Dr. Glenn D. Prestwich is Presidential Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Special Presidential Assistant for Faculty Entrepreneurism, and directed two Utah Centers of Excellence: the Center for Cell Signaling (1997-2002) and the Center for Therapeutic Biomaterials (2004 – 2008). His passion for translational research and scholarship led to his appointment as director of the Entrepreneurial Faculty Scholars program at the U of Utah (2008 – current). He was elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2014 - ) and a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2005 - ).

He has launched over nine small life science companies in the last 20 years: Clear Solutions Biotech (1994-2001); Echelon Biosciences, Inc. (CSO, 1997-2003); Sentrx Surgical, Inc. (CSO, 2003-2004); Carbylan BioSurgery, Inc. (Palo Alto, CA)(2004-current); Sentrx Animal Care, Inc. (Salt Lake City)(2005-current); Glycosan BioSystems, Inc. (Salt Lake City) (CSO, 2005-2011); GlycoMira Therapeutics, Inc. (CSO, Salt Lake City) (2008 - current); Metallosensors, Inc. (CEO, 2011 – 2014): Deuteria Agrochemicals LLC (2013 – current); and Deuteria Biomaterials LLC (2013 – current). He is currently a Scientific Advisor for Echelon-Frontier Scientific, University Medical Pharmaceutics, Elastin Specialities, AshaVision, Jade Therapeutics, American MedChem, Organonovo, Modern Meadow, and BioTime.

He received the Utah Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology for 2006, was awarded the 1998 Paul Dawson Biotechnology Award and the 2008 Volwiler Research Award of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. In 2010, he received the University of Utah Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Research Award, as well as the 2010 Rooster Prize of the International Society for Hyaluronan Science for outstanding contributions to hyaluronan-derived products. During his 37 years as a faculty member, he has published over 650 technical papers, patents, and book chapters, and has trained over 125 postgraduate scientists. In 2011, he was invited to serve as a member of the editorial advisory board for Science Translational Medicine. His university research programs included (i) new reagents for lipid signaling in cell biology and cancer treatment, (ii) biomaterials for wound repair, cartilage repair, tissue engineering, scar-free healing, and toxicology and xenograft models, and (iii) sulfated glycosaminoglycan analogues as inflammation modulators for clinical use.

Glenn’s outside interests include: singing first tenor in the Utah Symphony Chorus, using his commercial pilot license to fly non-emergency medical patients for AngelFlight West, and serving on the board of directors of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival and the Salt Lake City NOVA Chamber Music Series.

Research Projects in the Prestwich Research Group

A recent presentations on the application of clinically-targeted hyaluronic acid derivatives in 3-D cell culture, bioprinting, cell therapy, xenograft models, and anti-inflammatory drugs can be viewed on the BioTime website at www.biotimeinc.com. An overview of the anti-inflammatory glycosaminoglycan projects can be found on the GlycoMira website at www.glycomira.com.

The three main research areas for the Prestwich lab are:

1. new reagents for phosphoinositide and lysophospholipid signaling in cell biology and cancer treatment
2. biomaterials for cell therapy, wound repair, cartilage repair, tissue engineering, scar-free healing, and xenograft models
3. sulfated glycosaminoglycan analogues as inflammation modulators for clinical use.