Dr. William Cefalu – 2014 People to Watch

Occupation: Executive Director, Pennington Biomedical & Research Center
Hometown: Amite
Age: 59

In 25 years, Pennington Biomedical Research Center has muscled its way to a solid reputation as a center of research and medical breakthroughs. Meanwhile, the center also wrestled with a tough question: How do we make money from our knowledge?

Enter Dr. William Cefalu, a low-key physician who had spent his career learning about diabetes and becoming a research rainmaker at Pennington. Last June, he became the center’s executive director.

Baton Rouge is growing into more of a medical hub, with top-notch institutions linked by the state’s powerful supercomputer, he says. New grants are coming in, too, including $20 million from the National Institutes of Health—a grant that he spearheaded.

Now, strategy is his task. A chief business development officer will join Pennington’s staff this year. Cefalu will be both mentor and student to that biz wiz and envisions an array of products in the pipeline.

“We want to move our research into the real world,” he says.

“My older sister. No one I know has experienced the loss of so many loved ones, and yet she remains committed to her faith, is compassionate toward others and continues to give to those less fortunate.”

Read more about Cefalu and Pennington’s work at pbrc.edu.