PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Life Science Hub, the state’s newly created quasi-public agency focused on building the local life sciences industry, on Tuesday named Patrice Milos as its interim president.
Milos, a Cranston resident, has more than 30 years of experience in the industry and was a founding member of RI Bio, the professional trade organization for Rhode Island’s life science sector. She was a driving force behind the 2019 BioHub report that paved the way for the Life Science Hub.
Milos will begin working on July 1 while the search for the full-time president and CEO continues in the coming months. She will not be a candidate for the permanent position.
The Life Science Hub board voted unanimously to approve a contract with Milos on Tuesday afternoon. She will make $25,000 a month, which a spokesperson described as “the current market rate in the field.” Her term will last for three months, and automatically renew for 30 days at a time until a permanent president is chosen.
“Patrice Milos is the perfect choice to lead the Hub at this early stage of its development and has the confidence of our board,” said Neil Steinberg, chairman of the Life Science Hub board of directors. “Her vision, energy, and experience are exactly what we need to maintain the hub’s initial momentum and continue to establish a path forward to realize its enormous potential here in Rhode Island.”
The Rhode Island Life Science Hub has been tasked through legislation passed in 2023 to act as the central entity and coordinating organization of life science initiatives on behalf of the state, potentially investing in Rhode Island-based companies, and promoting economic growth and workforce development. The hub is mirrored after similar groups in Massachusetts, and will oversee $45 million in state funding.
Milos co-founded Medley Genomics, a Rhode Island startup from Brown University focused on data analytics for complex diseases, particularly oncology. She served as executive director of the Cherrystone Angel Group and was CEO of Claritas Genomics, which was spun out of Boston Children’s Hospital. She spent her early career at Pfizer advancing to executive director of molecular medicine, and later as the Boston site head for the Centers of Therapeutic Innovation.
Milos will step down as co-chair of the board of RI Bio on June 30 while continuing to serve on the board. She will be relinquishing her role as corporate secretary of the Life Science Hub board, but will remain on the board itself.
She is a member of the Brown University Biomedical Innovations to Impact Fund, and a founding member of the RIHub Venture Mentoring Services. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in genetics/biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
“With Patrice in the role, we are poised to build on our strong initial progress,” Steinberg said.
Two weeks ago, the hub announced a new small grant fund to support growth of the life science sector in the state.
In May, the group welcomed more than 500 attendees to its inaugural summit, bringing together leaders from government, industry, and academia from around the region to advance the life science sector in Rhode Island.
And in April, the board sought proposals for a developer or partner to help develop wet lab and incubator spaces to provide a catalyst for the industry in Rhode Island.
“It’s an exciting time to be taking the interim helm of the hub, and I’m thrilled to be in this position, setting the organization up for future success,” Milos said. “Rhode Island possesses all the elements for success in the life sciences — a commitment from our state’s leaders and academia, early-stage investors, and industry experts with energy, vision, and innovative ideas.”
The board said its top priority is selecting the most qualified candidate for the full-time permanent CEO position.
“Given how important it is to select the right person to be CEO of the hub, the board is taking great care to make certain that whoever is chosen is the best fit for the job,” Steinberg said. “We will continue to seek someone with the tools to collaborate with academia, the private sector, and government to realize a vision for the bub that maximizes the tremendous potential of Rhode Island in the life sciences.”
The choice of president and CEO will be subject to confirmation by the state Senate.
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.