OMAHA, Neb. (July 16, 2009)—UNeMed Corporation is gearing up for their annual Innovation Week.

This year’s festivities will take place Sept. 28 through Oct. 2, with various special events each day.

UNeMed once again will award $10,000 in unrestricted research funds to the inventor or group of inventors who submit the most promising invention.

New inventions with potential benefits to the public good as well as the patent and market potentials will all be considered. All UNMC faculty, students and staff are eligible.

The award was introduced in 2008 to promote the disclosure of new inventions to UNeMed.

“There are many good ideas floating around campus and it’s our goal to help faculty, students and staff develop those ideas into products that reach the marketplace,” said Michael Dixon, PhD, president of UNeMed.

Two awards where given in 2008. They went to:

• Janina Baranowska-Kortylewicz, PhD, professor of radiation oncology; and
• Guangshun Wang, PhD, assistant professor in the Eppley Institute.

Each received $10,000 in research funds.

Dr. Baranowska-Kortylewicz — whose molecular imaging research develops labels that can image growing or developing cancer — was excited that her research generated such enthusiasm.

“The most expensive aspect of our research involves animal studies,” Dr. Baranowska-Kortylewicz said. “Funding from UNeMed permitted us to plan several new experiments that otherwise would have been significantly delayed.”

Dr. Baranowska-Kortylewicz understands the importance of research protection and the benefit of working with UNeMed and she urges others to take advantage of UNeMed’s expertise.

“The rapid transfer of technology from the lab to commerce may prove to be a decisive driving force for new discoveries,” she said. “This pathway is available only if the technology has the appropriate intellectual protection.”

Dr. Wang — whose research focuses on novel anti-HIV peptides — was very happy to have received the award.

“The award enabled us to move forward with the project,” he said. “Additional results obtained are useful for grant applications and also allowed us to complete an in-press collaborative paper.”

The award is one way UNeMed hopes to help good ideas move from bench to bedside, Dr. Dixon said.

“We realize that there are many expensive steps between conception of a good idea and having a new drug on the market,” he said. “UNeMed is very excited to have the opportunity to offer this award and allow the inventors to further develop a unique discovery.”