PROVIDENCE – Patrice Milos will serve as interim president of the Rhode Island Life Science Hub beginning July 1, the hub’s board announced Tuesday.
“I’m honored that the board has entrusted me with this role at such a critical point in the evolution of the Life Science Hub,” Milos said
. “We are ready to make significant strides in the life sciences sector and position the Hub as a center of innovation and excellence.”
As interim president, Milos will be in charge of the hub’s daily operations and achieving short term goals while also positioning the quasi-public agency for future growth.
Under the agreement, Milos will start with a three month term that is automatically extended by 30 days unless either side decides not to extend it. Milos will earn $25,000 per month, with no withholding or benefits.
“Patrice Milos is the perfect choice to lead the Hub at this early stage of its development and has the confidence of our board,” said Neil Steinberg, chairman of the hub’s board of directors
. “Her vision, energy and experience are exactly what we need to maintain the Hub’s initial momentum and continue to establish a path forward to realize its enormous potential here in Rhode Island.”
Indeed, the hub, which held its first board meeting in January, has had a busy start. The hub recently announced a new Small Grant Fund to support the growth of the life science industry in Rhode Island. Also, more than 500 people attended its Inaugural Summit in May and the board issued a competitive RFP for a developer or partner to create wet lab and incubator spaces in Rhode Island.
“It’s an exciting time to be taking the interim helm of the Hub and I’m thrilled to be in this position, setting the organization up for future success,” said Milos
. “Rhode Island possesses all the elements for success in the life sciences - a commitment from our state’s leaders and academia, early-stage investors and industry experts with energy, vision and innovative ideas.”
She noted momentum is building within Rhode Island’s life science industry as there has been progress to commercialization with two new life science buildings at Brown University and the University of Rhode Island in the works along with the RFP for lab space.
“We have a unique opportunity to bring these pieces together to create a vibrant ecosystem that supports groundbreaking advancements in the life science industry for patients and great jobs for Rhode Islanders,” Milos said.
Milos will take on the role while the hub’s search for a full-time CEO and president continues in the coming months and she will not be a candidate for the permanent position, which is subjected to advice and consent by the Senate.
Steinberg previously set a “long shot” goal of selecting a CEO by the end of May, but shifted plans to elect an interim president as the search took longer than expected. Selecting a permanent leader remains one of the board’s top priorities, he said.
On Tuesday Steinberg said he hopes to have top candidates narrowed down in September or October.
“Given how important it is to select the right person to be CEO of the Hub, the board is taking great care to make certain that whoever is chosen is the best fit for the job,” Steinberg said.
“We will continue to seek someone with the tools to collaborate with academia, the private sector and government to realize a vision for the Hub that maximizes the tremendous potential of Rhode Island in the life sciences.”
Milos, a Cranston resident, has more than 30 years of experience in the industry, including post-doctoral work at Brown and Harvard University. She was also a founding member of RI BIO and played a key role in the 2019 RI BIO report that laid the foundation for the hub, according to a news release.
Milos co-founded Medley Genomics, a Rhode Island startup from Brown University focused on data analytics for complex diseases like cancer. She has also served as executive director of Angel Group and was CEO of Claritas Genomics, which came out of Boston Children’s Hospital. Also, while at Pfizer she worked her way up to executive director of Molecular Medicine and then the Boston Site Head for the Centers of Therapeutic Innovation.
She is also a member of the Brown University Biomedical Innovations to Impact Fund, a founding member of the RIHub Venture Mentoring Services and is a senior advisor to several biotech companies.
Milos will step down as co-chair of the RI BIO board on June 30, while continuing to serve on the board and she will take a leave from the board of the Slater Technology Fund. She will also relinquish her role as corporate secretary of the hub’s board, but remain a board member.
“Patrice is an exceptional leader who understands the needs of Rhode Island’s growing innovation ecosystem and life sciences sector and I look forward to continuing to work with her,” Steinberg said. “
With Patrice in the role, we are poised to build on our strong initial progress.”
Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.