Biomedical Innovation at the University of Southern California

Here at USC, technology innovation and inter-departmental collaboration is a big priority.  Recently, the Coulter foundation granted $5M to USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering, Keck School of Medicine, and Stevens Institute for Innovation as part of their Coulter Translational Research Partnership Program.  As far as I can tell, a large chunk of this money is going to go towards developing devices aimed at problems in pediatric medicine.  Of worthy note is the fetal pacemaker being developed by USC’s Medical Device Development Facility, which has potential to assuage symptoms related to several structural defects while still in utero.

Perhaps influenced by these recent developments, there is a palpable call to action in the air around Viterbi and Keck.  I recently met with a group of bright, young undergraduate BME’s working on a much improved chest drain device, of which they plan on submitting to the BMEStart competition and E-team grants.  Students within Viterbi and Keck’s nascent Health, Technology, and Engineering program are working hard to seek out real-world problems and design solutions with the market in mind.  The NCIIA is sure to see a lot of action from that group over the next few years.

There is a lot of new collaboration happening between Viterbi and Keck, and many of these new relationships will result in impactful technology.  The NCIIA can count on many of these new technologies appearing in their competitions.

UCLA – The Ecosystem of an Entrepreneurial University

A Conversation with:
Dr. James Economou, UCLA Vice Chancellor for Research
Dr. David Feinberg, Associate Vice Chancellor, CEO UCLA Hospital System
Dr. Al Osborne, Senior Associate Dean, Anderson School of Management 

 Moderated by Roy Doumani, Executive Director, UCLA Business of Science Center 

This conversation focused on how the speakers view the value of innovation and entrepreneurship on campus and what UCLA offers to encourage and support their faculty and students in collaboration across departments and with industry. In creating this ecosystem of entrepreneurship, the shared goal is to provide the necessary support to bring important discoveries from the research laboratories to the public domain for the benefit of society.

NCIIA and the Technical Entrepreneurial Community UCLA student organization were showcased during this event.

Business and Design for Social Impact

University of Tennessee Health Science Center- Innovation Awards Spotlight Discoveries with Potential to Transform Lives

On January 20, 2012, more than 20 researchers at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) were recognized for their work in both developing and commercializing discoveries that have the potential to transform the lives of people in Tennessee and throughout the world.

At the annual Innovation Awards ceremony, hosted by the University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF) and held at the UTHSC Student-Alumni Center, plaques and certificates were awarded to individuals earning patents and licenses.  Also recognized were those researchers who started new businesses based on their inventions.  About 50 UTHSC team members and guests attended the luncheon ceremony on the university’s campus in the heart of the Memphis Medical Center.

“This ceremony recognizes deserving inventors and the innovations they have made at the UT Health Science Center,” Richard Magid, UTRF vice president, said. “UTRF is honored to be able to assist these inventors in moving their discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace.”

“UT Health Science Center is committed to all aspects of our research mission,” said Chancellor Steve J. Schwab, MD, UTHSC’s top administrative officer.  “We are delighted to be here today to congratulate and celebrate the UTHSC innovators who are a critical element in continuing to drive our research mission forward.”

“In order to have a successful commercialization, you first need to have a product that works, that is suitable for scale, and that is approved by the FDA,” stated guest speaker Shannon McCool, DPh, chairman and chief executive of RxBio, Inc., an early stage biopharmaceutical company that has spun out of UTHSC, and which was recently awarded a $15 million federal contract.  “Then, you need two types of resources; people power and financial resources.”

Patents are awarded for unique technologies, and to protect inventions that may benefit society.  Fewer than 10 percent of the discoveries at UT are eventually granted patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, illustrating the level of innovation and dedication of the researchers.

Inventors awarded patents include:

• Duane Miller, PhD, and Mitchell Steiner, MD: Methods of treating or preventing muscle loss in wasting disorders  such as cachexia, malnutrition, tuberculosis and kidney failure;
• Duane Miller, PhD: Methods of manufacturing SARMS, an important class of experimental pharmaceutical compounds;
• Duane Miller, PhD: Methods of treating or preventing muscle loss;
• Michael Whitt, PhD: Recombinant viruses useful for gene therapy or other biotechnology applications;
• Brian Kelly, PhD, and Denis DiAngelo, PhD: A machine for realistic biomechanical testing of the performance of spinal implant devices;
• Bob Moore, PhD, Himanshu Bhattacharjee, PhD,  Ryan Yates, PhD, PharmD: New experimental pharmaceutical compounds for treating cancer or inflammatory diseases;
• Duane Miller, PhD: Experimental pharmaceutical compounds that can be used to treat a variety of hormone-related conditions.

Once a technology or idea has been patented, it may be licensed to outside companies for further development and commercialization.  Licenses stemming from patented technologies generate revenue for the university and may be the basis for starting new companies, which contributes to local and regional economic development.

Inventors recognized for a technology licensed in the past year include:

• Lawrence Pfeffer, PhD, and Ziyun Du, PhD, for a cell line on sale as a research tool;
• Marko Radic, PhD, for a monoclonal antibody on sale as a research tool;
• Bob Moore, PhD, Charles Yates, PhD, PharmD, Duane Miller, PhD, Himanshu Bhattacharjee, PhD, John Buolamwini, PhD, and Mathangi Krishnamurthy, PhD (no longer employed by UTHSC), for experimental cancer drugs;
• Leonard Lothstein, PhD, Polly Hoffmann, PhD, Trevor Sweatman, PhD, Mervyn Israel, PhD (no longer employed by UTHSC), for experimental cancer and cardiology drugs;
• Duane Miller, PhD, Jayapraka Pagadala, PhD, Jena Steinle, PhD, and Kimberly Williams, PhD (no longer employed by UTHSC), for experimental ophthalmology drugs;
• Emma Tillman, PharmD, Michael Storm, PhD, and Richard Helms, PharmD, for an infant and pediatric nutrition supplement;
• John Cromwell, MD (no longer employed by UTHSC), for a device to aid surgical recovery.

 

Researchers recognized for starting a new business include:

• Himanshu Bhattacharjee, PhD, John Buolamwini, PhD, Duane Miller, PhD, Bob Moore, PhD, and Ryan Yates, PhD, PharmD: Cancer-drug development;
• John Cromwell, MD (no longer employed by UTHSC): Post-operative recovery device;
• Richard Helms, PharmD, Michael Storm, PhD, and Emma Tillman, PharmD: Pediatric and infant nutrition supplement.

~Dee Helton, Student Ambassador at UT Health Science Center

Columbia University – Women Innovate Mobile (WIM) Accelerator

Veronika Sonsey, Kelly Hoey, and Deborah Jackson, alumni of the ColumbiaBusinessSchool, have recently created a new startup accelerator for women called the Women Innovate Mobile (WIM) Accelerator. The program is open to applications and is offering a small number of companies with seed funding of $18,000, plus mentoring, support, and office space in New York as part of the three-moth program. Applications are now open and will close February 1^st with the launch of the program in March 2012. The application criteria are (1) must be a technology company, (2) must have a woman co-founder, and (3) must have a mobile application (i.e. mobile payment, mobile advertising, mobile applications). Interested participants can sign up here.

Dmitriy Timerman

UCLA – High Technology Market Segmentation with Prof. Bob Foster

The Technical Entrepreneurial Community (TEC) and the Engineering Graduate Student Association (EGSA) present an entrepreneurship seminar on market segmentation featuring Prof. Bob Foster, a distinguished professor in the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Prof. Foster will discuss how to define and segment target markets, gauging the competition, and winning strategies that maximize resources. This seminar will also provide information about niche markets, and what it means to be a be a big fish in a small pond.

University of Tennessee Health Science Center – Invention to Venture Tennessee 2011!

Just imagine a room filled with entrepreneurs: tall ones, short ones, rich ones, poor ones, experts, and novices… the list goes on and on. These entrepreneurs travelled from all over—Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Texas, and Arkansas. All of these entrepreneurs united for Invention to Venture: Tennessee 2011! Sessions were lively with questions and discussion! Topics included:

Idea Validation & Opportunity Assessment by Mike Sherman of MB Venture Partners

Sales & Marketing in the Life Sciences by Patrick Wilson of Medtronic

Building the Team by Jan Bouten of Innova and Allan Daisley of Memphis Bioworks Foundation

Finding the Funds Panel by Andrew Seamons of Pittco Capital Partners, Eric Mathews of LaunchMemphis and Brad Silver of Computable Genomics

Intellectual Property & Licensing by Susan Fentress of Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, PLLC

FDA & Regulations by Michael Meagher of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Business Planning in the Life Science by Michael Graber of Southern Growth Studio

The highlight of the event was the Experiences in Entrepreneurship Luncheon featuring Pitt Hyde, Founder of AutoZone. The event even attracted media attention from The Commercial Appeal (check out the article at http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/12/success-story/). Overall, Invention to Venture: Tennessee 2011 was a huge success. Thanks to all of the speakers and the organization team that made it happen!

~Dee Helton, Student Ambassador at UT Health Science Center

UTexas – Talking Startups with Michael Dell

It has been an exciting month at the University of Texas.  Just in time for National Entrepreneurship Week,  I hosted Michael Dell at an interactive event discussing his experiences beginning a startup in college and becoming the youngest CEO of a fortune 500 company.  It was a full house!  477 excited students, faculty, and community members crowded in to hear Mr. Dell be interviewed by Dr. Bob Metcalfe, inventor of ethernet, founder of 3Com Corp., former partner at Polaris Ventures, and current professor of innovation at UT-Austin.  After a lively 45 minute interview, the floor was opened up to students for questions.  Afterwards, Mr. Dell joined students at the reception for more intimate interaction.  He was an engaging, genuine speaker and excited to interact with young budding entrepreneurs.  Read further coverage of the story here.

Dr. Bob Metcalfe interviews Michael Dell

Dell talks to students

Pitching the upcoming NCIIA Social Innovation Bootcamp on UT Austin Campus

Another very exciting development is the joint hosting of a VentureLab on UT-Austin’s campus.  The Dell Social Innovation Competition (DSCIC) has been a part of the UT campus for a few years.  Last year they had over 1400 applicants from all over the world.  The winner of the competition receives $50K to accelerate work on their venture.  Last year, Dell donated $5M to support the initiative and keep the program running.  This year, the NCIIA has teamed up with the DSIC to host the Social Innovation Bootcamp January 12-16.

On Tuesday Nov. 29th, the first ever Made In Austin career fair was put on by the folks at Campus2Careers and the Austin Chamber of Commerce.  The job fair brought together 350 students and 93 of central Texas’ fastest growing startups.   The event was the first focused entirely on connecting talent with startups.

Thursday Dec. 1 was the 1 Semester Startup Demo Day – the culmination of the work the 72 Longhornpreneurs have been doing on their 20 startups in the 1 Semester Startup class.  The teams pitched to a room of about 200 attendees – investors, media, follow classmates, and instructors.  Read more coverage by the Silicon Hill News and The Daily Texan.

Great end to a great year.  Hook ‘em!

1SS Showcased on the jumbotron while UT Longhorns practice

Innovation in Southern Cal: MD Students + Engineering PhD’s

Here at USC, innovation is certainly a high priority.  USC’s breakthrough HTE (Health, Technology, and Engineering) program combines Keck School of Medicine (USC’s medical school) with Viterbi School of Engineering PhD students for a four year program that will churn out biomedical device innovators by the dozens.  As non-intuitive as it sounds, it’s quite rare for medical schools to interact with engineering departments, but the administrators of HTE persevered to make it happen, with strong backing from presidents of both schools.  The NCIIA’s E-team grant readers are sure to be flooded with applications from this group!

Just in time for winter break, USC students have been presented with lots of food for thought.  Students heard from Josh Makower, biomedical entrepreneur responsible for Stanford’s BioDesign program, Exploramed biomedical device incubator, as well as numerous companies started within Exploramed.   The week prior, students and faculty were presented with a symposium focused on facilitating translating advanced biomedical technology research into commercial applications.

Harvard, New Ideas for Elderly Problems

On Monday November 28th, the Harvard Healthcare Innovation Group, a NCIIA supported organization, held its first event at the Harvard Innovation Laboratory.  The group, currently in the form of a 160 person mailing list, materialized its support into an event with the purpose to promote the creation of a medical venture community.  This first event’s main goal was to get members to meet each other, generating a network of students from across the harvard schools.  To facilitate this a design challenge was created to stimulate collaboration among the members, however what began as an ice breaker quickly became a extremely productive brainstorm session.  The sixty plus students that participated in the design challenge, which was to reduce the incidence of hip fractures from falls in geriatric patients, produced some fantastic ideas.  First our guest speaker Dr. Medha Munshi introduced the challenge and gave a short speech outlining the important aspects to the problem from a geriatricians point of view.  Then groups of students at each table, which were diverse with individuals from each of the respective schools, wrote ideas for devices and marketing opportunities on whiteboards.  Some of the more unique ideas were engineered furniture lines to reduce falls, robotic walkers that follow the patients, detachable hospital IV lines to reduce tangling, and shoe sonar sensors to detect objects.  Overall the event was a fantastic success, having produced some fantastic ideas and discussions, and the HHIG looks forward to putting on another, larger event in the future.