See next gen medical training tools at iEXCEL Expo

October 19, 2015 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News

iexcelposter2015_FINOMAHA, Neb. (October 19, 2015)—When Innovation Week kicks off today at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, people will get an early glimpse at the future of medical education during a hands-on expo that will feature some of the most advanced training and simulation equipment in the world.

UNMC’s bold initiative called Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning, or iEXCEL, will feature cutting edge medical training tools in simulation and 3D visualization technologies that will allow the clinicians of tomorrow to learn more at a faster pace than ever before.

“What aviation simulation did for the flight industry, iEXCEL will do for health care education,” UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., said.

UNMC employees, students, staff and the general public will have the rare opportunity to get a closer look at these technologies Tuesday, October 20 when UNeMed and the Office of the Vice Chancellor Research host the “iEXCEL Expo” all day at the Michael F. Sorrell Center at the intersection of 42nd and Emile streets.

The Expo will be held in two sessions, first at 9-11:30 a.m., then again at 1-4 p.m. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

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Hank Bounds talks tech transfer during Husker halftime

October 16, 2015 Comments (0) News

LINCOLN, Neb. (October 16, 2015)—University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds, PhD, joined Greg Sharpe, the “Voice of the Huskers,” for a halftime radio chat during the football broadcast of Nebraska’s heartbreaking 23-21 loss to Wisconsin Saturday afternoon.

HankBounds02_2Dr. 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.

“Nebraskans expect their university to conduct research that matters,” Dr. Bounds said. “To turn that research into products and technologies that help improve lives. And, to maintain a competitive economy. With Nebraska Innovation Campus, the University of Nebraska is in a strong position to do that.”

The Nebraska Innovation Campus is a massive public-private research campus in Lincoln that will bring together the talent and skills of academic and industrial experts into a single location where they can better collaborate to solve critical problems and develop innovative solutions.

An important part of that innovation process are the technology transfer services within the University system, Dr. Bounds said.

“That includes leaders and staff at UNeMed and NUTech Ventures—and University researchers who are working to bring their discoveries from the lab to the marketplace,” Dr. Bounds told Sharpe. “Research breakthroughs that become licensed and commercialized make an impact in improving lives around the world, and on economic development in our state.”

Dr. Bounds’ halftime interview was part of an ongoing series, the “IMG University of Nebraska President’s Halftime Show,” which airs during the halftime intermission of every Nebraska football game broadcast on Husker Sports Network affiliates.

The series continues this Saturday when the Nebraska Cornhuskers visit the Minnesota Golden Gophers for a 2:30 kickoff in Minneapolis. Dr. Bounds and Greg Sharpe are expected to discuss the University’s interest and growing role in early child development, and keeping Nebraska as one of the best places to raise a child.

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I-Week panel to discuss alternate science careers

October 16, 2015 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News

iweek15badgeA panel of professionals from different scientific career fields will discuss their paths and other options available to graduate students during a public discussion in the Durham Research Center auditorium Monday, Oct. 19, at 2-3 p.m.

Panelists will describe their career field, the path they took to get there, and offer advice. Students are encouraged to participate with questions for the panel.

Panelists include Austin Jelick, PhD, the product manager for Cyagen Bioscience in Santa Clara, Calif.; Michelle Eggen, senior medical writer at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals; Lisa Bilek, PhD, medical science liaison at Genzyme; and Tyler Martin, M.D., CEO at Adjuvance Technologies Inc.

Admission to the discussion is free and open to all.

Those interested in alternate careers in the scientific fields are also encouraged to attend “Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go To Grad School,” hosted by Adam Ruben in the DRC auditorium on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Attendees at any UNeMed-sponsored Innovation Week event will also can also register to win a new iPad. Attendees are encouraged to attend other Innovation Week events to register again to increase their chances of winning. The drawing for the iPad will be held during the UNMC Research Innovation Awards Ceremony and Reception on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m. The winner must be present to win.

For more information on all 2015 Innovation Week events, go to https://www.unemed.com/innovation-week.

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Adam Ruben headlines Innovation Week event

October 16, 2015 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News

RubenBanner15_306x113OMAHA, Neb. (October 16, 2015)—Adam Ruben, author of “Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School,” and co-host of the popular Science Channel series, “Outrageous Acts of Science,” will be on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus Tuesday at 2 p.m. as a part of UNeMed’s ninth annual Innovation and Research  Week.

The event is free and open to everyone, but because space is limited, registered guests will receive the highest seating priority.

Ruben, who also pens the humor column “Experimental Error,” will speak in the Durham Research Center Auditorium about the many challenges of grad school, and the struggle to make a career in academic science fields.

Dr. Ruben said he plans to “complain about grad school and offer career alternatives (other than failure) to the shrinking academic tenure-track market, which you don’t really want anyway.”

The light-hearted talk will be followed by a book-signing and a chance to meet the author.

Ruben will also present an evening show as part of the Science Café series, “Public Perception of Science: Lessons from a Dead Sheep.”

Ruben has also been featured on the Food Network’s “Food Detectives,” the Science Channel’s “Head Rush,” the Travel Channel’s “Mysteries at the Kremlin,” the Weather Channel’s “Weather Gone Viral,” Discovery International’s “Superhuman Science,” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

Innovation Week culminates Thursday, with the ninth annual Innovation Awards Ceremony and Reception, where one guest will win a free iPad. Any UNMC personnel can register for the free iPad drawing by attending any UNeMed-sponsored Innovation Week event.

Learn more about all Innovation Week events at https://www.unemed.com/innovation-week.

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Celebrating the resources that make innovation possible

October 15, 2015 Comments (0) Blog, Innovation Week

iweek15badgeby Amanda Hawley, UNeMed | October 15, 2015

During the week of October 19-23, UNMC will shine a spotlight on the extensive resources offered on campus that mobilize researchers and encourage innovation.

A series of fortunate events organized by UNeMed and UNMC’s Office of Vice Chancellor for Research will promote forward thinking through improving research design, fostering collaboration, strengthening grantsmanship, and identifying funding opportunities for research.

UNMC offers multifunctional research tools to help researchers expand and fortify their studies in-house. The CORE research facilities, clinical research resources, database resources, plus the McGoogan Library resources and Makerspace are invaluable assets in a researcher’s repertoire.

Throughout the week, the McGoogan Library of Medicine will host various presentations on how they can better equip researchers. On Oct. 19, learn about their provided services in systematic publication searches and UNMC reference software training. On Oct. 20 and 22, they unveil their new Grant Resource Library that will aid UNMC administrators and researchers in preparing competitive grant applications. And on Oct. 23 the library finishes the week with an Innovation Open House where you can discover the new 3D printing resources and the Digital Commons for research presentation and poster storage.

Also, numerous presentations will cover how online databases for both clinical and scientific research can optimize research study design and data collection. In addition, multiple talks on the UNMC biostatistical and biomedical informatics resources will convey more effective means of crunching numbers and displaying data, which is critical for properly communicating findings. On Oct. 23, UNMC administrators and researchers can tour of the various Core facilities on campus to familiarize themselves with the technologies that can further advance their studies.

Through the use of outside and UNMC’s advantageous resources, students and post-doctoral fellows spend years accumulating proficiencies in research tool implementation. However, when nearing the completion of their training, many of these doctorates are confounded with how or where to apply their vast knowledge.

UNeMed has organized two career development events for UNMC graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to answer the question of “What do I do after graduate school?”

On October 19, at 2 p.m. in the DRC Auditorium, a panel of various professionals with scientific research backgrounds will describe their transition from academia to an alternative career in science. Alternative career fields represented are Business Development, Medical Science Liaison, Product Development, and Medical Writing.

The following day, UNeMed presents the funny Adam Ruben, PhD, on “Surviving your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School.” Dr. Ruben, the author and co-host of the “Outrageous Acts of Science” on the Science Channel, will offer career alternatives to the shrinking academic tenure-track market. Registration for this event is required. Please visit the event website for more details.

All of UNMC’s Research and Innovation Week events are open to the public, though some may require early registration. Please visit the UNeMed or VCR website for additional event information.

Come out and join in the celebration of innovation. Enjoy the daily events and learn how you can become an innovator with UNMC’s in-house resources.

Be innovative. Be extraordinary. #IamUNMC.

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Demo Day is set for Oct. 21

October 15, 2015 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News

demoday15badgeOMAHA, Neb. (Oct. 15, 2015)—New startups and technologies developed at the University of Nebraska Medical Center will be on display at the UNMC Technology Demo Day in the Michael F. Sorrell Center, room 3001, on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 4 p.m. as part of UNeMed’s 2015 Innovation and Research Week.

The event is free and open to all, but space is limited, so guests are encouraged to register.

Six short presentations of about 10 minutes are planned, and will examine some UNMC technologies and partnerships that are moving toward the market place.

  • Sam Al-Murrani, CEO of Prommune Inc., will discuss an approach developed at UNMC to boost innate immune systems to fight disease and infection with a naturally-occurring protein component found in the immune system. The current version of the vaccine is undergoing clinical trials as a Swine Influenza A virus vaccine on pigs. Successful results could lead to implementation into the farming industry and perhaps lead into advancing the technology for use in humans.
  • Jeff Hanson, representative of Aviture, will present The Garage, software designed to help startups succeed. The Garage helps startups connect to resources they need, hone their product, and better understand their customers. Hanson is working with Drs. Joseph Siu, Carl Nelson and Dmitry Oleynikov to build a software-as-a-service business model around surgical simulation technologies coming from UNMC’s Center for Advanced Surgical Technology. Their first project is UNMC’s PortCas—a portable laparoscopic surgical simulation platform.
  • Evan Luxon will present Esculon, an engineering startup based in Lincoln, Neb. Focused on medical device development. Esculon is assisting inventors at UNMC with prototype building and clinical study planning.
  • Mike Draper, CEO of Center Ridge Holdings LLC, will introduce an innovative cleaning technology from CleanCore Technologies LLC. The technology uses cold water and ozone to create a robust cleaning solution called aqueous ozone. CleanCore is answering the rising demand for environmentally friendly products by creating truly green cleaning products compared to traditional environmentally friendly cleaning chemicals. CleanCore, an affiliate of the Burlington Capital Group LLC, is working with UNMC researchers to test product effectiveness against bacteria.
  • UNMC’s Valeriya Kettlehut, M.D., PhD, MPH, will present an early warning system for an enhanced biosurveillance and infection prevention strategy in closed environments. The system will assist users to maximize the effects of infection prevention through a multi-faceted approach.
  • UNeMed’s Qian Zhang, PhD, will preview the Portable Laparoscope, a UNMC invention that could bring minimally invasive surgery to distant locations. Invented by Chandra Are, M.D., the technology replicates the laparoscopic procedure in virtually any environment.

Attendees will also have a chance to register to win a new iPad. Attendees are encouraged to attend other Innovation Week events to register again to increase their chances of winning. The drawing for the iPad will be held during the UNMC Research Innovation Awards Ceremony and Reception on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m. The winner must be present to win.

For more information on all 2015 Innovation Week events, go to https://www.unemed.com/innovation-week.

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Innovation Week ‘Kicks Off’ Monday!

October 15, 2015 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News

innovationweek15_webheadOMAHA, Neb. (Oct. 15, 2015)—UNeMed opens 2015 Innovation and Research Week 2015 with a “Kick-Off” event, a meet-and-greet in the Durham Research Center Atrium Monday, Oct. 19, at 9-11 a.m.

Everyone is welcome to meet UNeMed staff; hear about some of the incredible UNMC innovations moving toward the marketplace; learn about the tech transfer process; or just grab a free T-shirt and a smoothie or coffee.

Attendees will also have a chance to register to win a new iPad. Attendees are encouraged to attend other Innovation Week events to register again to increase their chances of winning. The drawing for the iPad will be held during the UNMC Research Innovation Awards Ceremony and Reception on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m. The winner must be present to win.

For more information on all 2015 Innovation Week events, go to https://www.unemed.com/innovation-week.

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Innovation and Research Week at UNMC is Oct. 19-23

October 15, 2015 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News

iweek15badgeOMAHA, Neb. (Oct. 14, 2015)—Innovation and Research Week enters its ninth year Monday, Oct. 19, celebrating and recognizing world-class research and discovery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Hosted by UNMC’s technology transfer office, UNeMed Corporation, Innovation and Research Week begins with an open house 9 a.m. Monday at the Durham Research Center, and culminates with the UNMC Research Innovation Awards Ceremony and Reception Thursday evening, which will include a drawing for a free iPad.

awards1This year marks the first major expansion of Innovation and Research Week to include more than a dozen new events that incorporates UNMC’s innovative educational practices and basic science research. The new events include several seminars, workshops and hands-on demonstrations.

All events are free and open to the public, but the iPad drawing is for UNMC faculty, students and staff only. They may register for the drawing by attending any UNeMed-sponsored event. Further details can be found Innovation Week.

Innovation Week will feature an entertaining presentation from Adam Ruben, PhD, author of the popular book, “Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School.” Ruben will also perform a second show in the evening, “Public Perception of Science: Lessons from a Dead Sheep,” as part of UNMC’s Science Café series.

Alternate science careers will also be explored Monday afternoon during a panel discussion featuring four successful scientists who moved away from the research bench.
For the first time Innovation Week will feature an all-day open house that will expose the most sophisticated medical training tools in the world at the new Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning (iEXCEL).

The Sorrell Center will also produce a simulated medical scenario pitting two medical student groups against one another in a one-hour contest called “Mission SimPossible.”

On Wednesday, UNMC Technology Demo Day will enter its third year, featuring new technologies, inventions and startups that are either based on UNMC innovations, or are innovative startups working to help further UNMC research.

Innovation Week concludes on Thursday, Oct. 23, with the UNMC Research Innovation Awards Ceremony and Reception. The ceremony will recognize all the UNMC scientists over the previous year who were issued a new patent, licensed a technology, or developed a new invention. UNeMed will also present special awards for the “Most Promising New Invention of 2015” and the “2015 Innovator of the Year.”

Monday’s open house is a chance to meet UNeMed staffers, learn about the innovation process, and pick up a free T-shirt and other goodies.

AwardsBanner15_306x113

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UNMC research team lands $8.8 million NIH competitive renewal grant

October 9, 2015 Comments (0) News

Gendelman spearheads efforts to develop long-acting medicines for HIV/AIDS

by Tom O’Connor, UNMC

OMAHA, Neb. (Oct. 9, 2015)—A University of Nebraska Medical Center research team has been awarded a five-year, $8.8 million grant from the National Institute on Drugs of Abuse-National Institutes of Health for their work on HIV/AIDS treatment and eradication.

The goal of the research is to develop a long-acting antiretroviral therapy that could be taken once every six months to provide chemical viral eradication. The work, if realized, could represent a major breakthrough for HIV/AIDS patients, who currently have to take one pill each day.

Howard Gendelman, M.D.

Howard Gendelman, M.D., accepts the Innovator of the Year award during UNeMed’s annual Innovation Awards Ceremony on Oct. 10, 2013.

“Pill fatigue, co-morbid diseases, substance abuse and drug toxicities can affect drug compliance,” said Howard Gendelman, M.D., the principal investigator on the grant. Dr. Gendelman is professor and chair of the UNMC Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has revolutionized HIV treatment, he said. Drugs are combined that attack the virus at different stages of its reproductive cycle. ART doesn’t cure HIV, but it stops it from spreading.

The goal of ART is to get the viral load in the blood stream so low that tests can’t even detect it. HIV is still there, but there’s not enough of it to cause symptoms – as long as patients keep taking their medications.

“Dr. Gendelman continues to drive the science to improve ART therapy,” said Jennifer Larsen, M.D., vice chancellor for research. “This most recent grant is a testament to both his previous work and his vision of where the science should be going. I share his excitement that the research holds great promise for creating better therapies for patients.”

Working with two major pharmaceutical companies, the UNMC scientists have packaged antiretrovirals into targeted nanoparticles, which can improve drug biodistribution and target sites where the virus hides.

A prime directive for the work is to bring the drug to sites where the virus hides and to combine ART with other medicines that work to destroy whatever virus remains in the body.

“It’s a sort of seek and destroy mission for the research,” said Dr. Gendelman, who noted that preliminary test results in animal models have been promising.

He said the long-term goal of the research is to enable a new product. Under development is a nanomedicine good manufacturing facility, on the UNMC campus, which would develop formulations for phase I clinical testing.

“Because of the success of Dr. Gendelman’s research team, we have established a nanomedicine pre-production plant and by next spring will have a GMP nanoproduction facility operational,” said Deb Thomas, interim vice chancellor for business and finance.  “Knowing this team as I do, it’s just the start where the best is yet to come.”

 

Team effort

Dr. Gendelman’s research team has exceeded $20 million in active funding largely focused on nanomedicines. Since 2010, the combined research efforts of the research team have led to 10 other grants totaling more than $12 million.

The research brings together a highly integrative, cross-disciplinary team of scientists, including researchers at the Scripps Research Institute. The UNMC team members include:

 

College of Pharmacy

  • Tatiana Bronich, PhD
  • Yazen Alnouti, PhD

College of Medicine – Department of Radiology

  • Michael Boska, PhD

College of Medicine – Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience

  • Larisa Poluektova, M.D., PhD
  • Santhi Gorantla, PhD
  • Shilpa Buch, PhD
  • Benson Edagwa, PhD
  • Prasanta Dash, PhD
  • Mariluz Anamelva Arainga Ramirez, PhD, D.V.M.
  • Howard Fox, M.D., PhD
  • Lee Mosley, PhD
  • JoEllyn McMillan, PhD
  • Robin Taylor

What others are saying:

“It has been a pleasure collaborating with Howard in the early days where we worked together to establish the feasibility of targeting nanoparticle antiretroviral injectables. I find it simply amazing to see how far he has taken it toward a practical treatment for overcoming treatment compliance. It is very gratifying as well to see that this opinion is shared by the NIH.”

Barrett Rabinow, PhD, Baxter Distinguished Scientist, medication delivery, global R&D, Baxter Healthcare Corporation

 

“Howard is a good friend and an excellent scientist.  He is inquisitive and works hard. He has become expert in the area of nanoformulated therapies. He has leveraged this knowledge toward HIV to accept the therapeutic challenge of producing long acting, cell targeted antiretrovirals. Howard understands HIV and its effects on the immune system, and he applies his knowledge practically to answer important scientific questions. He’s quite a remarkable person and scientist.”

John McCall, PhD, president and founder of PharMac LLC 

 

“The work of Dr. Gendelman’s group has the potential to revolutionize the treatment and prevention of HIV infection. Howie has always been one of the country’s most innovative thinkers in HIV pathogenesis and treatment, and this award will provide stable support to continue his research. The environment at UNMC is ideal for supporting development of the type of long-acting, injectable drugs this group is proposing.”

Charles W. Flexner, M.D., professor of medicine, pharmacology and molecular sciences, Johns Hopkins University

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Virtual Incision wins top robotics prize

October 1, 2015 Comments (1) News, Success Stories

virtualincision_2015SAN JOSE, Calif. (Sept. 28, 2015) — A surgical robot developed in collaboration between UNMC surgeon Dmitry Oleynikov, M.D., and UNL engineering Professor Shane Farritor, PhD, was recently named a prestigious Game Changer award-winner by the Robotics Business Review.

The annual Game Changer Awards were officially announced in San Jose, Calif., on Sept. 24, during RoboBusiness, one of the largest international robotics conferences in the United States.

Oleynikov’s and Farritor’s award-winning robot is the foundation of a University of Nebraska startup company, Virtual Incision, which recently raised more than $11 million in equity financing.

Dr. Oleynikov, a professor of surgery at UNMC, and Dr. Farritor, a professor of engineering at UNL, developed a surgical robot that could turn highly invasive surgeries into laparoscopic procedures. The current focus is perfecting the robot’s ability for colon resection, a complicated surgical procedure that removes a damaged or diseased section of a patient’s colon. It’s a treatment for patients with lower gastrointestinal diseases such as diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or colon cancer.

Current practice for a colon resection requires a large incision, 8- to 12-inches, and up to six weeks of recovery time. Virtual Incision’s robot can accomplish this using minimally invasive techniques and operates entirely inside the patient’s abdomen. The robot provides high-resolution video from an on-board camera while the surgeon operates the robot using a sophisticated set of controls.

Designed to utilize existing tools and techniques familiar to surgeons, Virtual Incision’s robot will not require a dedicated operating room or specialized infrastructure, and, because of its much smaller size, is expected to be significantly less expensive than existing robotic alternatives for laparoscopic surgery. Because of these technological advances, the system could also enable minimally invasive approaches to other procedures that today are performed using open surgery.

“We are very excited to be among the group selected for the Game Changer Award,” Dr. Farritor said. “If you look at this group of winners, and at past recipients, it is an amazing honor to be included in this list.”

Entries were judged by a panel of Robotics Business Review and Robotics Trends editors as well as by distinguished experts from the International Journal of Advanced Robotics Systems (IJARS).

In 2014 the University of Nebraska system honored Drs. Oleynikov and Farritor with its prestigious Innovation, Development and Engagement Award.

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Prommune will test swine flu H1N1 vaccine

August 24, 2015 Comments (1) News

UNMC researcher Sam Sanderson, PhD, checks the results of a recent quality control test at his Omaha lab. His startup company, Prommune, has scheduled a test for a new H1N1 vaccine on pigs in Aug. 2015.

UNMC researcher Sam Sanderson, PhD, checks the results of a recent quality control test at his Omaha lab. His startup company, Prommune, has scheduled a test for a new H1N1 vaccine on pigs in Aug. 2015. (Photo: Charles Litton)

by Charles Litton, UNeMed

Omaha, Neb. (August 24, 2015)—A swine flu H1N1 vaccine developed at the University of Nebraska Medical Center will enter a definitive round of testing in the coming weeks, and researchers hope to establish its ability to ward off the virus in pigs.

Made possible by a licensing deal brokered through UNMC’s technology transfer office, UNeMed Corporation, the study will evaluate the vaccine on 30-40 pigs.

If tests yield results as expected, Prommune, Inc. could begin offering an H1N1 vaccine to hog farmers as early as the end of the year—although full approval from the USDA would likely take another three or four years.

Ultimately, an H1N1 vaccine as potentially effective as Prommune’s could dramatically diminish the virus as a global threat to the world’s pig population, and could even lead to more effective vaccines for similar diseases in birds and perhaps humans.

Prommune, a company founded on the research of UNMC’s Sam Sanderson, PhD, is building a vaccine that could protect pigs from H1N1. A test in Aug. 2015 is expected to prove the vaccine’s effectiveness, and could lead to other vaccines in other animals and perhaps even humans. (Photo: Charles Litton)

Prommune, Inc. was built around the research of Sam Sanderson, PhD, who founded the company in 2002. Sanderson is currently a research associate professor of pharmaceutical science in UNMC’s College of Pharmacy. Sanderson’s technology essentially helps activate and direct the immune system into a more targeted and efficient attack against invading pathogens.

The technology, an immune stimulating peptide called EP67, is a “platform technology” that is so versatile it can be tweaked and modified to work against a number of ailments and in a wide variety of animals. In addition to the H1N1 vaccine, EP67 could have applications against different varieties of the avian flu virus, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and other infectious agents.

But long before Prommune can develop anything for human use, researchers still need to compile years of data—beginning with the planned trials in coming weeks, said Prommune’s interim CEO Sam Al-Murrani, PhD

Samer Al-Murrani, PhD, M.B.A.

Al-Murrani

Al-Murrani joined Prommune in March, after first meeting Sanderson at an animal health investment forum in Kansas City back in 2013. Al-Murrani, who has a background in animal health and holds a doctorate in immunology and biochemistry, said a platform technology like EP67 would intrigue investors and strategic partners. Several recent initial public offerings in the animal health sector didn’t compare well to Prommune’s innovative technology, he said.

“I think Prommune today—today—has more product and market potential than any of those companies,” he said.

Al-Murrani is the chief executive officer of Babylon BioConsulting, a firm based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, which specializes in bringing early-stage technologies to biomedical markets.

Since signing on with Prommune in March, Al-Murrani has helped Prommune build a corporate structure, negotiated the licensing deal with UNeMed and established a strategic alliance with a nationally renowned animal testing facility that helped open the door to the upcoming trial.

———

About Prommune Inc.: Prommune is a research and development company that has created a unique and patented means to safely and effectively awaken the body’s own natural immune defenses without inflammatory side-effects. Such immune activation is possible through the use of novel immune stimulatory peptides, which are derived from a naturally-occurring protein component of the immune system. The use of these host-derived immune stimulatory peptides provides a broad therapeutic platform enabling the treatment of normal and antibiotic-resistant infections and the rapid generation a huge variety of new vaccines for human and veterinary medicine.

About Babylon BioConsulting: Babylon BioConsulting LLC is a full service human and animal health consulting firm. We specialize in startup, pre-revenue and early stage valuation of animal health, biotechnology and drug development companies. Babylon services include investor outreach, due diligence, market research and business development, intangible asset valuation and management and executive interim management services. Additionally, we perform human and animal health product development and scientific consulting services. Our interest and passion is to leverage our extensive experience and network of professionals within the human and animal health fields to help businesses accomplish their goals more efficiently, cost-effectively and in a timely manner.

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UNeMed highlights successes at ’15 Shareholder Meeting

August 14, 2015 Comments (1) News, Success Stories

Don Leuenberger

Don Leuenberger, UNeMed’s Chair of the Board, raises a special gift he received in recognition of 24-years of dedicated service since UNeMed was founded in 1991.

OMAHA, Neb. (Aug. 5, 2015)—During its annual Shareholder Meeting last week, UNeMed Corporation announced four new strategic initiatives that officials expect will help expand the scope and productivity of research commercialization across the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus.

Highlighted by a keynote address from UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey Gold, M.D.—and a special award presented to UNeMed Board Chair Don Leuenberger for 24 years of service—the meeting was an invitation-only event at TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha.

Chancellor Gold

UNMC Chancellor UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., delivered the keynote, telling onlookers that UNeMed “provides the glide path” for innovations to develop into products that “changes people’s lives.”

Chancellor Gold told the gathering of select University leaders, researchers and UNeMed staff that UNMC’s innovative researchers all share the same goal of improving lives. But that research can’t get there by itself.

“UNeMed is an incredible organization that provides the infrastructure, provides the glide path…and turns it into intellectual property that changes people’s lives,” Gold said.

UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC, also reported key metrics from the previous fiscal year.

UNeMed president and CEO Michael Dixon told the crowd that UNMC’s invention pipeline continues to thrive with 63 new invention disclosures filed in fiscal 2014. In the last five years, UNMC researchers developed 412 inventions—compared to the 291 filed during the previous five years.

Dixon also announced a 40 percent increase in total revenue, the fourth-highest in UNeMed’s 24-year history. The $1.11 million UNeMed secured in sponsored research funding was a 69 percent improvement over the previous year, nearly eclipsed the combined total of the previous five years. UNeMed also signed 20 licensing agreements for UNMC inventions, a 43 percent improvement.

Dixon also discussed four initiatives for fiscal 2015, beginning with the continued operation and expansion of UNeMed Health Consulting Shanghai. Doing business as UNMC-China, UHCS is now fully operational and has already licensed one UNMC invention to be developed in China, Dixon said.

UNeMed will also work with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to develop a certified biomedical entrepreneurship course that aims to help UNMC students gain more business savvy.

UNeMed President and CEO, Michael Dixon, PhD

UNeMed President and CEO, Michael Dixon, PhD

UNeMed will collaborate with the University of Nebraska at Omaha on a third initiative: UNeTecH. It will be a support structure for biomedical and high-tech inventions that will bring together expertise and resources to build and develop innovative technologies.

“We’re going to break down barriers,” Dixon said.

The final planned initiative is a next-generation approach to education with highly sophisticated simulation and training facilities. Called iEXCEL, Dixon said the program “is going to fundamentally change the way medical education occurs.”

Dixon also recognized board chairman Don Leuenberger and his 24 years of service—a fixture at UNeMed since its founding in 1991, even playing a role in its creation. When UNeMed was created there weren’t many universities with their own technology transfer offices, but Leuenberger immediately saw the value in protecting and developing UNMC’s research innovations, Dixon said.

“Don had the foresight to say we need a structure for this,” Dixon told the gathering.

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University of Nebraska startup raises millions

August 14, 2015 Comments (1) News

virtualincision_2015OMAHA, Neb. (Aug. 11, 2015)—A UNeMed startup company built on research at two University of Nebraska campuses announced on Aug. 6 that it landed $11.2 million of equity financing during its most recent round of fund-raising.

Born from a collaboration between UNMC professor of surgery Dmitry Oleynikov, M.D., and UNL professor of engineering Shane Farritor, PhD, Virtual Incision Corp. is developing a surgical robot that could turn highly invasive surgeries into laparoscopic procedures. UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC, secured the intellectual property rights and licensed the technology that founded the company. Virtual Incision’s technology is based on UNMC-UNL research that has been funded by the Department of Defense and NASA.

According to Virtual Incision’s Aug. 6 announcement, the capital fundraising was led by Bluestem Capital of Sioux Falls, S.D. The round of financing was oversubscribed with participation from existing investors, including PrairieGold Venture Partners, also of Sioux Falls. Virtual Incision has also received funding from Nebraska’s public-private venture development organization, Invest Nebraska.

The funds will allow for a feasibility study of the company’s miniaturized surgical robot technology for colon resection, a complicated surgical procedure that removes a damaged or diseased section of a patient’s colon. It’s a treatment for patients with lower gastrointestinal diseases such as diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer.

Current practice for a colon resection often requires a large incision, 8- to 12-inches, and up to six weeks of recovery time. Virtual Incision’s robot needs an incision less than half that size, and operates entirely inside the patient’s abdomen. Using an array of high-resolution video displays, the surgeon then manipulates the robot with a sophisticated set of controls.

Designed to utilize existing tools and techniques familiar to surgeons, Virtual Incision’s robot will not require a dedicated operating room or specialized infrastructure, and, because of its much smaller size, is expected to be significantly less expensive than existing robotic alternatives for laparoscopic surgery. Because of these technological advances, the system could enable a minimally invasive approach to procedures performed by open surgery today.

In 2014 the University of Nebraska system honored Drs. Oleynikov and Farritor with its prestigious Innovation, Development and Engagement Award.

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Make yourself uncomfortable, on purpose

July 1, 2015 Comments (1) Blog

by Amanda Hawley, UNeMed | July 1, 2015

AHawleySome of the most influential experiences in life are those that stretch your limits of understanding and familiarity. Yet, the uncomfortable hardships that accompany those experiences are less than desirable.

Pursuing a career may lead you to unfamiliar territory; the treacherous land of discomfort and incompetence. When starting a new opportunity, you make the conscious decision to take on new responsibilities that require skills you lack. So odds are you will have the not-so-cuddly feeling of being inept. But this uncomfortable feeling is only temporary.

Gradually you learn from each experience and advance in your career. Tasks become routine and problem solving becomes less challenging. However, when progress seems slow — especially in a society where instant gratification is just a click away — our patience runs thin and we are tempted to throw in the towel.

We forget that discomfort is a good thing. When we choose to avoid professional or life challenges, we miss out on gaining valuable experience and possibly future opportunities. By putting yourself out there, you identify your strengths and weaknesses as a professional, which is invaluable for your career development.

I chose discomfort when I decided to put down the pipette and step away from the lab bench. Yet, one does not simply walk away from academia. Following my declaration of independence, a few of my perplexed peers gazed at me as if I licked their faces and backed away slowly. Isaiah Hankel, PhD, highlights this negative perception of scientists leaving academia in a recent post, and outlines how fidelity to the system could impede your transition into a non-academic career.

Up until my betrayal, I was a productive graduate student that was awarded fellowships, authored scientific publications, presented at scientific conferences and educated youths in the biological sciences. Despite my well-groomed academic background, I made the difficult choice to leave scientific research. But, why?

When national funding for research began shrinking in 2010, the fierce competition for financial stability dramatically changed the culture of academia. Previous open-door-policies were quickly rewritten to remain shut with “No Solicitors” signs posted. Stress skyrocketed as external funding, the lifeblood of research, was hemorrhaging without guarantee of a fresh infusion. Knowing the intense expectations and unwavering devotion of an academic researcher did not match the life I wanted for myself, it came time to change careers to an occupation that advances the scientific community without relying on external funds.

As an alternative career, I discovered technology transfer in the crossroads between science and business. I introduced myself to the field through an internship program at UNeMed Corporation, the technology transfer and commercialization office of UNMC. I have learned a great deal about embracing discomfort of a new opportunity. The steep learning curve and high expectations were intimidating, but their guidance and resources have made possible my transition from bench-top to business. I see a bright future in technology transfer, because I made the hard choice to be uncomfortable by taking on something different.

For those considering alternative careers in science, do not fear the unfamiliar. Any discomfort is worth obtaining your goals.

Use each opportunity or hardship as a teachable moment.

Apply your wisdom to the next opportunity.

Seek out new opportunities.

Find careers that are a good fit, but know there is no “perfect fit.”

Be introspective and know yourself.

Know your goals and how much discomfort you can handle.

Make yourself uncomfortable, on purpose, for a purpose.

 

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Lenagh promoted to licensing specialist

June 29, 2015 Comments (1) News

by Tyler Mueller, UNeMed

Agnes LenaghOMAHA, Nebraska (June 29, 2015)—Longtime postdoc and licensing associate Agnes Lenagh, PhD, was promoted to a permanent position at UNeMed as a licensing specialist, UNeMed announced today.

As a licensing specialist, she will continue helping researchers, students and faculty at the University of Nebraska Medical Center evaluate and explore the commercial prospects of their intellectual properties. The new position is more specified to Dr. Lenagh’s skillset, representing three years of work and experience in the tech transfer field.

“I’ve learned the ins and outs of invention evaluation, intellectual property positions, marketing strategies, and contract negotiations,” Dr. Lenagh said. “As a licensing specialist, my responsibilities will have a broader scope.”

Born in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, Dr. Lenagh came to the UNMC in 2006 as a doctoral candidate PhD in Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience. Dr. Lenagh started at UNeMed as an intern in 2012 before signing on as a postdoctoral licensing associate six months later.

“It was an easy decision to promote Dr. Lenagh to this position,” said Michael Dixon, president and CEO of UNeMed. “Her experience and knowledge make her a great asset at UNeMed.”

Dr. Lenagh said she is excited about the new position and is looking forward to continuing her efforts on projects that could one day land on the market.

“It’s been a humbling experience forming part of a team that values my opinions and allows me to use additional skills that were not necessarily in the initial job description,” said Dr. Lenagh.

Dr. Lenagh recently created and instructed the inaugural UNeMed Boot Camp, where participants were given a crash course on the technology transfer industry. Dr. Lenagh is also the webmaster of the UNeMed website, responsible for its design and maintenance.

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

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Why some inventions fail: Because Valley of Death says so

June 24, 2015 Comments (1) Blog

by Charles Litton, UNeMed | June 24, 2015

pipettezoomed_smSQI’ve been rubbernecking the tech transfer equivalent of one of those mysterious single-car crashes that defies explanation.

Was there a bee in the car? Wasp? Maybe the driver was texting? Did someone fall asleep, or was there some catastrophic mechanical failure?

I’ve been watching it slowly unfold for the better part of a year now, and I still can’t explain it.

After cruising along at highway speeds with FDA approval finally within reach, a promising technology is now about to jackknife into the abyss—the dreaded Valley of Death, which has no shortage of ways to ensnare and suffocate biomedical research.

As a metaphor, the “Valley of Death” is a well-worn cliché for the many pitfalls in the technology transfer universe. Frankly, its overuse is starting to grate my nerves. It would be fantastic to invent a new way to describe the myriad of ways biomedical inventions and discoveries die in obscurity.

But the painful truth is there can’t possibly be a better descriptor. Just as light is the universal speed limit, the Valley of Death is a constant and unbreakable force, a black hole in the tech transfer realm.

It doesn’t care about age or hope or promise or data. It doesn’t care about development, the market, the benefits or even the need.

It’s a hungry beast that will devour what it will. There’s no reasoning with it. There’s no understanding it.

Here’s what I mean:

A researcher at the University of Nebraska Medial Center developed a clever way to fight cancer—prostate, ovarian and breast cancers, in particular. Her novel concept could, in theory, apply to several other cancers as well.

She formulated a compound that infiltrates cancer cells and essentially triggers a cellular self-destruct. More specifically, it targets the androgen receptor, a protein common in many active cancer cells. The compound, which contains a radioactive isotope, penetrates the cancer cell, and damages its DNA to the point where it can no longer reproduce or survive.

Even better, because the compound so effectively targets cancer cells, it also makes it an effective tool to image cancers that don’t normally show up on X-Ray, PET, MRI and other scans.

Better still, the expected side-effects would be minimal because this approach apparently avoids inflicting collateral damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.

The data looked great. Test after test showed it worked in the lab.

Results were replicated.

Test after test showed it worked in animals.

Results were replicated.

Finally ready for testing on human patients, a clinical partner signed on. All the paperwork was in order. No objections from the FDA.

The clinical trial was ready to roll.

Then all four tires blew out.

Now we’re grinding it out on our rims without so much as a donut spare in the trunk. Some might lightly tap the brakes for a quick glance as they roll on by.

They’ve seen it before.

Stick around this business long enough, and you’ll find that everyone has their own sad saga of woulda-shoulda-coulda.

This innovation tale of woe isn’t over yet, so there’s still a small chance of hope. But it doesn’t look good. The technology is foundering in a soupy tar pit near the Valley’s far bank. The clinician told me he could get it moving again with about $150,000—a drop in the bucket for biomedical innovation that’s often measured in billions—but it founders all the same. The funding, the personnel, the resources just aren’t there.

It’s hard to watch, but equally hard to turn away. I want to help, but I don’t know how. I would call someone, but they’ve seen this roadshow before.

I hope it gets moving again, but I’m having my doubts.

So, I’ll vent a little here, and hope we can find a few spare tires before it’s too late.

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