Technology Transfer Boot Camp accepting applications

April 18, 2016 Comments (0) News

technology transfer bootcamp16OMAHA, Neb. (April 18, 2016)—Back by popular demand, UNeMed’s boot camp training program will be offered in June for those interested in technology transfer and related fields away from the research bench and other scientific pursuits.

UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, will host the program as a way to help anyone wanting to gain a wider range of skills and experience to match their scientific knowledge and training.

The four-week program will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning June 7 and concluding June 30.

Grad students Richard Nelson and Simarjeet Negi look on during a session of UNeMed's first Technology Transfer Boot Camp, a week of imersive training sessions that dove into the commercialization of biomedical science.

Grad students Richard Nelson and Simarjeet Negi look on during a session at UNeMed’s first Technology Transfer Boot Camp last year.

The program is designed to provide information across a range of technology transfer relevant areas, including:
• Evaluating new inventions
• Intellectual property law
• Marketing and commercialization
• Contract negotiation

Rather than provide a series of lectures, UNeMed’s tech transfer boot camp will dive into more hands-on activities that will highlight real-word situations and help illustrate key aspects of the technology commercialization process.

Anyone at UNMC is encouraged to apply and participate free of charge. Those not affiliated with UNMC are also welcome, but will be charged $200 upon acceptance.

Applications to participate will be accepted until May 6 and will be reviewed in the order they are received until all spaces are filled. If the embedded form does not properly display below, the application may be accessed here.

More information about the program and the application process can be found at https://www.unemed.com/about-us/join-our-team.

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Biomed startup readies compounds to treat, diagnose cancers

April 13, 2016 Comments (0) News

calidum_logoOMAHA, Nebraska (April 14, 2016)—A new startup company, Calidum Inc, was formed around an innovative approach for simultaneously treating and diagnosing some of the deadliest cancers, UNeMed announced today.

Calidum exclusively licensed the technology from UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Calidum will commercialize the patented, innovative work of Janina Baranowska-Kortylewicz, PhD, a professor and radiochemist at UNMC. Along with her co-inventor, Zbigniew P. Kortylewicz, PhD, she developed novel compounds that target cancer cells with remarkable accuracy and efficiency.

Calidum’s compounds are considered “theranostic” because they can be used as a diagnostic tool and a therapeutic treatment at the same time. The compounds are tagged with a radioactive isotope that will help clinicians better diagnose, track and treat various cancers that include prostate, ovarian, and triple negative breast cancer—an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that is notoriously difficult to treat.

Calidum’s compounds could also be used on two rare forms of brain tumors, neuroblastoma and glioblastoma.

Due to the strong safety and activity data of Calidum’s lead compound, CDM-P123I, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a Phase-1 clinical trial in prostate cancer patients.

CDM-P123I specifically targets proteins on prostate cancer cells, thus it can both identify and effectively destroy those cells with dramatically reduced side-effects and higher specificity than current techniques. Calidum will begin its Phase 1 trial for prostate cancer within the next 12 months, while completing the necessary preclinical studies to initiate human trials for the additional targets in the next three years.

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NE SciFest Invent-a-Thon will coach 3D design, printing

April 12, 2016 Comments (0) News

OMAHA, Neb. (April 12, 2016)—Modern innovation and prototype development will play center-stage during a series of public events at the University of Nebraska Medical Center when it hosts the 3D Printing Invent-a-Thon as part of the Nebraska Science Festival.

The Invent-a-Thon is weeklong series of public seminars and events centered on an invention competition among teams of high school students. The student teams are challenged to design and 3D print a solution to a real-world healthcare problem.

The Invent-a-Thon opens Monday, April 18 at 4:30 p.m. in the Michael F. Sorrell Center’s simulation center with educational seminars about 3D design, printing and product development, followed by a tour of the UNMC Maker space and 3D printers. The following day, a pair of lectures will explore a current medical problem in need of a solution and tutor guests on the use of essential software, including use of the iEXCEL center’s state-of-the-art MultiTaction Wall.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

All events to be held at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Michael F. Sorrell Center Simulation Lab, room 1012, at the northeast corner of 42nd and Emile Streets in Omaha.

Monday, April 18
4:30-5 p.m. — “Introduction to 3D printing and design,” Tyler Scherr and Will Payne, UNMC Makers
5:15-5:45 p.m. — “Product development,” Agnes Lenagh, PhD, UNeMed
6-6:30 p.m. — Tour of UNMC 3D Maker Space and 3D printers

Tuesday, April 19
4:30-5 p.m. — “Background of medical problem and problem statement”
5-5:30 p.m. — “Using Autodesk Inventor 3D CAD software,” Seth Stauffer, UNMC Makers
5:30-6:30 — Hands-on Autodesk Inventor training

Wednesday, April 20 & Thursday, April 21
Team competition events, closed to the public.

Friday, April 22
4-5:15 p.m. — Team presentations
5:30-6:30 p.m. — Awards and reception

The teams will spend the next two days designing, refining and printing their solutions before the public is invited to observe the final presentations on Friday, April 22. Final presentations are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in room 1012 of the Sorrell Center. Awards will be presented at approximately 5:30 p.m., followed by a short reception.

All Invent-a-Thon events are free, hosted and sponsored by the UNMC Makers club, the McGoogan Library of Medicine and UNMC’s technology transfer and commercialization office, UNeMed.

The first-place team will win tickets to the Nebraska Science Festival’s headline event, “An Evening with LeVar Burton.” Burton is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Geordi La Forge on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and as host of the popular PBS children’s series “Reading Rainbow.” He will present “Technology & Storytelling: Making a Difference in the Digital Age” at 7:30 p.m. at the Joslyn Art Museum.

 

 

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USPTO’s Kocialski engages onlookers at UNO forum

March 31, 2016 Comments (0) News

The regional director for the Rocky Mountain Area of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Molly Kocialski, capped a three-day visit to Nebraska with a public forum at the University of Nebraska at Omaha's College of Business March 30, 2016.

OMAHA, Neb. (March 30, 2016)—The regional director for the Rocky Mountain Area of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Molly Kocialski, capped a three-day visit to Nebraska with a public forum at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s College of Business.

Kocialski didn’t get beyond more than 10 minutes into her planned remarks of the two-hour session before members of an estimated crowd of 50 began peppering the former patent attorney with questions. The planned lecture quickly evolved into an impromptu conversation that took onlookers on a sometimes amusing and fascinating and other times deep and spirited dive into the finer points of the U.S patent system.

Kocialski’s planned remarks began with what promised to be a list of what she called “Molly’s Rules” for intellectual property.

The first rule: He or she who creates, owns; absent an agreement to the contrary.

The second: Your words can and will be used against you.

She did not get the chance to list a third.

Instead, the conversation in Mammel Hall’s auditorium swirled between a wide range of intellectual property areas that ranged from so-called “patent trolls” and patentable subject matter to invention ownership, international property rights and trademarks.

Kocialski repeatedly cited the USPTO website as invaluable resource for intellectual property questions, specifically pointing the site search function as a useful tool. She also noted that every state has a pro bono service for intellectual property issues.

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USPTO official to discuss intellectual property issues in academia

March 22, 2016 Comments (0) News

Molly Kocialski

OMAHA, Neb. (March 22, 2016)—Molly Kocialski, Regional Director of the Rocky Mountain Area of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, will address intellectual property issues in academia during a free and open forum Wednesday, March 30.

Kocialski will present “IP Law in the University Setting,” and is expected to illustrate the advantages of intellectual property protections in the academic environment where the culture rewards publishing first. She is also expected to discuss the USPTO‘s perspective on university tech transfer offices as a resource, what happens at the USPTO once an inventor files a patent application, and why a patent might be issued or denied.

The forum is free and open to any who wish to attend, and will be held in the Mammel Hall Auditorium (113) at the Pacific Street campus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha at 6708 Pine Street. The two-hour forum begins at 1:30 p.m., and free parking will also be available in lots 4, 5 and 6.

Kocialski’s seminar is part of a two-day visit at the University of Nebraska, beginning in Lincoln on Tuesday, March 29. Her visit with Omaha campus groups is sponsored in part by the Nebraska Business Development Center at UNO and UNeMed Corporation, the University’s technology transfer and commercialization office in Omaha.

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Want to be an entrepreneur? Get a job

March 15, 2016 Comments (0) Blog

by Joe Runge, UNeMed | March 15, 2016

If you want to be an entrepreneur, then get a job.You don’t have to be Mark Zuckerberg. Entrepreneurs are not just misunderstood geniuses that leave college early to intensely build their big ideas. They are also professionals that have solved problems for their employers and launched new products. They are employees that have accumulated valuable skills and now want to put those skills to work for themselves.

There is no substitute for on-the-job learning. Running a business is dealing with all the unexpected challenges that present themselves every day. Businesses fail—no matter how brilliant the entrepreneur—when they succumb to the torrent of problems that confront them every day. Zuckerberg learned to solve all those problems as they came, but you can take time to learn the skills to solve those problems first. More professional training makes it more likely that you will solve the inevitable problems that confront your company.

If you want to be an entrepreneur, get a job. It is the best way to get the skills and experience you need.

For example, your second biggest investor is calling and all you have is bad news. The prototype doesn’t work and you can’t say when it will. That meeting with the publicly traded company that you hope is going to buy your startup will have to be rescheduled. You take a deep breath and answer the phone.

The investor hits the roof when you tell him. Pained, you rub your eyes and let him vent, searching through your Dropbox to find the revised development plan. The investor is in for more money than you have ever had in your life. He sits on the board of the publicly traded company that you want to sell your startup to.

A startup company is filled with high stakes moments. If you fail to win the investor over, right now, then that could be it for the company. He could stage a coup, withhold future investment or sour the company you want to buy your startup.

To succeed you need to have more than the technical understanding of the prototype and the managerial skills to create the plan to fix it, you need the interpersonal skills to win over the angry investor as well. It can take a career to build those skills but you do not have to be a retired CEO to be an entrepreneur. Take a job where you have ownership of a project, the need to satisfy stakeholders and an opportunity to make long term plans. Even if it is just for a few years the better our skills the less likely that your company will fail.

The investor lets you talk for quite a while, politely stopping you to ask if you think it will work. After a brief pause you tell him a story about how you used the same approach in a prior job. It was for a different kind of technology than the prototype but for a very similar problem. You are even asking the same contractor to build the parts.

The investor is quiet for a long time. You offer to update him in three weeks and schedule the call. He repeats his displeasure with you but thanks you for your honesty. He is uncertain about your plan but wants to see how it goes.

You hang up the phone and slump in your chair. It went better than you had thought — towards the bottom of your greatest hits of terrible phone calls. After a few minutes you stand up and circle the date on your calendar. In three weeks you better have something good to report.

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Virtual Incision tests surgical robots in humans

March 1, 2016 Comments (0) News, Success Stories

UNL Communications

UNMC surgeon Dmitry Oleynikov (left) and UNL engineer 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.

UNMC surgeon Dmitry Oleynikov (left) and UNL engineer Shane Farritor test their surgical robot prototype during a trial several months ago in Omaha. Their collaboration created a startup company, Virtual Incision, which hopes to make major surgery—like a bowel resection—a laparoscopic procedure.  (Photo/Charlie Litton)

LINCOLN, Neb. (March 1, 2016)—Virtual Incision Corp., a company founded by faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, has announced the successful first-in-human use of its miniaturized robot-assisted surgical device.

The device is designed for colon resection, a procedure to treat patients with lower gastrointestinal diseases including diverticulitis, pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions of the colon, inflammatory bowel disease and colon polyps that are too large to be removed endoscopically.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time an active miniaturized robot has performed complex surgical tasks with the robot inside a living human, which is a significant milestone in robotics and in surgery,” said Shane Farritor, a UNL professor of mechanical engineering who is Virtual Incision’s co-founder and chief technical officer.

The robot-assisted colon resection procedures were completed in Asunción, Paraguay, as part of the safety and feasibility trial for the technology. The surgeries were successful and the patients are recovering well, according to a news release from the company.

“Virtual Incision’s robot-assisted surgical device achieved proof-of-concept in highly complex abdominal procedures,” said head surgeon Dmitry Oleynikov, chief of minimally invasive surgery at UNMC and co-founder of Virtual Incision.

“Additionally, we verified that our extensive regimen of bench, animal, cadaver, biocompatibility, sterilization, electrical safety, software, human factors and other testing enabled the safe use of this innovative technology.”

Unlike today’s large, mainframe-like robots that reach into the body from outside the patient, Virtual Incision’s robot platform features a small, self-contained surgical device that is inserted through a single midline umbilical incision in the patient’s abdomen. Virtual Incision’s technology is designed to utilize existing tools and techniques familiar to surgeons, and does not require a dedicated operating room or specialized infrastructure. Because of its much smaller size, the robot is expected to be significantly less expensive than existing robotic alternatives for laparoscopic surgery. Virtual Incision’s technology promises to enable a minimally invasive approach to surgeries performed today with a large open incision.

The robot-assisted surgical device is investigational, and not commercially available. John Murphy, Virtual Incision’s CEO, said robot-assisted surgical are beneficial, but existing surgical robots have limitations that prevent pervasive use during certain surgeries, such as colon resection. The firm will build upon the positive completion of the feasibility study, as it works toward clearance for the system in the United States.

More than two million patients undergo colon resection procedures globally each year. About two-thirds of these procedures are performed via a completely open surgical procedure involving an 8- to 12-inch incision and up to six weeks of recovery time. Because the procedure is complicated, existing robot-assisted surgical devices are rarely used for colon resection surgeries, and manual laparoscopic approaches are only used in a third of cases.

In January, Virtual Incision and Nebraska Innovation Campus announced that the firm would be locating its headquarters at the new campus.

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UNeMed overhauls web design

March 1, 2016 Comments (0) News

UNeMed Logo, two color — 25th Anniversary

OMAHA, Neb. (March 1, 2016)—UNeMed officially unveiled today an improved and updated website that features a more modern design while adding significantly more useful information for all UNMC personnel.

The most obvious change to the website are the visible design improvements, which includes a stylized logo that commemorates UNeMed’s 25th anniversary. The altered logo adds texts that read “25TH ANNIVERSARY” and “technology transfer for UNMC since 1991.”

UNeMed was officially incorporated on September 11, 1991, but will celebrate the milestone throughout the year with periodic features and events.

Built in conjunction with UNeMed’s 25th Anniversary, the redesigned website’s simplified interface should make finding important information quicker and easier. In particular, the new design improves the quality and presentation of UNeMed’s technology pipeline, which includes all manner of devices, tools, new drugs and other innovations and discoveries developed at UNMC.

The overhaul was intended to enhance the user experience with an upgraded interface that was more intuitive and streamlined for easier use. The design was also simplified in response to the growing use of mobile technology which often requires a user’s data plan to stream information to their devices. The new website is now “lighter,” which should require less data and decrease load times.

UNeMed always welcomes feedback and new ideas for added or improved web features. Submit our ideas or suggestions to unemed@unmc.edu or call at 402-559-2468.

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First-ever Omaha Startup Week is March 21-26

February 12, 2016 Comments (0) News

OMAHA, Neb. (Feb, 12, 2016)—This March the first-ever Startup Week will be held in Omaha at a price that can’t be beat: Free.

According to the event website, Startup Week is a five-day series of events to celebrate the Omaha startup community, and it intended to “build momentum and opportunity around entrepreneurship.”

The event is still in the early planning stages, but people who sign up at the website will receive updates and notification when event registration opens.

According to a report at Silicon Prairie News, the Startup Week is expected to host more than 60 different events with about half of them organized into five separate tracks: youth, founder, corporate innovation, technology and marketing and sales.

Read Silicon Prairie’s full coverage here.

startupweek

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Dixon testifies before state committees on pro-business bills

February 5, 2016 Comments (0) News

by Charles Litton, UNeMed

LINCOLN, Neb. (Feb. 3, 2016)—UNeMed president and CEO Michael Dixon testified before Nebraska’s Executive Board of the Legislative Council Tuesday in favor of two bills currently before Nebraska’s 104th Legislature.

WEB_michael_dixon_2014Both bills deal with promoting, supporting and growing start-up and small businesses in the state. For more details of the hearing, see the Lincoln Journal-Star’s coverage here.

The Executive Board opened its afternoon committee hearing with the introduction of LB987 from State Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln. The bill calls for the creation of a steering committee to study Nebraska’s bioscience economy, and proposes to create a strategy for continued growth, development and commercialization of Nebraska discoveries and innovations.

The bill adds to similar economic development measures, such as the Talent & Innovation Initiative, which includes the Business Innovation Act. Those measures have dramatically improved Nebraska’s biotech business climate in recent years, but more work can be done, Dixon said.

“It’s crucial that we not rest on our laurels and become complacent,” he told the committee.

The bill would require the committee to produce its report before the close of the first 105th legislative session next year.

Dixon, who testified on behalf of the University of Nebraska, concluded his remarks to the committee: “At UNMC we have a stand. We lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future through extraordinary care, discovery and learning.

“When we take that stand, it means we don’t rest until we transform lives and have a significant impact on health. It isn’t just about getting grants or publishing papers or training students.

“To accomplish that stand we are driven to develop our discoveries and to make sure they have a significant impact not only on the health of all Nebraskans, but the world.”

Dixon also later testified before the same committee in favor of LB1083, the Next Generation Business Growth Act.

The Next Generation Business Growth Act, introduced by Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg, would create a Venture Development and Innovation Task Force that will “develop a statewide strategic plan to cultivate a climate of entrepreneurship and innovation.” The task force would study and review current and previous state programs, outline best practices in other states and perform an economic impact analysis of the Business Innovation Act.

Dixon’s testimony was related to his role as Chair of the Board for Invest Nebraska Corporation, the state’s public-private venture capital entity.

He is expected to testify again today on behalf of Invest Nebraska before the Appropriations Committee in favor of LB1028, which would extend the term and funding of the Business Innovation Act.

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Submit new inventions through the UNMC app

January 20, 2016 Comments (1) News

SubmitNINOMAHA, Neb. (January 20, 2016)—Submitting a new invention to UNeMed just got a little easier.

A new feature on UNMC’s mobile app now allows any user to quickly submit an idea to UNeMed. The UNMC app entirely free, and is available on both Apple and Android platforms. UNeMed welcomes all ideas, inventions and discoveries from any UNMC faculty, students and staff.

To submit an idea, open the application, and select the light-bulb icon which is marked as “Ideas.” Your native browser will open, then choose “Submit an Idea to UNEMED” from the drop-down menu at the top of the screen.

Fill out the form fields asking about the idea, your name and email address. It is extremely important to include your name and contact information, or we will not be able to help.

Finally, select the “submit” button.

Once UNeMed receives the idea, we will have an early record about when the idea was conceived and can begin our process of evaluating and protecting the invention. One of our licensing managers will contact you within days to gather additional details and walk you through the remaining process.

If you prefer to submit a higher level of detail about your idea or invention, we recommend using our standard form.

The purpose of the form is to generate a written, dated record of your invention and to provide information from which the patent potential and commercial potential of your invention can be evaluated. The University needs this documentation to comply with most industrial contract requirements and the U.S. federal laws and regulations concerning grants and contracts.

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Virtual Incision LLC to locate at Nebraska Innovation Campus

January 18, 2016 Comments (0) News

UNL Communications

UNMC surgeon Dmitry Oleynikov (left) and UNL engineer 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.

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.

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The year in review: Highlights from 2015

January 11, 2016 Comments (0) Blog, Innovation Week, News

by Charles Litton, UNeMed | Jan. 11, 2016

Before moving forward it’s often useful to pause for a moment and reflect on the year that was. Here’s a review of some of the most important stories, developments, most popular posts and other highlights from UNeMed in 2015:

1. Kielian drives Innovation Week to the top

UNMC Professor of Pathology Tammy Kielian, PhD, (left)—seen here with doctoral student Megan Bosch—is UNeMed's 2015 Innovator of the Year for work against Juvenile Batten Disease and biofilm infections.

UNMC Professor of Pathology Tammy Kielian, PhD, (left)—seen here with doctoral student Megan Bosch—is UNeMed’s 2015 Innovator of the Year for work against Juvenile Batten Disease and biofilm infections.

Our annual celebration of UNMC’s innovative research is always a popular corner of the UNeMed website, but this year Innovation Week seemed to burn a little brighter than before. It can’t be a coincidence that we also crowned Tammy Kielian, PhD, as the 2015 Innovator of the Year. One of our most popular blog posts, “The trouble with fighting rare diseases,” announced a licensing agreement with Abeona Therapeutics to further develop Dr. Kielian’s work on Juvenile Batten Disease. Dr. Kielian, who was also named the 2012 Emerging Inventor, is pursuing two lines of approach for the disease: One uses an existing class of drugs as a new treatment option, and the other is a gene therapy strategy that has potential as a cure.

2. Virtual Incision raises $11.2 million

VIC-Media-1-1024x683It was a big year for one of our startups, Virtual Incision, a surgical robotics company built out of a collaboration between UNMC surgeon Dmitry Oleynikov, M.D., and UNL robotics engineering professor Shane Farritor, PhD Virtual Incision is focusing its work on making colon resection surgery—where a piece of damaged or diseased colon is removed—a minimally invasive procedure. In 2015 the company raised more than $11.2 million in the opening round of investing and landed a prestigious robotics award. Then, in case all that wasn’t enough, Drs. Oleynikov and Farritor also scored a $2.8 million grant from the U.S. Army to continue research on robotic telesurgery.

3. License deal opens doors

Everyone around here was excited about the new licensing deal signed with local software and analytics firm H4 Technology—and not just for the UNMC invention they were helping develop. The bigger picture of the H4 agreement points toward future collaborations that could develop other UNMC inventions, presuming all goes according to plan with the current deal. The current agreement is about further development of a data-management program for preventing and treating pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores.

4. UNeMed completes first Tech Transfer Boot Camp

Grad students Richard Nelson and Simarjeet Negi look on during a session of UNeMed's first Technology Transfer Boot Camp, a week of imersive training sessions that dove into the commercialization of biomedical science.

Grad students Richard Nelson and Simarjeet Negi look on during a session of UNeMed’s first Technology Transfer Boot Camp, a week of imersive training sessions that dove into the commercialization of biomedical science.

UNeMed takes seriously the educational component of its mission, and helping young scientists expand their skills into the realm of technology transfer is right in our wheel house. It’s well-known that the number of opportunities for scientists in academia continue to shrink, and a growing number are looking beyond the bench for alternate career opportunities. In June 2015 UNeMed helped some of those scientists when it offered for the first time a week-long crash-course on technology transfer and commercialization. UNeMed is already planning the 2016 Boot Camp, and expects it to continue for years to come.

5. Make yourself uncomfortable, on purpose

WEB_amanda_hawley_2015Our most popular new blog post of the year came from UNeMed’s newest team member, Amanda Hawley, PhD An intern at the time, Dr. Hawley had recently completed her doctorate in cancer biology, and offered advice to fellow scientists looking for alternate career options. Her key recommendation: Challenge yourself with new experiences outside your comfort zone. You might be surprised with what you learn about yourself. Since then Dr. Hawley has been promoted to a full-time postdoctoral position with UNeMed.

6. Radux begins prototype testing

Radux, a new company built on a UNMC invention, is the most recent in a long line of startups that has benefited from the University of Nebraska’s Proof of Concept grant funding program. Radux used the cash to build its first working prototypes of devices made to protect physicians from harmful radiation and other injuries that can occur while performing fluoroscopic procedures. Radux was founded by UNMC interventional radiologist Greg Gordon, M.D.

7. Leuenberger says goodbye

Don Leuenberger

Don Leuenberger raises a special gift he received in recognition of 24-years of dedicated service since UNeMed was founded in 1991.

Although UNMC bade farewell to Vice Chancellor Don Leuenberger in 2015, the “Godfather of UNeMed” is expected to continue his role as chairman of the Board of Directors. Leuenberger helped create UNeMed 24 years ago, and was recognized for his contributions at the 2015 Shareholder Meeting in August. The Shareholder Meeting also highlighted key successes for UNeMed during the 2015 fiscal year, including $1.11 million raised in sponsored research.

8. Markin, Boedeker land national awards

boedeker_compositeTwo more UNMC inventors earned national recognition with awards, most recently on Dec. 16 when Rodney Markin, M.D., was named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. “Rod is a rare breed,” said Michael Dixon, PhD, president and CEO of UNeMed. “It’s uncommon to have a skilled clinician who also has such a keen understanding of business and what it takes to develop a product. Not only is he a prolific inventor with 35 patents, but he’s also helped turn those ideas into products – products that have built startup companies or have sold widely in multinational companies.”
In September, Ben Boedeker’s suction catheter won a 2015 EMS World Innovation Award.

9. Now accepting apps

unemedappserviceIn May, UNeMed announced that its services now also cover smartphone and tablet applications. UNeMed can help provide or find resources for further development while securing any intellectual property associated with the software. As a registered publisher at iTunes and Google Play, UNeMed can also publish an app to the most common marketplaces.

10. Prommune starts vaccine trials in pigs

One of UNeMed’s most long-standing startups companies, Prommune, took an important step forward in 2015. After bringing in a new CEO, Prommune quickly lined up a trial for its vaccine against the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as the Swine Flu. Early results are not yet complete, but Prommune’s inventor-founder Sam Sanderson, PhD, hopes to develop the vaccine for use in pigs before expanding the technology into other uses.

Honorable Mention:

WEB_agnes_lenagh_2015WEB_jeff_andersen_2015WEB_qian_zhang_2014One of our most popular posts from 2015 announced the new status of Qian Zhang, Ph.D., UNeMed’s International Technology Development Specialist. Already holding a doctorate in cancer biology and an MBA, Dr. Zhang passed the U.S. Patent Bar, qualifying her as a registered patent agent who can draft, file and prosecute patent applications. UNeMed also announced in 2015 the addition of Jeff Andersen as contracts specialist and the promotion of Agnes Lenagh, PhD, to a permanent position as a licensing specialist. Andersen filled an unexpected vacancy after the October 2014 passing of Jack Mayfield. Dr. Lenagh first joined UNeMed in 2011 as an intern then shifted to a postdoctoral position before accepting her current position.

Classics

Several posts from previous years remain popular and relevant, particularly those that focus on day-to-day operations and legal issues associated with intellectual property.
1. Importance of Technology Transfer
2. How to Determine Who is an Inventor on a Patent: Unraveling Inventorship vs. Authorship
3. Technology Transfer 101: Defining Research Commercialization
4. Safeguarded in the Vault: How Trade Secrets Work

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Markin named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors

December 16, 2015 Comments (1) News, Success Stories

by Tom O’Connor, UNMC

Rodney Markin - Pathology

OMAHA, Neb. (Dec. 16, 2015)—Rod Markin, M.D., PhD, chief technology officer and associate vice chancellor for business development at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

Election to NAI Fellow status is a high professional distinction accorded to academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.

The 168 named this year bring the total number of NAI Fellows to 582.  The honorees join a prestigious list of past Fellows that include 27 Nobel Laureates, 80 presidents and senior leaders of research universities and non-profit research institutes, and 27 inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Dr. Markin has been associated with UNMC for more than 35 years. He earned his medical degree from UNMC in 1983 and his doctoral degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1980. He joined the UNMC faculty in 1986.

He was named to his current position in 2011. Among his duties, Dr. Markin works closely with departments to plan major equipment purchases and make sure that utilization justifies cost. He looks for opportunities for departments to better coordinate their use of equipment and seeks potential new uses for information systems and telemedicine.

In 2010-11, Dr. Markin served as interim dean of the UNMC College of Medicine. Prior to this, he was the David T. Purtilo Distinguished Professor of Pathology and senior associate dean for clinical affairs in the College of Medicine. He also served as president of UNMC Physicians, the physician practice group for UNMC, from 1997 to 2010.

Dr. Markin is one of the most prolific inventors at UNMC. In 2009, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from UNeMed Corporation, UNMC’s technology transfer company, for his innovative work in transforming the clinical laboratory through technology.

“Rod is a rare breed,” said Michael Dixon, PhD, president and CEO of UNeMed. “It’s uncommon to have a skilled clinician who also has such a keen understanding of business and what it takes to develop a product. Not only is he a prolific inventor with 35 patents, but he’s also helped turn those ideas into products – products that have built startup companies or have sold widely in multinational companies.”

The NAI Fellows will be inducted on April 15, as part of the Fifth Annual Conference of the National Academy of Inventors in Alexandria, Va. Fellows will be presented with a special trophy, medal, and rosette pin.

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Scientific Research: Frankly my dear, you should give a damn!

December 1, 2015 Comments (0) Blog

by Amanda Hawley, UNeMed | December 1, 2015

Trying to convey the significance of science without proper communication skills is like asking a friend to assemble an IKEA chair, but giving them the instructions through interpretive dance.

Good luck.

Publishing and presenting scientific discoveries in only field-specific venues will limit the impact and greater purpose of publicizing these advances.

But why should science enthusiasts give a damn?

Information provided by media influences the opinions and ideologies of the public, which in turn shapes the political climate. The public’s perception of science and research—be it positive or negative—effects the decision makers in our nation’s capital.

Science supporters need to ignite a change in the public perception to prioritize education and research programs. One way to accomplish this shift is by improving the current strategies of informing and educating the general population.

Learning of new discoveries should not require an advanced degree in science or a decoder ring to translate scientific jargon.

Communicating these scientific advances should be applicable to all. And I mean all—right down to story time, sitting crisscross-applesauce surrounded by sticky fifth-graders.

If researchers are frustrated with the lack of funding or diversity within the sciences, perhaps it’s time to look in the mirror. The public’s lack of scientific understanding and appreciation stems from the negligent and an improper education.

Vocal, non-science experts create distrust and doubt, misleading the public away from science, as seen in the debates on vaccines and global-climate change.

A well-known U.S. scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, PhD, said in a November 2007 Point of Inquiry interview: “How is it that access to science could be so high, yet it appears that science literacy in the population has made only marginal gains, if at all? Some would say its reverted to superstitious over the rational analysis of the real world in which we live.”

He added: “The more I recognize that things might be going backwards, the more I would have to admit that I am failing in what I am trying to do…create some increased level of science literacy in the electorate.”

Despite the enormity of resources just a click away, an inaccurate public perception of science is the annoying pop-up windows you can’t close.

Adam Ruben, PhDAdam Ruben, PhD, from “Outrageous Acts of Science” on the Science Channel, gave a talk during UNMC’s 2015 Innovation Week titled “Public Perception of Science.” He listed examples of the public’s ill-informed response to scientific discovery like cloning animals, vaccines, and the joke campaign against dihydrogen monoxide (a.k.a. water, H2O).

Dr. Ruben explained how the portrayal of scientific discovery can be alluring to audiences, yet entirely misleading. This deception further weakens the relationship between scientists and the public.

Why are scientists generally identified as being unapproachable, elitist, or stereotyped as mad? Sorry scientists, we are as relatable as porcupines and pineapples.

The stereotype of scientist was no better depicted by a class of seventh-graders. The class was asked to draw and describe a scientist before and after meeting an actual researcher. In the first drawing, the majority of children depicted a nerdy-looking, bald man wearing a white lab coat. After meeting an actual scientist, they drew normal-looking people without the stereotypical identifiers.

Perhaps the issue of science illiteracy boils down to the public’s inability to relate to scientists or connect to science overall.

A common problem in many relationships is improper communication.

With the current communication strategy applicable to only a miniscule percentage of the population, I fear scientific researchers will further become estranged from the public and hinder the support of scientific innovation.

So frankly my dears, you all should give a damn!

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UNeMed signs deal with H4 Technology for better healthcare

November 20, 2015 Comments (1) News

contractsby Charles Litton, UNeMed

OMAHA, Neb. (November 17, 2015)—Officials today formally announced a new partnership that could lead to more productive deals for software-based biomedical innovations developed at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine.

H4 Technology, an Omaha-based software and analytics firm, entered a joint licensing agreement with Nebraska Medicine and UNeMed, the technology transfer arm of UNMC, to further develop a data-based management program for preventing and treating pressure ulcers—commonly known as bed sores. If the pressure ulcer application, called the Nebraska Matrix, progresses as expected, then H4 and UNeMed will likely expand the partnership to include similar UNMC inventions, officials said.

“I’m excited for the partnership with UNeMed because they are the perfect partner to further our mission to transform healthcare through technology,” H4 Technology president, Chris Henkenius, said. “We’re anxious to get started, and further this relationship for years to come.”

Henkenius first became aware of UNeMed during the 2015 Big Omaha convention—a massive annual networking event that brings together a wide swath of the regional entrepreneurship community. Kody Schrader, Senior Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation with the Greater Omaha Chamber Commerce, introduced Henkenius to UNeMed president and CEO Michael Dixon.

“Kody pulled me aside and said, ‘Here’s some guys you should know,'” Dixon said. “Without Kody and Big Omaha, this technology and license probably never happens. I was enthusiastic from the start because H4 does exactly what we need.”

H4 Technology focuses on healthcare applications that are powered by advanced data integration, data storage and analytics. For the bed sore application, or Nebraska Matrix, H4 will use a protected algorithm formulated by UNMC associate professor Janet Cuddigan, R.N., PhD, to integrate healthcare data services with known best practices for treating and preventing pressure ulcers.

The result is a personalized care program for each individual patient based on their risk level for developing painful bed sores—which can lead to dangerous infections, longer hospital stays and increased costs.

But more than that, the base programming behind Nebraska Matrix has the potential to serve as a template for a number of different applications, said Chief Marketing Officer and H4 Technology co-owner, Craig Christenson.

“What we really like about the technology is its potential as a template for other hospital acquired conditions,” he said. “Analyzing outcomes to a specific care coordination plan is big for hospitals in monitoring, managing and reducing the risk of numerous conditions.”

Getting the Nebraska Matrix running will open the door to further development of other UNMC healthcare data applications that could include: Building a platform for managing and minimizing hospital acquired infections, and setting up another program that streamlines the process of coordinating emergency procedures when a patient’s heart stops beating.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to work with these products,” Christenson said, “because the need is there.”

“If we can do the analytics behind the programs, then we can improve outcomes,” he added.

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About UNeMed:

UNeMed Corporation is the technology transfer and commercialization office (TTO) for the University of Nebraska Medical Center. UNeMed serves all UNMC researchers, faculty and staff who develop new biomedical technology and inventions, and strives to help bring those innovations to the marketplace.

About H4 Technology:

H4 Technology, a Nebraska based, consulting and application development company with over 15 years of providing technology solutions for the healthcare field. H4 Technology’s roots are in Health Information Exchange, Accountable Care Organization, and product development. They have also helped implement nine statewide and three regional HIEs, as well as numerous ACOs, HIOs, and hospital systems.

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