Stephen J. Susalka

Stephen J. Susalka, BS, PhD

Associate Director

ssusalka@wakehealth.edu   

 336-716-3729 

Dr. Susalka is responsible for evaluating, protecting and commercializing inventions across the Wake Forest campuses, as well as technology transfer outreach, education and operations functions.

Steve is active in the Winston-Salem community and currently serves as a co-chair of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce’s Technology Council.  He is also active in the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) and is the Assistant Vice President of the Annual Meeting – an event that draws 1700+ technology transfer professionals from around the world.  Steve directs the OTAM Technology Transfer Graduate Student Internship Program which has hosted over 15 WFU/WFSM graduate students since its inception in 2008.  He also teaches a graduate level course titled “Principles of Intellectual Property Development” that is offered in the Spring semester.

Steve currently serves on the Board of Directors of PureLux, Inc. – a start-up company based on technology from the WFU Center for Nanotechnology & Molecular Materials that is located in the Piedmont Triad Research Park.  He has a strong working knowledge of the various business, scientific, and legal aspects of the technology transfer process, and is a registered U.S. Patent Agent.

Steve came to the Wake Forest School of Medicine from the University of Virginia Patent Foundation in 2005.  Previously, he earned his doctorate in Neuroscience in August 2002 from the University of Virginia. His doctoral work focused on the composition of the microtubule motor complex, cytoplasmic dynein.  Prior to that, Steve had double-majored in Biology and Psychology at the College of William and Mary where he earned a Bachelor of Science.