UNMC surgeon Dmitry Oleynikov (left) and UNL engineering professor Shane Farritor test a surgical robot prototype during a recent trial in Omaha. Their collaboration created a startup company, Virtual Incision, which hopes to make major surgery, like a bowel resection, a laparoscopic procedure.
LINCOLN, Neb. (Jan. 15, 2016)—Nebraska Innovation Campus has announced a new partner. Dan Duncan, executive director of NIC, said today that Virtual Incision Corp. will move into space on campus in early 2016.
Virtual Incision is a startup company founded by faculty members at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The firm is developing a first-of-its-kind, miniaturized robot for abdominal surgical procedures.
“Virtual Incision is NIC’s first medical device company and will hopefully pave the way for more to follow,” Duncan said.
Virtual Incision’s robots for procedures such as colon resection are much smaller and less expensive than current robots. The robots are fully inserted into the abdomen via an umbilical incision, which reduces the invasiveness of the procedure. A surgeon at a bedside console controls the robot.
In 2006, propelled by the knowledge that colorectal and lower gastrointestinal procedures are some of the fastest-growing procedures in the United States, Dmitry Oleynikov, professor of surgery at UNMC, and Shane Farritor, professor of mechanical engineering at UNL, founded Virtual Incision. CEO John Murphy, who is located in Pleasanton, California, joined the team in 2012.
“Virtual Incision is very excited to become part of the culture on Nebraska Innovation Campus,” Farritor said. “We are glad we are associated with the University of Nebraska and have a place where our company can grow.”
The company expects to connect with students, faculty and the university — including through internships for students, student job opportunities and opportunities connected to Nebraska Innovation Studio.
NIC is a research campus designed to facilitate new and in-depth partnerships between the university and private-sector businesses. At full build-out, NIC will be a 2.2-million square-foot campus with uniquely designed buildings and amenities that inspire creative activity and engagement, transforming ideas into global innovation. For more information, visit https://www.innovate.unl.edu.
Tetrad Property Group is the private-sector development partner for NIC. Tetrad provides a full range of development services for the campus, including master planning, construction management, leasing and property management. For more information, visit https://www.tetradpropertygroup.com.
