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Susi Varvayanis
Director of Applied Resources
Cornell University
Center for Life Science Enterprise
Ithaca NY
As Director of Applied Resources at the Institute for Biotechnology and Life Science Technologies, Susi’s varied responsibilities within the Center for Life Science Enterprise include business development, public affairs, administration, and science communication. In partnership with New York companies, the Center supports Cornell faculty research and development programs leading to economic development for the state resulting in almost 200 new or retained jobs and over $26M in impact in the last three years, and an average of 3 company startups a year. Susi also manages the prestigious University-wide Presidential Life Science Fellowship Program.
Previously, during her tenure at the NIH lab of Robert Gallo she developed non-standard techniques for culturing and identifying retroviruses leading to the first AIDS testing kits. While at Biotech Research Laboratories, Inc., a Maryland startup emanating from NIH researchers, she did seminal work on the first herpes virus to be discovered in 30 years, resulting in a Science publication. At Cornell University she held various cell culture, cancer biology and flow cytometry laboratory research and managerial positions and co-authored over 30 peer reviewed publications on novel research.
On the side, she co-founded Lakeview Geneva, a commercial real estate management firm, and Varvayanis Farms which now deals in cash crops. Her background includes a BA in Biological Sciences and French, and a Master's in Microbiology & Immunology. A dual citizen, her past includes teaching English and French to international students in Switzerland.