Over the years, many successful ventures have emerged from North Carolina’s rich concentration of university researchers. Some of the state’s innovators get an even earlier start: high school. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) began in 1980 as an innovation itself, founded as a public residential high school for academically talented high school … Continue reading “A North Carolina High School that Spins Out Entrepreneurs”
Author: Christy Shaffer
Seasoned entrepreneur and biotech executive, Christy Shaffer, Ph.D. has over 20 years of experience in the life science industry. Following her career as a clinical scientist, international project leader and Associate Director of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Burroughs Wellcome Co., she joined Inspire Pharmaceuticals in 1995 as the first, full-time employee. She was responsible for raising over $300m for the company, including taking the company public in 2000. As President and CEO, Christy grew the company from 20 scientists to nearly 250 employees with revenues of over $100 million. Under her leadership, Inspire was named as “Best Place to Work for Scientists” by the Scientist magazine, and “Best Place to Work in North Carolina.” Christy retired from Inspire in March, 2010 and the company was acquired by Merck in 2011.
Christy serves as the board chair of two Hatteras portfolio companies: G1 Therapeutics and Clearside Biomedical. Christy is a receptor pharmacologist by training, earning her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 1985. She received her post-doctoral training at The Chicago Medical School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Reflections on RTP
Having moved to the Research Triangle Park region in 1987 when my husband was recruited to Glaxo, I now realize that we chose “the right place at the right time.” I started a post-doctorial fellowship at UNC-Chapel Hill and eventually became a clinical scientist at Burroughs Wellcome, and we enjoyed raising a family in Chapel … Continue reading “Reflections on RTP”