Investor brings more than a decade of life-sciences experience to WRF, specializing in health economics, diagnostics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and tech-enabled services

SEATTLE, Aug. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- M. Ragan Hart, Ph.D., has joined the staff of Washington Research Foundation (WRF) as its senior associate for strategic investments.

WRF supports the development of Washington state innovations to improve lives through grants and investments, with a focus on life sciences and enabling technologies. To date, WRF has awarded more than $179 million in grants to nonprofit research institutions in Washington state and invested in 132 local startups working to commercialize products and services for public benefit.

Hart will provide additional expertise and support to WRF's grantmaking team, which paid nearly $16 million in awards during WRF's fiscal year that ended on June 30.

Hart's professional experience includes more than a decade in the life sciences, spanning healthcare technology investing, company formation, technology commercialization and executive leadership. She joins WRF from Tacoma, Washington-based MultiCare Capital Partners, the strategic investment arm of MultiCare Health System, where she was a senior associate focusing on healthtech, artificial intelligence and machine learning initiatives to drive improvements in healthcare systems, services and patient outcomes. Hart additionally served as a board member for several of the companies within her portfolio. Her expertise in conducting deep diligence on investment opportunities and developing metrics and success indicators for early-stage companies will provide crucial guidance within WRF's current and future investment portfolio.

Prior to MultiCare Capital Partners, Hart co-founded MDisrupt to connect companies and life-sciences experts to accelerate the development and clinical validation of healthcare products. Hart led product science, operations and business development at MDisrupt. Prior to that role she co-led venture creation efforts for F-Prime Capital focused on health data sciences.

"I am thrilled to join WRF at a pivotal moment in its strategic evolution and contribute to its mission of translating world-class research into public impact," Hart said. "I look forward to building on the impressive foundation WRF has helped shape across Washington's innovation ecosystem, bridging capital, talent and translational science. It's an exciting opportunity to bring operational expertise to mission-aligned entrepreneurs, clinicians and scientists advancing transformative healthcare solutions."

WRF's CEO, Tom Daniel, Ph.D., said, "We are incredibly fortunate to have Ragan join our team at the Washington Research Foundation. She brings a wealth of expertise in venture investing, healthcare, life sciences and technology, and she will play a crucial role in shaping our organization's course in the coming years."

Hart holds a doctorate in public health genetics with a concentration in health economics from the University of Washington (UW). She completed a master's in genetic epidemiology and a certificate in biomedical regulatory affairs, also at UW, and was a postdoctoral scholar in Stanford University's Department of Biomedical Data Science. She earned a bachelor's in exercise science from Auburn University. Hart is a member of the board of directors for OUTbio Seattle and serves as a scholarship and community grants application reviewer for Pride Foundation in Seattle.

About Washington Research Foundation

Washington Research Foundation (WRF) supports research and scholarship in Washington state, with a focus on life sciences and enabling technologies.

WRF was founded in 1981 to assist universities and other nonprofit research institutions in Washington with the commercialization and licensing of their technologies. WRF became one of the foremost technology transfer organizations in the nation, earning more than $445 million in licensing revenue for the University of Washington. To date, WRF has provided over $179 million in grants to the state's research institutions.

WRF Capital, the investment vehicle for Washington Research Foundation, has backed 132 local startups since 1996. Returns support the Foundation's grantmaking and investment programs.

For additional information, please visit wrfseattle.org.

Media contact:

Dale Wadman
Email: dale@wrfseattle.org
Phone: (206) 336-5600

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SOURCE WASHINGTON RESEARCH FOUNDATION