The Rice Biotech Launch Pad, a Houston-based accelerator focused on expediting the translation of Rice University’s health and medical technology discoveries into cures, today announced the appointment of two new members to its leadership team: Amanda Nash and Kelsey L. Swingle. Both bring extensive academic and industry experience to the Launch Pad, furthering its mission to bridge the gap between academic innovation and commercial development. With expertise across bioengineering, therapeutics development and translational research, Nash and Swingle will add a valuable perspective to the Launch Pad leadership team.
“We are honored to welcome Amanda and Kelsey to our team,” said Omid Veiseh, faculty director of the Launch Pad. “As accomplished scientists and leaders in translational research, they bring the expertise and vision needed to guide our entrepreneurs in transforming breakthrough discoveries into therapies that will improve patient lives worldwide. Their deep understanding of both the scientific rigor required for successful innovation and the commercial strategies necessary to bring these technologies to market will be invaluable as we continue to build our portfolio of lifesaving medical technologies.”
“Returning to Rice represents a full-circle moment in my career, from conducting my doctoral research here to gaining strategic insights at McKinsey and now bringing that combined perspective back to advance Houston’s biotech ecosystem,” Nash said. “The Launch Pad represents exactly the kind of translational bridge our industry needs. I look forward to helping researchers navigate the complex path from discovery to commercialization.”
“What draws me to the Rice Biotech Launch Pad is its commitment to addressing the most pressing unmet medical needs,” Swingle said. “My research in women’s health has shown me how innovation at the intersection of biomaterials and medicine can tackle challenges that have been overlooked for far too long. I am thrilled to join a team that shares this vision of using cutting-edge science to create meaningful impact for underserved patient populations.”
Nash joins Rice as an assistant professor in the Department of Bioengineering, where she leads a research program focused on developing cell communication technologies to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases and aging. Previously, Nash trained as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co., where she specialized in business development, portfolio strategy and operational excellence for pharmaceutical and medtech companies. Nash earned her doctorate in bioengineering from Rice, where she worked with Veiseh to develop implantable cytokine factories for the treatment of ovarian cancer, and her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Houston.
Swingle, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, also joins Rice as an assistant professor in bioengineering. Her research focuses on engineering lipid-based nanoparticle technologies for drug delivery to reproductive tissues, including the placenta. She completed her doctorate in bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania, where she developed novel mRNA lipid nanoparticles for the treatment of preeclampsia. Swingle received her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University.