Remembering Dan Gincel's Impact on Maryland and Science

I first met Dan in 2010 and worked closely with him for many years while he led University Partnerships and the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) at TEDCO.  He was a friend and colleague and we shared many a coffee at Starbucks by his house to talk about what we can do to grow the regenerative medicine community in Maryland. Dan was passionate, creative and strategic. He was kind, and also brutally direct - but always in a way that you knew he cared. I really admired that about him.

Dan spoke at several events of ours over the years, and we hosted several stem cell-oriented BioBuzz events together.  He worked passionately to advance Maryland's stem cell industry and was deeply committed to the many researchers and companies that the MSCRF helped to fund under his leadership. He pursued this mission with creativity and deturmination to make sure that everyone knew that Maryland was here to be a leader in stem cell and regenerative medicine commercialization. Maryland, our region and the stem cell field is stronger today because of Dan and his work.

Dan was an Israeli-American, a scientist and an impact-investor, which were three areas of his life that he was very passionate about. He dedicated much of his time to doing things that made a difference for those communities and his impact is undeniable. I doubt that there are many people who have been part of those communities in Maryland over the past 15-20 years who haven’t been touched in some way by Dan Gincel.  He was a true servant leader who dedicated himself to builidng communities that matter.  

I was supposed to interview Dan at the recent TEDCO Entrepreneur Expo and was looking forward to the opportunity to capture Dan's story and also to share with him how much of an impact he's made on me and so many others. For several years, the Entrepreneur Expo had a parallel Stem Cell Expo track that Dan led so the Expo was near and dear to him. 

Unfortunately, I got word that day that he wasn't going to be able to make the event. I had a bad feeling when I got the news that my opportunity to interview Dan one last time had slipped away. It would have been nice to have been able to say goodbye among the community that he loved.

Dan wrote a guest commentary piece in the Baltimore Sun about what matters most when facing one’s own mortality. He identified three core values that were his driving force - family, friends and gratitude - and challenged us all to think about our core values and how we will define a life well lived. If I could say goodbye to Dan today, I’d thank him for that important reminder, for his dedication to the things that matter, and say how grateful I am for his friendship.

Here is a '5 Questions with" interview we did with Dan a few years ago for BioBuzz. Please give it a read and get to know more about Dan and his work that made a real impact here in Maryland and well beyond.

He will be missed and remembered.  RIP Dan.