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Evan Facher has been named the inaugural associate dean for commercial translation in the Â鶹´«Ã½ Â鶹´«Ã½ of Medicine, effective July 1.

Facher is also vice chancellor for innovation and entrepreneurship and director of the Innovation Institute at the Â鶹´«Ã½. This new appointment formalizes the role Facher has played in the Â鶹´«Ã½ of Medicine over the past several years in promoting the commercial potential of faculty and student innovations and in working with regional businesses to enhance the life sciences innovation ecosystem in the Pittsburgh region.

In his new role, Facher will continue this work with a stronger connection to the health sciences. He will also provide direct accountability to the commercialization needs of the health sciences, especially entrepreneurial activities to advance Pitt’s biomedical research into companies and therapies that benefit people in the region and around the world.

Facher has a long history of leadership in the biotech industry. Most recently, he was president and CEO of SironRX Therapeutics, a private, clinical-stage company developing novel drug therapies. Prior to this, he worked in Bayer’s medical device division as general manager of its Pittsburgh interventional business. He holds a PhD in human genetics from the Â鶹´«Ã½ and an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship from the Weatherhead Â鶹´«Ã½ of Management at Case Western Reserve University.