The appointment, announced by David Wilkes, M.D., executive associate dean for research affairs, and Anantha Shekhar, director of the Indiana CTSI, is effective July 1.
Dr. Yoder, who is the Richard and Pauline Klingler Professor of Pediatrics and director of the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, will work directly with faculty and with the IU Research and Technology Corp., the University’s technology transfer organization, to boost commercialization and patents of school of medicine scientific discoveries.
“One of my immediate priorities is to find innovative ways to enhance the disclosure of intellectual property from the vast amount of research and clinical discovery conducted by the faculty of the medical school and get it into the hands of IURTC where experienced business and legal teams can transform it into feasible commercial entities,” said Dr. Yoder.
Dr. Yoder also will work to develop close advisory and partnering relationships with the IU School of Law and the Kelley School of Business as well as Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame.
Dr. Yoder will retain his current appointments at the medical school which also include professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, adjunct professor of cellular and integrative physiology, and vice-chair for basic research in the Department of Pediatrics.
Dr. Yoder has been a member of the School of Medicine faculty since 1988. His research has focused on adult stem cells that are responsible for production of blood and blood vessel cells. He is co-founder of the Indianapolis life sciences company Endgenitor Technologies and is a former president of the International Society for Experimental Hematology.