Capstone: Business Ideas and Entrepreneurial Innovation

Steven Denkin is the director and research advisor for the life sciences graduate programs at Harvard Extension School (HES). He works with biology and biotechnology instructors at HES to develop curricula relevant to the advancement of science in academic and industry environments. He is involved in program administration and teaches courses for the biotechnology program at HES. His aspiration for students in the life sciences includes a blend of courses that provide foundational and applied knowledge of science combined with experiential learning. Previously, he taught courses including microbiology, forensic science, and earth science to a diverse array of students in both secondary and higher education. Denkin earned his PhD at the University of Rhode Island and completed a dissertation that focused on bacterial pathogenesis. He completed postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins University working on the mechanisms of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). While working at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, he developed an assessment strategy for TB diagnostics, which he used to train laboratory technicians in Haiti. While he has notable achievements in teaching and research, he also collaborates with industry leaders to enhance understanding of various program initiatives.

Beth Zielinski-Habershaw received her MA and PhD in medical science from Brown University in 1993 and 1997, respectively. She also earned a certificate in biodesign from Stanford University in 2014. Following postdoctoral research in muscle cell tissue engineering, she proceeded to develop her expertise in higher education and professional industry training. Zielinski-Habershaw has served at institutions of higher education such as the University of Rhode Island, Brown University, Northeastern University, Harvard University's Extension School, and Johns Hopkins University. Zielinski-Habershaw has held titles of Senior Lecturer and Advisor at Brown University, co-developer of the MSc in biotechnology at Brown University, instructor and thesis director at Harvard Extension School, coordinator of training in the Pharmaceutical Development Institute in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island, and adjunct lecturer at Johns Hopkins University. At several junctures in her career, Zielinski-Habershaw transitioned to industry in entrepreneurial, analytical chemistry, and business development roles. From 2017-2019 she studied ethnopharmacology in the Peruvian Amazon focusing on the development of plant-based therapies for psoriasis. In early 2024, this research was submitted as a Patent Cooperative Treaty (PCT) Application and will support the commercialization of a product for the symptomatic treatment of plaque psoriasis and eczema.