Purple Solutions: A Bipartisan Roadmap to Better Healthcare in America
Nov 06, 2020
Dr. Daniel Sem - CUW Dean School of Bus Admin
Purple Solutions: A Bipartisan Roadmap to Better Healthcare in America

Daniel Sem, Ph.D., MBA, JD
Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Dean, Batterman School of Business at Concordia University;
CEO of Bridge to Cures; VP of Business Development, Estrigenix Therapeutics;

Dr. Sem has over 20 years of experience in drug discovery and development, as well as healthcare entrepreneurship and innovation, first in the biotechnology industry, then in academia. He has over 60 published papers and book chapters, 10 issued patents, and has co-founded several companies. Dr. Sem works extensively with Universities, Industries and Government in Southeast Wisconsin to build shared drug development and commercialization resources for the region.

He received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from UW-Milwaukee, his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UW-Madison (1990), and then worked in biotechnology in San Diego where he co-founded Triad Therapeutics, ranked one of the top 10 biotech startups in the US by Drug Discovery Today (later acquired by Novartis for $60 million).

He joined the faculty at Marquette in 2002 and served as Assistant then Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry, before joining Concordia University’s new School of Pharmacy in 2011, transitioning to his current position as Dean of Business in July of 2016. He maintains an appointment in the Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and is also CEO of Bridge to Cures, and scientific cofounder and VP of Business Development of Estrigenix Therapeutics, which is developing ERbeta agonists to treat symptoms of menopause and dementia in women.

Dr. Sem also has Law and MBA degrees from Marquette. 

In March of 2020, Dr. Sem co-led a regional initiative in southeast Wisconsin to produce 3D printed and related respirator masks, as part of an Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin project, partnering with Bridge to Cures, Concordia University, Husco, Ritus Corporation, Aprilaire, Roddy Medical, UW Milwaukee, Children’s Hospital, Medical College of Wisconsin, and more.