Contact
Location
Stacey Hall & MR5
Lab
​Box 800759, Health System
​Box 800759, Health System
Charlottesville, VA 22901

David Chen, M.S., M.B.A.

Managing Director, Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research Assistant Dean for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships, UVA Engineering Professor of Practice, Biomedical Engineering
Contact
Location
Stacey Hall & MR5
Lab
​Box 800759, Health System
​Box 800759, Health System
Charlottesville, VA 22901
UVA Coulter Center Biomedical Frontiers Podcast

About

David Chen is a dynamic leader in academic innovation and entrepreneurship with extensive experience at the intersection of biomedical engineering, business, and translational research. As the founding Managing Director of the Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research at the University of Virginia, he oversees a $34 million endowed center dedicated to translating science from the lab to the marketplace. Under his direction, the center has played a key role in launching over 35 startups, which have collectively raised more than $1.5 billion in funding.

In addition to his role at the Coulter Center, David is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Assistant Dean for Innovation & Entrepreneurship for UVA's School of Engineering & Applied Science. In these roles, he has developed five elective courses, founded the VentureForward initiative, and shaped policies to foster a robust innovation ecosystem.  A strong advocate for K-12 STEM education, he has initiated high school outreach programs and created new training models for undergraduates, including the Coulter Fellows internship program. 

Education

B.S. Biology, Liberty University, 1999

M.S. Cell and Developmental Biology, Rutgers University, 2002

M.B.A The Darden School of Business, 2006

"I love science and the process of discovery. I'm intrigued by the impact and social contributions of discovery through translational research, design, instruction, and business."

David Chen Managing Director of UVA's Coulter Center

Research Interests

Translational Research
Entrepreneurship
Technology Transfer
Innovation
Student Industry Preparedness

Courses Taught

BME 3030 Biomedical Engineering Design and Innovation in Medicine
BME 3040 - Regulation & Design of Biomedical Products
BME 4550 Experiential Learning for Your Future
BME 4550 Design of Medical Products

Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research

Over the last 18 years, the Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research at the University of Virginia has funded 115 projects to realize its mission of “science serving humanity.” The Coulter Center awards approximately $900,000 each year to biomedical engineering faculty members and research collaborators from the School of Medicine, the School of Engineering and other areas of the University. They work together to develop new technologies that address unmet clinical needs, improve health care, and lead to commercially available products. 25 Coulter-funded startups have raised $750 million in private capital, enabling the flow of cutting-edge products and processes from labs into clinical practice.
Website

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