Mary Beth Thomas, Ph.D.

Mary Beth Thomas, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, Science and Business Development
North Carolina Biotechnology Center

Mary Beth Thomas is the senior vice president, science and business development at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBiotech).  Prior to this role, she was vice president of NCBiotech’s Emerging Sector Development program.

As senior vice president, she is responsible for NCBiotech’s teams that accelerate translation and commercialization of life science technologies in NC. The Science and Technology Development (SciTech) team administers grants that support university capacity building and technology translation. The Emerging Company Development (ECD) team administers small business loan programs that support start-up creation and growth. The Business Intelligence and Analytics (BIA) team provides unique market research and business intelligence services to support business model development. Thomas also co-leads NCBiotech’s Focused Initiatives Team (FIT).  FIT works to identify and prioritize emerging opportunities that leverage assets and resources to deliver high impact solutions for NC.  Thomas also oversees the Center’s Biodefense/Biosecurity and Precision Health initiatives.  

Before joining NCBiotech in 2008, Thomas served as the statewide director of Technology Commercialization with the Small Business and Technology Development Center(SBTDC), a business extension service housed within the University of North Carolina System. Her industry experience includes roles as an assistant director of the Neurosensory Program at Tranzyme Pharma in Research Triangle Park and as an assistant director of the Neuroprotection Program at Cogent Neuroscience in Durham.

Thomas earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biotechnology at the Rochester Institute of Technology (New York), a doctorate in developmental biology from the University of Cincinnati and served as a postdoctoral fellow with the Department of Neurobiology at Duke University.