San Diego Innovation Council, reinforcing his deep commitment to advancing life science innovation.

Chris holds an honors degree in Applied Biochemistry from Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom. Beyond his professional work, he is a dedicated community leader and recently completed a five-year term as Vice President of the Rolando Community Council.

Bri Watts is the Administrative Officer at UC Davis Health Ventures, where she provides coordination, planning, and programmatic support to the Chief Ventures Officer. She plays a key role in managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring seamless execution of mission-critical initiatives.

Bri oversees the planning, coordination, and facilitation of briefings, events, meetings, and activities for the Health Ventures Office, contributing to its strategic and operational success. Her expertise in organization and stakeholder engagement supports the office’s mission to drive human health innovation and commercialization at UC Davis and UC Davis Health.