OMAHA, Neb. (November 1, 2015)—Amanda Hawley, PhD, has been promoted from intern to a full-time postdoctoral position as a licensing associate with UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
“Dr. Hawley has been a great addition to the UNeMed family,” UNeMed president and CEO Michael Dixon said. “We knew pretty quickly after she started here that we wanted to keep her around for a long time. Her kind of talent, skills and energy don’t come along every day.”
The promotion and full-time status expands her role of evaluating, marketing, and seeking partnerships for new inventions, cures, treatments and medical devices developed at UNMC.
UNeMed’s mission is to help UNMC researchers, faculty and staff move innovations and ground-breaking discoveries beyond the laboratory and into the marketplace. Dr. Hawley joins UNeMed’s talented stable of licensing experts who work every day to advance UNMC’s new discoveries into the future cures and treatments that might one-day affect millions around the world.
“It’s a rewarding and stimulating position,” Dr. Hawley said. “With the new position, I feel a sense of peace and like I can make an impact.”
A native of Portland, Ore., Dr. Hawley is the daughter of Jay and Debbie Lakamp, and a 2004 graduate of Sunset High School. She went on to Western Oregon University in Monmouth for her biology degree in 2009. Dr. Hawley received her doctorate in cancer biology from UNMC in 2014.
“The idea of PortCas is pretty basic,” said Joseph Siu, PhD, who is working with Hanson on the PortCas. “If we can move a humongous, $100,000 simulator, move it into tiny boxes, and make it cheap enough for every medical student in the world to have one, then we’ve met our goal.”
Dr. Al-Murani said the technology is unique because it’s a naturally occurring protein, versatile, easy to manufacture and easy to store and use.
Qian Zhang, PhD, of UNeMed presented the Portable Laparoscope, an invention of Chandra Are, M.D.
Thoraguard is an innovative approach to the chest tubes used to drain fluids. The tubes are prone to clogging, causing Retained Blood Complex, which doubles the mortality rate, increases the length of stay in patients by about a week, and increases the costs to care for a patient by about $30,000. Larger tubes cut down on clogging but bring about a different set of problems, such as increased infections and damage to surrounding organs.
Valeriya Kettelhut, M.D., PhD, presented a system to track infections in hospitals and other high-risk environments, such as transport centers, cancer centers, and long-term facilities.
“Think about how we use chemical today,” said Draper. “Our overuse of chemicals and anti-microbial products are contaminating ourselves, our water, our air, our ground, and creating new contaminants in our environment.”
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Those interested in alternative career paths are encouraged to attend the career panel on Monday, Oct. 19, from 2-3 p.m., in the DRC Auditorium where professionals from various scientific fields will discuss their profession and how they got there. Students can also attend the Adam Ruben event on Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the DRC auditorium. Ruben, author of “
Dr. Bounds, who joined the University as its seventh president in April, focused his remarks on the importance of public and private partnerships with the University, and how they contribute to greater innovation and growth. A big part of that growth will be fueled by the Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, Dr. Bounds said.
