Welcome, Laurent Balenci!

We are pleased to welcome Laurent Balenci to the UHN Commercialization Team! Laurent joins us in the role of Principal, Business Development and Commercialization – UHN Research Institutes (UHNRI).

In this role, Laurent will lead the advancement of high-potential medical technologies emerging from UHN, spanning neurosciences, autoimmune disease, ophthalmology, and cell therapy approaches.

Working closely with researchers across UHNRI, he will help shape a solid commercialization strategy, with a focus on de-risking and positioning key technologies for investment, partnership, and clinical translation—advancing a diverse and impactful pipeline toward real-world application.

Laurent brings nearly two decades of leadership experience across the biotech and biopharma sectors, including company creation, drug development, and strategic transactions. He has co-founded multiple life sciences ventures and led more than 40 development programs from early discovery through clinical stages, including advancing small molecule therapeutics into the clinic. He has also contributed to over a dozen start-ups and supported approximately $70 million in financing through partnerships, licensing, and venture investment.

He has held advisory and Entrepreneur-in-Residence roles across leading academic and investment environments, including McGill University, where he worked alongside researchers and technology transfer teams to identify, develop, and position high-potential innovations for commercialization.

Laurent holds a PhD in Neurobiology from the University of Grenoble Alpes and an Executive MBA from the University of Washington. His experience bridging science, strategy, and capital will further strengthen UHN’s ability to translate discovery into impact for patients everywhere.

Please join us in welcoming Laurent to the team!

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