In order to expand its focus to areas of public health and sustainability, the Center for Integration of Science and Industry at Bentley University has appointed two post-doctoral fellows, Andrea Ballabeni, PhD and Michael J. Walsh, PhD. Ballabeni will focus on defining the public health benefits anticipated from successful translations of scientific discoveries within the field of biomedical science. Walsh will focus on identifying how new technology will accelerate sustainable energy production and how that production can generate effective new products and businesses.
The mission of the center is to understand the process by which science is translated for public value and accelerate this translation by engaging science and industry in interdisciplinary dialogue, scholarship, education, and service. “We look forward to broadening the scope of our mission with these two appointments,” said Dr. Fred Ledley, professor of Natural and Applied Sciences and Management, and director of the center.
“I am interested in how biomedical research can be more efficiently interpreted into commercial products that improve public health,” said Ballabeni. “I am excited to apply my expertise in science and medicine, as well as my knowledge of the business of healthcare and the biopharmaceutical industry, to enhance the center's team and contribute to the Bentley community as a whole.”
Ballabeni has an MS in Biology from the University of Parma (Italy), where he was involved in epidemiological research on the role of vitamins in preventing cataracts. He received a PhD in molecular oncology from the Open University (UK) with his research activity conducted at the European Institute of Oncology of Milan (Italy) focused on DNA replication. He subsequently worked in the laboratory of Marc Kirschner in the Systems Biology department of the Harvard Medical School and completed an MPH at the Harvard School of Public Health, conducting research on science policies in collaboration with Professor David Hemenway.
Noted Walsh, “It is critically important to have a better understanding of the roles played by science, industry, and government in advancing innovations. Boston’s robust clean technology network combined with Bentley’s emphasis on integrating science and business sets an ideal stage for success for me and my colleagues.”
Walsh holds a BA in Chemistry from Colby College, where he was involved in research on the marine chemistry of iron and superoxide. He completed a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Cornell University, where his work focused on the effect of thiols on the bioavailability of copper to marine algae. While at Cornell, Walsh served as a member of the President’s Climate Commitment Implementation and Sustainable Campus Committees and was elected by the student body to serve as a member of the University’s Board of Trustees. He has received awards from the New York State Water Environment Association and the American Institute of Biological Sciences for his work at the science & policy interface.
For more information about the Center for Integration of Science and Industry, visit their website and follow them on Twitter @sciindustry.