THE CENTER FOR RESEARCH INNOVATION
About Us
CRI TEAM
The CRI team is agile and responsive – focused on the translation of University innovations into tangible solutions through licenses, spinouts and collaborations. Our dedication to establishing ongoing dialogue with industry informs Northeastern’s progressive research, enabling a productive balance between exploration and implementation.
EXECUTIVE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jennifer Boyle-Lynch
CONTRACTS
SENIOR COUNSEL-INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Andy Curtin
CONTRACTS ADMINISTRATOR
Lelia Leite
COMMERCIALIZATION
DIRECTOR OF COMMERCIALIZATION
Nancy Wetherbee
SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, COMMERCIALIZATION
Mark Saulich
Physical Sciences Portfolio
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, COMMERCIALIZATION
Sylvia Bonilla, PhD.
COMMERCIALIZATION SPECIALISTS
Commercialization Specialists function as a bridge between Northeastern researchers and industry R&D teams.
MARKETING AND PROGRAMS
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PROGRAMS
PJ Dupuis
OPERATIONS & FINANCE | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS
Veronique Corrdin
FINANCE & OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE
James Ssemata
PATENT COMPLIANCE MANAGER
Melissa Franks
SENIOR PATENT ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
Monika Kasprzak
*CRI supports intellectual property (IP) owned, assigned to, or otherwise controlled by Northeastern University faculty. CRI does not manage IP that is individually owned by students under Northeastern’s Patent and Copyright Policies, including work developed independently without University resources, faculty mentorship, or sponsored research. Students with questions about individually owned IP should work with Evolve, which provides support and resources for student innovation and entrepreneurship.
Meet our specialists
As Commercialization Specialists, they execute a suite of fundamental responsibilities within the field of technology transfer and play a critical role in bringing Northeastern technologies to life in the world’s living rooms, office spaces, and natural habitats.
The CRI partnered with the College of Science to kick off the Commercialization Specialist program. College of Science collaborator, Jared Auclair, Associate Dean of Professional Programs and Graduate Affairs, finds great benefit in the program as it “provides PhD candidates an opportunity to learn about intellectual property and how they can apply their technical training to a non-traditional career path.”
Jane is a PhD Candidate in Bioengineering, blending academic research with practical experience in entrepreneurship and management. She is actively engaged in cutting-edge research at Northeastern University, developing a novel wearable optical device in the Niedre Lab to investigate the dynamics of circulating tumor cells and gain insights into cancer metastasis. She completed a BS at Wake Forest University majoring in Biology and minoring in Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise. She completed a Masters Degree in Biotechnology at Harvard University.
Lynda Kelly
Lynda is the Patent Compliance Manager of Northeastern’s CRI where she is responsible for overseeing IP compliance with regulations and policies related to reporting of inventions under government funding.
Prior to joining Northeastern she was Associate Director in the Technology Transfer office at Worcester Polytechnic Institute since 2010.
Lynda holds a B.A. in Legal Studies from Anna Maria College.
Sylvia is an Associate Director of Commercialization at Northeastern University’s Center for Research Innovation (CRI), where she works with the team on the life sciences portfolio. She brings a unique combination of scientific expertise and commercialization experience, with a background spanning academic innovation, biotechnology, technology transfer, and business development.
Sylvia has expertise in evaluating emerging technologies, developing commercialization and intellectual property strategies, structuring and negotiating licensing and collaborative agreements, and building partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. She has also supported the formation and development of university spinouts and emerging ventures, working with researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry partners to advance technologies from early-stage discovery toward commercial opportunities.
Sylvia earned her PhD in Biological Sciences from Purdue University and her BS in Biology from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Melissa’s role is essential in ensuring absolute regulatory alignment and safeguarding Northeastern University’s federal compliance framework as the Patent Compliance Manager. She oversees critical federal compliance workflows under Bayh-Dole regulations, ensures data integrity, and manages high-volume docketing timelines. By working closely with inventors, legal counsel, and sponsor organizations, Melissa helps streamline the invention lifecycle and safeguard university innovations.
Melissa brings nearly 20 years of deep expertise in technology transfer and intellectual property management from prominent research institutions. Her extensive experience includes directing global patent portfolios, auditing complex operational processes, and spearheading departmental compliance initiatives. Melissa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Franklin University, a specialized Patent Paralegal Certification, and a GenAI certification from Indiana University.
Lelia brings experience in contracts and office management from a leading private hospital in London. In her most recent role as Contracts Manager, she oversaw vendor contract negotiations, service agreements and helped drive cost-effective compliant outcomes.
Lelia holds a Master’s in Media Studies and a Bachelor’s in Mass Media Communications from Rhode Island College and certification in Contracts Management. With an international background and proven administrative acumen, Lelia is well positioned to support efficient operations and contracts administration at CRI
Nancy Wetherbee has more than 25 years of life science executive management expertise encompassing business development, strategic planning, sales and marketing, patent portfolio management, start-up creation in the biopharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostic sectors. She served as Business Development/Innovation Lead at Tufts Medical Center, Inc since 2009. Nancy has held founding executive management positions at emerging biotechnology companies such as Athena Diagnostics (acquired by Elan), Oncormed/GeneLogic, Phytera, Essential Therapeutics, Acusphere, and Transport Pharmaceuticals where she led teams in the therapeutic areas of neurology, oncology, anti-infectives, dermatology, and cardiology.
Her scientific transactional expertise including M & A, licensing, joint ventures, and divestitures has totaled greater than $800 million. Nancy holds a B.A. in Biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College and an M.B.A. from Simmons University Graduate School of Management.
James Ssemata is the Finance & Operations Associate at CRI. He is responsible for ensuring that CRI operations run smoothly. He also maintains the daily financial transactions of CRI ensuring accurate account records and reconciliation of the budget. Prior to joining CRI, James worked for a pharmaceutical and medical device company in a financial role. James hold’s a B.A. in Business Administration with a major in finance and accounts from Makerere University, Kampala.
Jack is a PhD student in theoretical computer science, with a focus on algorithmic fairness. Broadly speaking, his research interests are in developing algorithms that restrict the possibility of bias affecting outcomes while still achieving a result near the perceived optimal.
He received his BS in Computer Science and Physics from Northeastern University in 2023.
Wes is a PhD student in theoretical physics, with a focus on quantum materials and quantum information. He received his BS in Physics and Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh in 2017, after which he completed a Master of Studies degree in Philosophy of Physics at Oxford University.
Wes’s research broadly rests in the study of open quantum systems – systems that are exposed to some form of environmental disturbance. This area is uniquely placed at the intersection of what is theoretically interesting and practically important. On the one hand, the study of open systems is vital to resolving longstanding problems in the foundations of quantum theory. On the other, all quantum systems that serve as the basis for emerging technologies are subject to some degree of environmental interference, which must be well-understood if these technologies are to become practicable.
Justin Hayes
Justin graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2020 with a BS in Chemical Engineering and BA in Spanish. Today, Justin is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow in the Chemical Engineering Department at Northeastern University. He is a member of the Woolston and Koppes Labs where he investigates how the gut microbiome impacts human disease.
Akshaya Udayashankar
Akshaya graduated from SASTRA Deemed University in India in 2021 with a Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology. She is pursuing a Master of Science in Biotechnology degree, with a minor in Enterprise at Northeastern University. In the past, she has worked in the Biofilms laboratory in her alma mater and also with CRI’s commercialization team as a Commercialization Associate.
At CRI, Akshaya manages and analyzes data, processes, and programs for spinouts while supporting various commercialization initiatives and offerings to drive successful technology ventures and partnerships.
Monika’s role is essential in ensuring the protection of Northeastern University’s Intellectual Property assets. She manages the patent docket and ensures compliance with intellectual property regulations. By working closely with inventors, co-application, and outside counselors, Monika helps to foster innovation and facilitate the growth of the university’s Intellectual Property portfolio. Her expertise and dedication are instrumental in guiding inventors thought the invention disclosures process and navigate the complexities of grants and licensing.
Monika has gained valuable knowledge and insights into the lifecycles of patents and trademarks while working in law firms and in-house corporations. This experience has equipped her with a deep understanding of protecting and managing intellectual property assets. Monika holds dual Bachelor’s from Michigan State University, and her Paralegal Certificate further enhanced her skills supporting the legal aspect of intellectual property management.
Elmira Zenger
Elmira Zenger is the Associate Director of Intellectual Property & Contracts Counsel, and in this role, she leads legal negotiations for technology transfer agreements and oversees patent administration. Her portfolio includes a broad range of technology transfer agreements, including licenses, options, research collaborations, and inter-institutional agreements, with a focus on ensuring compliance and the effective protection, management, and commercialization of university-generated innovations. She also provides strategic legal guidance to faculty on intellectual property policies and works closely with researchers to promote awareness of invention protection, in addition to developing operational frameworks to streamline patent administration and contract management.
Earlier in her career, Elmira worked in public media, where she negotiated licensing and distribution agreements, advised on rights clearance and regulatory matters, and handled the legal aspects of grant-funded productions. The experience deepened her understanding of working with complex agreements and regulatory considerations in public-facing, grant-funded environments.
Elmira is licensed to practice law in both Massachusetts and Istanbul. She holds two Master of Laws degrees from Suffolk University and Stockholm University and earned her initial law degree from Marmara University.
Veronique is responsible for the fiscal management, compliance, operations, and HR management of CRI. She will work to ensure smooth and efficient processes and operations for all of CRI, with responsibility for overseeing the IP, Finance, and Administrative teams.
Prior to joining CRI, Veronique was a consultant with over a decade of experience in higher ed administration. She served in leadership roles at Harvard University, most recently as Associate Director of Research Administration & Finance at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). She holds an MBA from Simmons University and a BA from San Diego State University.
Jennifer is the Executive Director of Northeastern’s CRI where she is responsible for formulating the vision and executing the mission of the CRI. By merging her extensive experience in business and academia with a passion for generating real-world solutions, Jennifer facilitates the movement of Northeastern’s use-inspired research from lab to living room. Overseeing CRI programs that educate faculty, accelerate technological development, and spur venture creation, Jennifer stresses operational excellence and the cultivation of enduring relationships between industry leaders and the Northeastern community that catalyze local and global impact.
Prior to becoming Executive Director, Jennifer served as the CRI’s Director of Finance and Operations. Before joining Northeastern in 2010, she worked in the field of Sponsored Research as the International Project Coordinator at Harvard School of Public Health. Her entrepreneurial spirit found expression in Nu-Print, the company she founded and presided over for 14 years before venturing into higher education.
In 2017, Jennifer was the recipient of Northeastern’s prestigious “Outstanding Service Award,” in recognition of her compelling leadership and dedication to innovation.
Andy has over 13 years of intellectual property and litigation experience, covering technologies such as automatic speech recognition, natural language processing, networking and telecommunications, computer vision, and machine learning. Prior to joining Northeastern, Andy served as Senior IP Counsel for the Enterprise and Imaging divisions of Nuance Communications, where he managed the patent procurement process for each division from invention harvesting to end-of-life, performed M&A due diligence for both corporate and IP portfolio acquisitions, and negotiated 3rd party technology in-licenses and joint research agreements with both academic and industrial partners. He held positions as Senior Patent Counsel at 3Com Corporation, as well as Patent Counsel at Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs.
Andy earned his B.S. in Marine Engineering from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 1990 and his JD from Suffolk University Law School in 1997. Between 1990 and 1999 when not attending law school, Andy served as an engineering officer aboard US flagged merchant ships engaged in worldwide trade.
Rhonda facilitates the protection of Northeastern’s intellectual property assets through invention disclosure to patent prosecution and licensing. She manages the patent docket, working closely with inventors and outside counsel to ensure that all deadlines are met, and oversees the University’s compliance with government reporting in regards to federally funded inventions.
Prior to joining CRI, Rhonda held positions at Babson College and Lasell College, as well as ran her own business as a manufacturer’s sales representative. She is pursuing a Masters in Legal Studies here at Northeastern, and holds a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Southern Indiana.
Mark Saulich has spent the past 15 years focused on open innovation and technology commercialization. He has assisted entities ranging from Fortune 1000 companies to startups, in sourcing external innovations, as well as in out-licensing their own intellectual property. At CRI, Mark is focused on helping take Northeastern research from lab to market. In moving beyond traditional one-off license models and forging long term, collaborative partnerships with industry, he seeks to create greater value for both sides. Prior to joining the CRI, Mark spent several years at yet2.com, a technology transfer intermediary, assisting companies with technology scouting and licensing.
Katie Hemphill
As Director of Technology Ventures and Talent Network, Katie leads the development of a pipeline that encourages the discovery, formation, launch and growth of new ventures. In addition to managing the various venture programs at CRI, she continues to cultivate a team of executive talent who mentor and support spinouts as they launch and scale. Katie plays a pivotal role in enhancing Northeastern’s thriving entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem by partnering with existing internal and external stakeholders.
Prior to joining CRI, Katie served as Associate Director of the McCarthy(s) Venture Mentoring Network (VMN) at Northeastern’s Center for Entrepreneurship Education at D’Amore-McKim School of Business. The VMN is a global network of volunteer mentors who give time and talent to early-stage startups based on timely business challenges. The program grew in community size, offerings, and opportunities under Katie’s leadership. Prior to joining Northeastern in 2016, Katie executed project implementation of a software service from start to finish for a digital healthcare company, consulting with senior leaders to ensure that product offerings provided tangible solutions for healthcare institutions.
Katie holds a B.A. in Communications and Arts Administration from Stonehill College, a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration and a M.S. in Project Management from Northeastern University.
As Marketing Communications Manager, Elizabeth works to increase the CRI’s brand awareness by creating and managing all communications and marketing strategies. Prior to her work at CRI, she worked in the food & beverage industry where she built and directed comprehensive marketing strategies that increased brand awareness and boosted lead generation.
Elizabeth holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Spanish from Merrimack College and a Master of Science degree in Global Marketing Management at Boston University.
Jacqui Mitchell proficiently supports the overall management, operational integrity, and recording accuracy of Northeastern’s intellectual property licenses. She maintains the daily financial transactions of CRI ensuring accurate account records and reconciliation of the budget. In addition, she manages the CRI’s technical infrastructure, including the Intellectual Property database and CRI’s proprietary software.
Prior to joining the CRI, Jacqui was a charismatic environmental science educator for a number of New England nonprofit organizations. She received a B.A in Environmental Science and M.A. in Biology from Clark University.
Vaibhav Saini, PhD, is the Senior Commercialization Manager at CRI. Vaibhav enjoys technology transfer and business development activities to support early-stage research commercialization, for example, new research tools, small molecules, biologics, data/AI in healthcare, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
Previously, he performed business and technology development at MilliporeSigma, Merck KGaA, a 352-year-old global science and technology company. As Licensing Director for Life Sciences at the University of Connecticut, he encouraged academic-industry interactions and increased licensing and startup formation activities for technologies in chemistry, biomedical engineering, medical devices, drug development, animal health, and agriculture. As an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, he researched hormonal regulation of osteoporosis, alopecia, and hepatic steatosis. Most recently, as Sr. Business Development and Licensing Manager at Dartmouth College, he performed marketing and licensing activities for early-stage technologies and startups in life sciences.
PJ is the Director of Marketing and Programs for Northeastern’s CRI. She promotes the visibility and enhances the reputation of Northeastern’s technology transfer of researchers and entrepreneurs via cross-platform marketing and events. Marketing efforts educate and inspire the research community engaging CRI’s suite of patent, commercialization and venture services.
PJ has an extensive background in marketing and program management supporting higher education, health and wealth benefits, and the financial industry. She holds a Masters in Education from American International College and a Bachelor of Science from Northeastern University.