Thelma Tennant joined UChicagoTech as an Associate Project Manager in May 2008, was promoted to Project Manager in October 2012, and to Assistant Director in July 2015. Thelma's responsibilities include evaluating, marketing, and licensing technologies and managing intellectual property portfolios arising from research at the University of Chicago. She also serves as the Oncology Lead.
Before joining UChicagoTech, Thelma completed a doctoral thesis project exploring the role of matrix metalloproteinases in prostate cancer metastasis, and went on to perform postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago focused on the identification of chromosomal abnormalities in malignant myeloid leukemia disorders. While a graduate student, Thelma taught courses on teaching and classroom methods, and was co-president of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division Dean’s council. As co-president, she lead the organization in the assessment of a wide range of student life issues, and was a member of the student government finance and annual allocations committees, apportioning over $400,000 in funds annually to student organizations. Thelma was also a member of the 1999 winning team of the U of Chicago Graduate School of Business New Venture Challenge competition.
Prior to becoming a graduate student, Thelma worked at the United States Department of Agriculture, where she assisted in the management of large-scale agriculture biotechnology risk assessment research. During her time at USDA, Thelma developed an interactive web-based communications program for the Northeast Environmental Research Association that is still in use, and managed the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) USDA grants program for agricultural biotechnology risk assessment.
Thelma holds a B.A. in Biology and English from the University of Virginia, and a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology at the University of Chicago. A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Thelma enjoys off-shore sailboat racing in her spare time.