Mark J. Ahn, Ph.D., a former corporate officer of the pioneering biotechnology firm Genentech Inc., will discuss the role of disruptive technologies on high technology industries in general and biotech in particular in a special SCS/LTI lecture. Ahn will speak at 1 p.m. Friday in GHC 6115. "Black Swans, Blockbusters, and Biotechnology: Patterns of Innovation and Value Creation," will explore how patterns and types of innovation in biotechnology have evolved into "tipping points" to reach increasing rates of returns leading to technology breakthroughs and commercial success.

The biopharmaceutical industry had revenues of more than $80 billion in 2008. The industry employs more than 200,000 people and spends more than $20 billion annually on research and development. In addition, the biotechnology industry is an important source of new venture creation with over 700 publicly listed firms in North America, the European Union, and Asia-Pacific.

Ahn is Principal at Pukana Partners, Ltd. which provides strategic consulting to life science companies. He has over 20 years of biotechnology industry experience and serves as a professor of innovation and global management at Willamette University and Creighton University. At Genentech, he served as Vice President, Hematology. He also has held positions of increasing responsibility at Amgen and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.