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Dr Leong Mar is an experienced entrepreneur and intrapreneur and passionate innovator with a unique combination of commercial, technical leadership and board experience from over 25 years in the private and research sectors. Leong has extensive hands-on experience across the innovation life cycle, from ideation and invention to research and development, IP management and licensing, venture creation and capital raising. He has been involved in numerous tech startups in roles such as founder, mentor, advisor and non-executive director.

Prior to joining the University of Sydney Leong was at CSIRO in several roles including Commercial Initiatives Director, Commercial Director for the Missions Program and Commercialisation Manager. He has been on Uniseed’s Investment Committee since 2018 and the NSW Government Physical Sciences Fund Investment Sub Committee since 2019. Leong was also served at DuPont Australia for 10 years in a number of roles including Technical Centre Manager, Corporate Business Growth and Innovation Leader. 

Leong has a BSc(Hons) and PhD from UNSW and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Follow Leong on LinkedIn

Jeremy Cohen has a background in the finance sector and Intellectual Property (IP) advisory. His professional journey commenced in South Africa, where he specialised in equity and debt placements for small-cap and private enterprises within the industrial and mining sectors. After relocating to Australia for further studies and work, he played a pivotal role in securing funds and fostering the growth of a small software company operating in Australia and Holland.

Jeremy worked at the Australian Bond Exchange before joining EverEdge Global, a renowned firm specialising in IP advisory, valuation, and transactions. In this role, he collaborated seamlessly with IP lawyers and consultants, conducting comprehensive IP assessments, valuations, and structuring licensing agreements. His responsibilities extended to managing engagements with both listed and unlisted company clients.

Jeremy's qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce in Law, a Graduate Diploma of Management, and certification as a Financial Modelling Valuation Analyst.

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Dr Julius Juarez is a broadly skilled professional with global experience working across academic research and the pharmaceutical industry in Drug Discovery and Medical Affairs. He has proven collaborative leadership skills and experience in developing and directing medical/scientific strategies.

Prior to his current position, Julius was an Associate Director of Strategy and Operations in GI drug discovery at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Boston. He is passionate about translating and commercialising innovative research and has led several successful industry-academic collaborations. He has worked in a number of therapeutic areas including Immunology, Gastroenterology, Oncology/Haematology, and Virology. He has a PhD from The University of Sydney and was a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellow at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Julius completed a program at Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship, focusing on the transition from science to business.

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Sally Hunter is a skilled Project Manager with extensive knowledge of the research commercialisation process and tech transfer from over 11 years of experience in the Commercialisation Office.

Sally's expertise lies in spearheading various initiatives within the Commercialisation Office, notably leading projects such as the CDIP Fund, Strategic Impact Proof-of-Concept Fund, and commercial contract management. Sally's extensive background also encompasses roles in intellectual property management at eWater Group and brand management for Stefano Manfredi. With a dynamic career spanning glass artistry, marketing, and sales, Sally brings a diverse skill set to her current role, demonstrating her commitment to innovation and project success.

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Emma-Louise Hunsley is an experienced commercialisation professional passionate about taking research ideas through to real world solutions. Over the past decade she has commercialised technologies in Australia and New Zealand in both university and hospital settings.  Emma-Louise is specialised in the commercialisation of healthcare related technologies and works with researchers, clinicians, and industry to improve healthcare outcomes worldwide.

Emma-Louise is responsible for the assessment, protection and commercialisation of intellectual property developed by University of Sydney researchers, including the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator.

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Lisa Linssen spent six years as General Manager of RingIR, a start-up company she helped co-found that developed real-time detection systems for hazardous gases, vapours and aerosols. In this role, Lisa managed the Australian operations and secured and delivered several multimillion-dollar contracts with government, defence and industry partners, demonstrating her strategic and executional skills. Lisa has also been a commercialisation manager at NewSouth Innovations, the technology transfer arm of UNSW and also held business development roles at multinational companies, Akzo Nobel, Toyota Tsusho and Huntsman Chemicals.

Lisa has Bachelor’s degrees in Business and Applied Science as well as a Master of Intellectual Property, specialising in technology transfer and intellectual property commercialisation/globalisation.

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Natasha Rawlings is a tech entrepreneur who has led, founded and mentored early and mid-stage tech start-ups, with a particular focus on creating revenue through sales and marketing. Natasha has also been a deep-tech early-stage investor working in the university space and has held several board positions in early-stage start-ups. Before start-ups, Natasha had a successful career as a marketer and product developer in Australian and UK companies including Marketing Director of International Masters Publishers (publishing), Guthy-Renker (cosmetics and fitness), and she led innovation/ new revenue streams at News Corporation in the UK.

Natasha holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

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Dr Lulu Xue is a Commercialisation Manager at the University of Sydney, overseeing the Faculty of Engineering portfolio.

As a registered trans-Tasman patent and trademark attorney, she brings a unique blend of expertise in physical science and intellectual property protection.

Holding a Master's Degree in Intellectual Property Law and a PhD in Chemical Engineering, Lulu is dedicated to aligning intellectual property assets with strategic commercial objectives. Her passion lies in efficiently bridging the gap between research endeavours and practical real-world applications.

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Dr Taylor Syme is a technology transfer professional who bridges the gap between academia and industry. He firmly believes in the transformative power of academic research, viewing it as a key driving force behind improving our societal, environmental, and economic conditions. He is passionate about working closely with his peers to provide a commercial lens and to help them achieve impact with their research through commercialisation. Taylor is responsible for evaluating and protecting research in the medical and biotech space that is suitable for commercialisation, and identifying partners and negotiating deals with them to achieve a route to market. He has relationships with and understands the needs of a diverse range of stakeholders, such as pharmaceutical firms, start-ups, deep tech ventures, government entities, universities, healthcare, incubators and non-for-profits.

Taylor has a PhD in Molecular Biology and Neuroimmunology, and a Bachelor of Science (Molecular Biology and Genetics) with Honours, both from the University of Sydney.

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Dr Melitta Jercher is an experienced European patent attorney with a proven track record as an IP specialist in various roles and industries. Skilled in all aspects of European Patent Law, Melitta's scientific expertise covers Chemistry, Materials Science and Life Sciences. She has deep knowledge and experience in managing and developing large IP portfolios. She combines strong analytical skills with a methodical problem-solving approach to achieve targeted results.

Melitta holds a PhD in Natural Sciences and is a qualified European patent attorney.

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