The Clemson University Research Foundation welcomes Dr. Alan Alfano and Clarissa Williams to its team.
Alan will be working as a technology commercialization officer (TCO) with Clemson inventors on biomedical, bioengineering, and life sciences technologies, among others. Clarissa will serve as CURF marketing manager, working to help CURF launch new marketing initiatives.
Alan completed a dual BS degree from Towson University (molecular biology/chemistry) in 2009, and subsequently earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, School of Medicine (molecular medicine) in 2015. His thesis work focused on drug resistance and metastatic spread of aggressive prostate cancer. During his time as a Ph.D. student at UMSOM, Alan also completed a technology development internship with UMVentures (UMB Technology Transfer Office), where he assisted senior staff in conducting commercial analysis and targeted marketing of selected technologies.
Following completion of his Ph.D. work at UMSOM, Alan completed a post-doctoral Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA) Fellowship at the National Cancer Institute Technology Transfer Center (NCI-TTC). As a fellow at NCI TTC, Alan worked to perform a variety of invention development activities for clinicians and researchers at the NIH/NCI Center for Cancer Research. His primary subject areas of invention management/expertise include: oncology (general), experimental transplants, immunology and immunotherapeutics (e.g. novel antibodies, CARs, ADCs, RITs, etc.), vaccine development, radiation oncology, molecular diagnostics, genetics, and software/digital solutions.
Through his work in disease research, and his biotech business experience at UMB and NCI, Alan has developed skills that will enable him to learn and adapt quickly in his new role as a TCO with CURF. Please welcome him; he is looking forward to working with you!
Clarissa comes to CURF with a wealth of knowledge in branding, social media management, website development, and graphic design. Before accepting the marketing manager position with CURF, Clarissa was the training and communications coordinator at Clemson University in the Office of Sponsored Programs. While there, she redeveloped the office website, managed social media platforms, and coordinated a number of campus-wide events.
Clarissa completed a BA degree in English from Clemson University in 2013 and later received her MS in Marketing, also from Clemson University, in 2017. Through her education and years working in the marketing industry, Clarissa has developed skills that will allow her to successfully adapt to her new role as marketing manager at CURF so that she is able to build the CURF brand by increasing engagement and awareness on and offline.
