Local entrepreneur will help grow tenant base for the UM BioPark and foster research/industry partnerships for the University

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) today announced the appointment of Marco Chacón, PhD, as Assistant Vice President, Industry Alliances. In this role, Dr. Chacón, a seasoned biopharmaceutical executive and entrepreneur, will work with the Office of Research and Development, UM Ventures, and University of Maryland BioPark teams, leading special projects to grow the BioPark tenant base and strengthen the University’s research collaborations with industry.

“Marco is a distinguished scientist, entrepreneur, and biopharma CEO who has spent many years working as a valued member of the UM BioPark community,” said James L. Hughes, Vice President and Chief Enterprise & Economic Development Officer and president of the corporation that manages the UM BioPark. “His accomplishments leading a successful contract development and manufacturing organization, along with his deep industry and government connections, make him a superb addition to our team at UMB.”

“This strategic role with University of Maryland represents a homecoming to the very institution that trained me as I’m a graduate of University of Maryland, College Park, and I love the UM system,” said Dr. Chacón. “As AVP, Industry Alliances, I will promote to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies the scientific excellence, basic and translational efforts, and excellent faculty of the University’s professional schools. I am also looking forward to partnering with faculty and attracting more sponsored research.”

Dr. Chacón is Founder and Chairman of Paragon Bioservices, a Center of Excellence for the development and GMP manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, including therapeutic proteins and vaccines, which is headquartered in the UM BioPark. He will continue on as a board member of Paragon, which he launched in 1990. He also founded a regenerative medicine company, Irazu Biodiscovery, in 2000, based on his research and patents in the mechanism of calorie-restriction protection. Dr. Chacón received a B.S. in Biology from Youngstown State University and a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Dr. Chacón serves as a Member of the Board of Trustees for the University of Maryland, Baltimore Foundation. His many distinctions include two Industry Executive Awards from PharmaVOICE magazine and the 2015 appointment to the Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board by Governor Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr.