Cliff Michaels, former interim director of the Office of Technology Transfer at Emory University, has been named director of Georgia State University’s Office of Technology Licensing & Commercialization, which helps university scientists bring their inventions and discoveries from the lab into the marketplace.

Michaels spent 13 years in the Office of Technology Transfer. He holds a doctorate in neuroscience from Emory.

“We are thrilled to welcome Cliff as head of the technology and commercialization office,” said Michael Eriksen, interim vice president of research and economic development at Georgia State. “He brings incredible energy and a wealth of experience in patenting, licensing and startup development, and will be a valuable resource for our faculty.”

Over the past decade, research expenditures at Georgia State have more than doubled, making the university one of the fastest-growing research institutions in the nation. Georgia State is home to many renowned scientists who are developing software, vaccines, drugs and other technologies with the potential to address significant challenges in the clinic and beyond.

“I’m excited to join a university with a rapidly expanding research base that is diverse and full of potential,” Michaels said. “I look forward to working with Georgia State’s faculty and drawing on my experiences from Emory to support and grow a culture of innovation at the university.”

In addition to his work at Emory, Michaels has held leadership positions with the Association of University Technology Managers, the leading industry association for technology transfer professionals, and Georgia Bio, a private nonprofit organization that promotes the life sciences industry and university research in Georgia.