Michael Friedlander Bio pdfThe commitment and mission of growing the BioHealth Capital Region is being continued with new board member

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, February 14, 2023  The Board of Directors of BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Michael Friedlander, Vice President for Health Sciences & Technology, Virginia Tech, to its Board of Directors. The BioHealth Innovation Board of Directors is a distinguished group of accomplished and respected leaders committed to the BioHealth Capital Region. Their wealth of experience and expertise provides invaluable guidance and support to BHI’s mission of translating market-relevant research into commercial success by connecting management, funding, and markets.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Friedlander to BHI’s board of directors,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. “I look forward to his valuable insights and contributions as we work towards advancing the BioHealth Capital Region.”

Michael Friedlander is the Vice President for health sciences and technology at Virginia Tech, where he also serves as the founding executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and the senior dean for research at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. He has built the institute’s research programs to over $160 million in current grant value with more than 40 research teams and over 450 investigators and students since its founding in 2010. In addition, he has served as the principal investigator on multiple research grants on brain processes that mediate vision, developmental plasticity, and traumatic brain injury. His research has been published in leading journals such as Academic Medicine, Cell, J. Neuroscience, Nature, Neuron, PNAS, and Science.

“I am honored and excited to join the BioHealth Innovation board of directors, and I look forward to collaborating with such a talented group of individuals who are dedicated to advancing the life sciences industry,” said Dr. Michael Friedlander. “Thank you to the board for their trust and confidence in me.”

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is a public-private nonprofit organization focused on accelerating biohealth (therapeutic, diagnostic, medtech, and health IT) commercialization in the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, DC and Virginia). BHI’s team of expert Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, in-house venture analysts, and other professional staff work in the region to:

  • Facilitate technology commercialization,
  • Raise the profile of the industry cluster and individual organizations,
  • Increase access to capital for early stage and growing companies, and
  • Expand the pool of talent with commercially relevant experience.

BHI’s early stage company support includes market research and commercialization plan development; non-dilutive funding application assistance; a jobs board; event calendar; and introductions to investors, strategic partners, business advisors, and potential clients. BHI also manages wet lab space and provides referrals to other space for early stage companies, offers soft-landing support for international companies, and works with partners to co-host the annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum and an annual BioHealth Capital Region investor partnering conference. For more information: www.BioHealthInnovation.org

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Media contacts:
Rich Bendis
Phone: 301-637-6439, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.