Iowa installs Darsee as innovation officer

University of Iowa has appointed Jon Darsee (pictured), previously an executive at medical device developer iRhythm Technologies, as chief innovation officer.
Darsee’s appointment follows a departmental reorganisation aimed at invigorating the university’s efforts in supporting research and scholarship.
He started in the role on October 19, taking responsibility for the university’s Innovation and Economic Development unit, which encompasses initiatives including tech transfer office UI Ventures, the UI Research Park and the office of corporate engagement.
Darsee, who graduated from Iowa in 1982, has been with the university as a part-time economic development consultant for the past year. He will report to Iowa’s vice-president of external relations, Peter Matthes.
The appointment follows two consultations on the structure of Iowa’s office of the vice-president for research (OVPR) prompted by the resignation of former vice-president for research and economic development Dan Reed in September 2017. Based on the feedback, Iowa decided to shift economic development assignments to a new office so that OVPR could focus on research.
Darsee spent nine years at iRhythm between 2008 and 2017 in three successive executive vice-president appointments covering sales and marketing, corporate sales and health policy.
He has lately taken charge of the company’s reimbursement policy while taking on consultancy jobs with groups including University of Oxford’s university venture fund Oxford Sciences Innovation.
iRhythm is one of a number of medical device and healthcare services companies at which Darsee has accrued executive experience. The others include telemedicine provider LifeWatch International, clinician information service Integrative Medical Arts and cardiac device manufacturer Instromedix.
Bruce Harreld, president of University of Indiana, said: “Economic development is a natural outgrowth of research but requires different tools and skills. This realignment will allow us to better utilise the expansive technology and innovation capabilities that have been built up in recent years to move the university’s research from ideas to impact.”