[Lebanon, NH] – Celdara Medical today celebrates the extraordinary contributions of Lita Nelsen as she retires from our Board of Directors after a decade of transformative leadership and visionary guidance. In honor of her unparalleled impact on the field of technology transfer, and her many contributions to our company, Celdara Medical is proud to announce the creation of the Lita Nelsen Prize.
The Lita Nelsen Prize will be awarded annually to the Celdara Fellow who demonstrates exceptional achievement in technology transfer. Honoring Lita’s legacy, the prize celebrates excellence in innovation sourcing, due diligence, and development planning. Recipients of this award will reflect her hallmark qualities of bold leadership, insight, and rigorous execution, serving as role models in advancing impactful innovation.
Lita, a trailblazer in technology transfer, served as the Director of MIT’s Technology Licensing Office for 24 years. During her tenure, she managed more than 500 new inventions annually, facilitated the launch of dozens of startups per year, and set global standards for university-industry collaborations. Her leadership extended beyond MIT as a past-President of the Association of University Technology Managers, Cofounder of PraxisUnico, Director of the State of Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Corporation, and Advisor to NIH and US Congress. Lita’s numerous honors and awards include the Lifetime Achievement Award from Xconomy, the Henri A. Termeer Innovative Leadership Award from MassBio, and being named as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for her work in innovation and technology transfer in the United Kingdom.
Lita’s career began with a foundation in chemical engineering at MIT, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, followed by a Sloan Fellowship for her Master’s in Management. Before joining MIT’s TLO, she spent 20 years in industry focusing on membrane separations, medical devices, and biotechnology. Her legacy includes numerous publications that have shaped best practices in the field and mentorship of countless professionals worldwide.
“Lita has not only elevated Celdara Medical but also shaped the landscape of technology transfer and translational research globally,” said Jake Reder, CEO of Celdara Medical. “Through this prize, we hope to inspire future leaders to follow in her remarkable footsteps, transforming groundbreaking ideas into beneficial societal impact.”
Celdara Medical is privileged to have benefited from Lita’s expertise and is committed to carrying forward her mission of advancing human health through innovation.
For more information about the Lita Nelsen Prize or Celdara Medical, please visit www.celdaramedical.com.
About Celdara Medical
Celdara Medical TM was founded by Drs. Jake Reder and Michael Fanger in 2008 and is headquartered at the Dartmouth Regional Technology Center (DRTC) in Lebanon, NH. Celdara Medical builds academic and early-stage innovations into high-potential medical companies, identifying discoveries of exceptional value at the earliest stages and moving them toward the market. Celdara Medical partners with inventors and their institutions, providing the developmental, financial, and business acumen required to bridge discovery and profitability. With robust funding options, a diverse and high impact Programmatic pipeline, and partnerships with world-class academic institutions and industry leaders, Celdara Medical navigates all aspects of a complex industry, accelerating science to improve human health. Further information about Celdara Medical is available at celdaramedical.com.