Kristin Falkenstein | Assistant Director of Business Development
University of Texas at Austin- Discovery to Impact

Dr. Kristin Falkenstein is the Assistant Director of Business Development with the Discovery to Impact team at The University of Texas at Austin.  In her role she strives to partner with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to advance early‑stage biomedical innovations from academic discovery through clinical translation. With a PhD and postdoctoral training in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, Kristin brings a strong scientific foundation to evaluating pre‑clinical assets, including biologics, drug delivery platforms, diagnostics, and research tools. Her work focuses on aligning early stage research milestones with commercial and clinical development goals, enabling the generation of high‑quality, decision‑enabling pre‑clinical data that de‑risks programs and supports IND‑enabling efforts. Kristin routinely serves as a bridge between academic researchers and industry partners, helping translate promising science into viable clinical candidates. As a moderator, Dr. Falkenstein brings a unique dual perspective—combining scientific rigor with commercial and translational insight—to guide discussions on generating high‑value pre‑clinical data that meets the needs of pharmaceutical development teams and enables confident advancement into the clinic.