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Ophthalmology Congress 2016
December 05-06, 2016
Volume 7 Issue 11(Suppl) J Clin Exp Ophthalmol
ISSN: 2155-9570 JCEO, an open access journal
conferenceseries .com
December 05-06, 2016 Madrid, Spain
7th European Ophthalmology Congress
Henry Klassen, J Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2016, 7:11(Suppl)
Launching a startup company in academia: The jCyte experience
Henry Klassen
University of California, USA
Throughout my career, I have been working on the development of a cell-based therapeutic for retinal degenerative diseases.
Although unconventional and interdisciplinary, this project was long accommodatedwithin the academic setting. However,
as translational momentum continued to build, I found it necessary to confront the need for a corporate entity to carry forward
aspects of the work that are not necessarily compatible with the role and organization of traditional academic institutions.
Faced with this situation, one approach is to find an industrial partner. The other is to create one, which is what I did. The entity
thus created, jCyte, is a virtual startup and spinoff of UC Irvine, where I continued on as faculty in ophthalmology. Despite the
inherent administrative complexity, this hybrid academic-corporate arrangement has definite near-term advantages, including
utilization of previously developed resources and overall expenses. Looking forward, jCyte has two paths of growth, either
to develop into a stand-alone, bricks and mortar entity, or to be acquired by a pharmaceutical company with interests and
experience in the eye.
Biography
Henry Klassen has completed his MD and PhD degrees at University of Pittsburgh, Residency at Yale Eye Center and Fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital/
Institute of Ophthalmology in London, UK. He is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Stem Cell & Retinal Regeneration Program at
University of California, Irvine. He is also the Founder of jCyte, a startup company formed to commercialize retinal progenitor cell-based technology for use in
retinal conditions.