SAN DIEGO and LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocom, the organization that has been driving the success of Southern California's life science industry for more than 20 years, today announced the launch of its Los Angeles operations and the appointment of Dina Lozofsky as executive director of the new office.

Biocom's goal in Los Angeles is to accelerate the growth of a thriving, dynamic life sciences community, leveraging the many building blocks already in place. Nearly 300 biopharmaceutical and medical device companies call Los Angeles County home, in addition to some of the nation's finest teaching hospitals and biomedical research organizations. The area also boasts a highly skilled talent pool of life science graduates, many with advanced degrees.

"Los Angeles as a region has enormous potential to unify and thrive as a successful life science cluster," said Joe Panetta, President and CEO of Biocom.  "As we listen to the needs of the industry, we see activities and programs we can introduce, and best practices we can offer, to promote the success of L.A. as a life science powerhouse.  Our long-term goal is to bring a strong, cohesive voice that advocates for the industry, venture capital funding, regulatory pathways, partnerships, technology transfer, and talent retention.  We recognize a trend of entrepreneurs taking innovations they discovered in Los Angeles to companies in other parts of the country for further development and commercialization.  As an experienced industry organization, Biocom can help bring together the elements needed to create a thriving life science community in Los Angeles."

In San Diego, Biocom has fostered one of the largest, most active life science clusters in the world. Biocom's Los Angeles office will work closely with Biocom's cadre of existing members in Los Angeles county, as well as other key industry stakeholders, to identify the unique needs and opportunities of the region.

"Los Angeles has enormous potential to harness its strengths in life science to become a true powerhouse for innovation, on par with other leading life science clusters of the world," said Ms. Lozofsky. "With the launch of Biocom's Los Angeles office, work will begin immediately to set and act upon goals for the region."        

Ms. Lozofsky brings more than two decades of experience in the science and technology industries of Southern California, where she has specialized in transferring ideas from academic institutions to entrepreneurs, and in commercializing those technologies once they are brought in house. Most recently, she served as associate director for licensing and business development at University of California, Santa Barbara's Office of Technology and Industry Alliances, where she designed, launched and led a program to mentor and support startup companies formed around UCSB technology. She also has worked in the technology transfer offices of both University of California, Los Angeles and University of Southern California, and has served in various private sector roles including as vice president of corporate development for a next generation solar company, Solarmer Energy. Ms. Lozofsky is active on the board of the Los Angeles Venture Association and is a registered patent agent. She holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from USC's Marshall School of Business.

About Biocom

Biocom is one of the largest regional life science associations in the world, representing 750 member companies in Southern California. The association focuses on initiatives that position the region's life science industry competitively on the world stage, and on the development and delivery of innovative products that improve health and quality of life. For more information on Biocom's new office to serve the life science community in the greater Los Angeles region, please visit: www.biocomla.org.

For more information on Biocom or the Southern California biotechnology and medical device community, please visit the organization's Web site at www.biocom.org. Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter (@BIOCOMCA).

Biocom Media Contact:
Heidi Chokeir
Canale Communications
Heidi@canalecomm.com
(619) 849-5377

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SOURCE Biocom

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