Robert Keefer
Dr. Keefer has 20 plus years experience in business, finance, and marketing for Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies, and for a number of start-ups and emerging biotech, diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies. His PhD in medical biochemistry complements his knowledge of business when developing insights and strategies for commercializing a broad range of molecular, cellular and systems-based technologies for client companies.
Dr. Keefer has held executive positions at Smith-Kline Beecham (now Quest Diagnostics, Inc) where he managed clinical laboratories in St. Louis and developed their new business unit in Chicago. Later he led three venture capital backed start-up firms, Enviroquest Inc., Analytical Technologies Inc. and Vista Information Solutions Inc. in California. All continue to operate today. Most recently, he directed the business development activities leading to $125 million in financing for CIIT Centers for Health Research in Research Triangle Park, NC.
As a business development professional, Dr. Keefer has worked with a broad range of life science and information technology companies on strategic partnerships, technology licensing deals, technology assessments, business start-ups, and corporate financing. Clients include GlaxoSmithKline-Beecham, Wilmington Pharma, Addrenex Pharmaceuticals, Oxford GlycoSciences, Corning, Dupont, BioSignia, Nanogen, Icoria, Bioptigen, Metabolon, and Integrated Clinical Trial Services.
Dr. Keefer received his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Nebraska Medical School and completed MBA-level studies in finance and organizational development. As an industry leader, Dr. Keefer is on the BioFusion Partnering Advisory Board in Atlanta, a founder of the NC Life Sciences Business Development Professionals Group and is a frequent speaker on licensing trends at major meetings, most recently, the 20th Annual Bear Stearns Healthcare Conference in New York.
