Carlyle Rogers

Director, Licensing & Commercialization at East Carolina University

Speaker

Dr. Carlyle Rogers is Director of Licensing and Commercialization at East Carolina University (ECU), where he leads the advancement of biomedical and life science innovations from early discovery through commercialization. With a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology, his work sits at the intersection of translational science, intellectual property strategy, and startup development, supporting the progression of promising technologies toward clinical and market adoption. Under his leadership, innovation disclosures, licensing activity, and faculty-led startups have more than doubled, reflecting a strong focus on building a high-performing commercialization ecosystem. Dr. Rogers served as Principal Investigator of ECU’s NSF I-Corps Site program and currently leads the university’s Innovation Academy, where he mentors faculty, researchers, and founders in customer discovery and commercialization strategy. Through these programs, he has helped more than 25 faculty-led teams secure over $3 million in early-stage commercialization funding, significantly advancing the region’s biotech and health innovation pipeline. In addition to his background in early-stage drug development, Dr. Rogers develops software and technical solutions that support innovation, commercialization, and research translation.