Ben Seffrood
Credentials: MBA, MS in Biotechnology
Position title: Manufacturing Finance, Illumina (Madison); Adjunct Professor, MS in Biotechnology Program, UW-Madison
Hemanth Shenoi
Credentials: PhD in Immunology
Position title: Associate Director Product Management, Illumina
Fabio Gaertner
Credentials: PhD
Position title: Assistant Professor, Accounting & Information Systems
Wisconsin School of Business
Martin Ganco
Credentials: PhD in Business Administration
Position title: Associate Professor, Management & Human Resources
Wisconsin School of Business
Course Overview
crb802: Business Fundamentals for Biotechnology
Year 1, Fall Semester (2 credits)
Friday mornings, 8:00am – 12:00pm (every other week)
Irving Shain Conference Room, MGE Innovation Center
University Research Park
There are major challenges inherent in translating scientific discoveries into business success.
This course explores how core business principles apply to the operation of biotechnology companies.
You’ll learn the difference between scientific and commercial opportunities and gain insights into the challenge of balancing product usefulness with positive return on investment.
You’ll learn how to assess a technology in terms of market and feasibility and use appropriate financial tools to evaluate investments and measure overall progress.
You’ll integrate what you’ve learned by conducting an opportunity assessment for a candidate technology.
Session Topics from Fall 2021
Session 1: Marketing Concepts; New Product Development and Marketing Biotech Products
Session 2: History of Biotech; New Product Development and Marketing Biotech Products (cont’d)
Session 3: Sources of Innovation
Session 4: Types and Patterns of Innovation; Introduction to Financial Analysis, Financial Statements, Financial Benchmarking
Session 5: Optical Distortion Case Analysis; Market Analysis and New Product Development
Session 6: Developing Budgets and Analyzing Performance; Optical Distortion (revisited)
Session 7: Final Presentation Day