Michael Samardzija, PhD, JD, Comes Aboard as Associate Vice President for Research Development

LOMA LINDA >> Michael Samardzija, PhD, JD, joined the Loma Linda University Health department of research affairs as associate vice president for research development earlier this year. Samardzija, who pronounces his name “Sam-AR-jia,” began work at Loma Linda on Monday, February 1, although he has been actively consulting on a number of issues for the university since January. He brings an extensive background to the position. As an intellectual property attorney with over 28 years’ experience in the life sciences and clean technology sectors—equally divided at 14 years each as a research scientist and an attorney—Samardzija is uniquely poised to spearhead the move to take research findings from the laboratories of Loma Linda to the markets and consumers of the world. The focus of Samardzija’s career has been to assist life sciences and clean technology companies in securing, transferring, commercializing, and asserting the rights to their innovations. His experience in patent prosecution and strategy, technology transfer, licensing, technology and product development, acquisition, strategic alliance, product distribution, and related matters will enhance the university’s effectiveness in bringing research products to market and protecting the interests of the organization and its researchers. “As Loma Linda University Health’s new associate vice president of research development,” Samardzija says, “I will seek to develop an innovation culture on campus and improve on industry collaborations.” Prior to moving to Loma Linda, Samardzija served as: •Partner and counsel for Dentons US LLP, the world’s largest law firm •Partner for Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP, of Houston, Texas •Director of intellectual property at University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center •Director of intellectual property and legal affairs at NeurogesX,Inc. •Associate at Skjervern Morrill MacPherson of San Francisco, CA •Judicial extern for the United States District Court in San Diego, CA •Senior research scientist at Alliance Pharmaceutical, Inc. •Postdoctoral fellow at University of California, San Diego; and as •Postdoctoral fellow at Bockus Research Institute, the Graduate Hospital and the Department of Physiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Samardzija holds a PhD degree in physiology from Loma Linda University School of Medicine, and a JD degree from University of San Diego School of Law. While working on his PhD, he served as President of the Student Body Association and as a columnist for the Courier, student newspaper. He is married to Maya, a real estate broker. They have three sons: Luka, 13, Marko, 11, and Filip, 5. “We all enjoy reading, swimming, hiking, and bicycling,” Samardzija concludes.