Sally Allain, MBA, M.S.

Sally Allain, MBA, M.S., is the chief health sciences growth and innovation officer at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and Office of Health Sciences and Technology. In this role, she leads strategic projects while building partnerships with industry, government, and philanthropic organizations, as well as supporting commercialization of health sciences research and startup development. Allain brings more than 25 years of international experience in the field, including 18 years at Johnson & Johnson. In her last role she served as head of Johnson & Johnson Innovation — JLABS @ Washington, D.C., where she managed the launch and build of the life science incubator based at the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus, driving business development and external engagement. Prior, she held leadership roles in global external innovation, alliance management, and immunology research business and development.

Allain began her career at Egea Biosciences, a San Diego-based biotech startup, and later contributed to early-stage biotech and academic collaborations at the UK-based governmental economic development agency ITI Life Sciences. She holds a bachelor of science in biology and a master of science in microbiology and immunology from Virginia Tech, as well as an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business. Her return to Virginia Tech leverages her extensive experience to advance the university's health sciences enterprise.