Get To Know

Brian Dowd

Director, Investments

Brian is a director of investments on the bioscience team at CI. He has more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including seed round startups, and he comes to CI from Pfizer, where he provided business development support for the Nurtec franchise. Prior to that, he worked at two successful Connecticut Innovations–backed companies, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals and Kleo Pharmaceuticals.

After earning his Ph.D. at Yale, Brian started his career as a bench scientist, conducting oncology and neurology research at a California-based company before taking on roles in business development and portfolio strategy at several pharmaceutical companies in Utah. He eventually returned to his home state of Connecticut, where he grew up and attended high school and graduate school. Brian is passionate about continuing the growth of the state’s biotech community.

education
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  • B.S., Biology, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
  • Ph.D., Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University
interesting facts
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  • Raised in Connecticut, so ipso facto I’m a huge hockey fan and pizza critic.
  • Proponent of all things New Haven.
  • My most productive brainstorming sessions occur while on a hike.