Weber certainly will need to do a lot of hands-on work at Imiplex, a true start-up employing a handful of staff and collaborators. The company is currently in the proof-of-concept stage, trying to demonstrate that these modular platforms can self-assemble under a variety of conditions.

“The work has been progressing well,” Weber notes, “so I’m hopeful that within the next few months, we will be ready for the next stage, when we can bring in venture funding to help us grow the company and increase production.”

Weber always has been a positive person, and it’s important to keep a positive attitude while nurturing a start-up; even with the combined knowledge and expertise Weber and Salemme bring to the operation, biotechnology is a tricky business that requires someone with a sense of adventure and fearlessness.

The right frame of mind helps too, which Weber definitely has. “My goals are to keep the company moving forward, create high technology jobs and eventually bring the benefits of nanotechnology to many people.”

Nick Zagorski (nzagorski@asbmb.org) is a science writer at ASBMB.