Two receive iPods from UNeMed drawing

During Innovation Week 2009, UNeMed Corporation once again awarded two event participants iPod Nanos.

The winners were:

• Rajesh Wakaskar, graduate research assistant in the department of pharmacology and experimental neuroscience; and
• Christelle Roux, Ph.D., a post doctoral research associate in pathology/microbiology.

As a thank you for participating in Innovation Week events, attendees were given opportunities to enter the contest. The more events attended the better the chances of winning.

“We were very pleased with the attendance at this year’s events,” said Michael Dixon, Ph.D., president of UNeMed. Innovation Week, which ran Sept. 28-Oct. 2, featured events such as:

• A meet and greet with the UNeMed staff;
  

  Christelle Roux, Ph.D., and Rajesh Wakashar with the iPod Nanos they won for participating in UNeMed's Innovation Week activities.

• A “Science on Tap” event at at the Crescent Moon with special guest Mellissa Helligso, medical technologist for The Nebraska Medical Center;
• A panel discussion on lab funding with Paula Turpen, Ph.D., Mark Bowen and Mark Carlson, M.D.; and
• A seminar by Paul Dunman, Ph.D., about the importance of accurate laboratory notebooks.

Patents Issued

“Compositions and Methods for Increasing Protein Production”, Alexander

Kabanov, Valery Alakhov, US Patent No. 7,422,875, issued September 9, 2008.

“Compositions and Methods for Detecting Human Herpesviruses”, Ronald Rubocki, Catherine Gebhart, US Patent No. 7,442,505, issued October 28, 2008.

“Halogenated Aminoquinolines and Oligonucleotides Containing the Same”, Barry Gold, US Patent No. 7,449,571, issued November 11, 2008.

“Digital X-ray Camera for Quality Evaluation Three Dimensional Topographic

Reconstruction of Single Crystals of Biological Macromolecules”, Gloria Borgstahl, Jeff Lovelace, Edward Snell, Henry Bellamy, US Patent No. 7,466,798, issued

December 16, 2008.

“Antimicrobial Peptides and Methods of Identifying the Same”, Guangshun Wang, US Patent No. 7,465,784, issued December 16, 2008.

“Fabricated Wall System”, Mike Faber and Chuck Niemeyer, US Patent No. 7,469,512, issued December 30, 2008.

“Robot for Surgical Applications”, Dmitry Oleynikov, Shane Farritor,

Adnan Hadzialic, Stephen Platt, US Patent No. 7,492,116, issued February 17, 2009.

“Nucleic Acid Encoding a Brain Derived Tau Kinase Polypeptide and Methods of Use Thereof”, Tsuneya Ikezu, US Patent No. 7,521,230, issued April 21, 2009.

Technology Licensed

“Intubation Stylet”

Ben Boedeker, D.V.M., M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., C.P.E.

“Enunciator System”

Rodney Markin, M.D., Ph.D.

“A-Wrist-A-Trac System”

Kathleen Healey, Ph.D.

Jill Skrabal, R.D.

Terry Munsinger, B.S.N.

Dorthy Norgard, L.P.N.

Lora Frecks, M.P.A.

Tara Scrogin, J.D.

Audrey Poole

“Educational Posters”

Maurice Godfrey, Ph.D.

Roxanna Jokela, M.H.A.

Liliana Bronner, B.H.S.E.

Kim Soper

Tracy Arobba

Eric Haas, Ph.D.

“Tau-Tubulin Kinase”

Tsuneya Ikezu, M.D., Ph.D.

“Panc02-MUC1 Cell Lines”

Tony Hollingsworth, Ph.D.

“Poly-FdUMP”

Patrick L. Iversen, Ph.D.

William H. Gmeiner, Ph.D.

“Anti-Desmoglein Antibody”

James Wahl, Ph.D.

“OTK-18 Antibody”

Tsuneya Ikezu, M.D., Ph.D.

Howard E. Gendelman, M.D.

Kimberly Carlson, Ph.D.

Gary Leisman, Ph.D.

“NR6R Cells”

Angie Rizzino, Ph.D.

“VA-13 Cells”

Dahn L. Clemens, Ph.D.

New Invention Notification Contributors

Researcher Technology  Commercialization Certifications

Nathan Bills

Matt Boehm

Agnes Constantino

Libin Cui

Tess Eidem

Edward Ezell

Radha Golla

Toni Harris

David Holtzclaw

Diana Hutchison

Ethan Mann

Coronda Moore

Claudia Pinto

Martha Pinto

Audrey Poole

Christopher Shaffer

Chun-Hong Shao

Gus Wang

Alvin Wee

Nicholas Whitney

Zigang Yang

Ibrahim Younos

Qingjie Zhao

Lifetime Achievement Award - Rodney S. Markin, M.D., Ph.D.

Most Promising NIN - Paul Dunman, Ph.D., Patrick Olson

]]> http://blog.unmc.edu/unemed/?feed=rss2&p=576 http://blog.unmc.edu/unemed/?p=569 http://blog.unmc.edu/unemed/?p=569#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:23:15 +0000 harrisam http://blog.unmc.edu/unemed/?p=569

UNL biology student Patrick Olson, UNMC's Paul Dunman, Ph.D., and Rodney Markin, M.D., Ph.D., were honored for their inventions during the recent UNeMed Innovation Awards Ceremony. Dr. Dunman was honored for his work in novel antibiotic compounds, in which he collaborates with Olson. Dr. Markin received a lifetime achievement award for his long career of inventiveness.

Inventors honored during Innovation Week awards ceremony
by Elizabeth Kumru, UNMC public relations

Many UNMC researchers were honored for their innovations during UNeMed Corporation’s recent 2009 Innovation Awards ceremony in the Durham Research Center Auditorium.

UNeMed — UNMC’s marketing and licensing arm — honored 25 inventors of technology that resulted in 11 separate commercial licenses, and 14 inventors who have transformed eight different inventions into issued patents. This past year, UNeMed helped 112 inventors disclose 64 new invention notifications.

“UNeMed is linked to the research mission of UNMC,” said James Linder, M.D., chief executive officer of UNeMed. “Outstanding science creates the opportunity to improve health care, expand research and bring economic benefit to the inventors, UNMC and to Nebraska.”

Dr. Linder, Michael Dixon, Ph.D., president of UNeMed, and UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., presented awards.

Paul Dunman, Ph.D. assistant professor in the department of pathology and microbiology, received the Most Promising New Invention award for novel antibiotic compounds he developed with UNL biology student Patrick Olson.

The award comes with a $10,000 unrestricted research grant from UNeMed.

Dr. Dunman’s work focuses on the identification and characterization of novel antimicrobial compounds.

The lifetime achievement award, presented every other year, went to Rodney Markin, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology and microbiology, the David T. Purtilo Distinguished professor of pathology and microbiology, senior associate dean for clinical affairs, College of Medicine, and chairman and president of UNMC Physicians.

“I am honored and flattered by this award,” said Dr. Markin, one of UNMC’s most prolific inventors. “It’s been a great experience and I’ve had wonderful support from UNMC all these years.”

Certificates of completion were presented to 22 people who participated in an 11-week Researcher Technology Commercialization webinar course earlier this year. The course, hosted by the National Council of Entrepreneurial Technology Transfer, focused on the successful commercialization of research and practical steps required to protect and market intellectual property.

Dr. Maurer congratulated awardees, talked about the growth of UNeMed and the impact of research inventions in building a world-class academic health science center.

“UNeMed is critical in helping innovators move intellectual property to a product that may have value for the community and for patients,” he said. “You are doing important work.”

Within each problem, lies the opportunity for invention, says Rod Markin, M.D., Ph.D.

Even as a child, Rod Markin, M.D., Ph.D., loved to problem solve.

It fit perfectly with the family philosophy: We don’t buy it; we build it.

Together, he and his younger brother spent hours building walkie-talkies, oscilloscopes, furniture, car engines — even a garage.

Later, he took that innovative streak into the clinical laboratory, where he problem solved to automate processes to reduce turnaround time of medical testing and fill gaps created by workforce shortages.

Dr. Markin honored for innovative spirit

On Thursday, Dr. Markin — one of the most prolific inventors at UNMC — received the Lifetime Achievement Award from UNeMed Corporation for his innovations that have transformed the clinical laboratory.

“Dr. Markin adds a fourth leg to the proverbial triad of teaching, research and service,” said James Linder, M.D., chief executive officer of UNeMed Corporation. “He has shown tremendous leadership as an academic entrepreneur. This is an important role that our faculty can play in economic development for Nebraska.”

Major companies buy into Dr. Markin’s inventions

Dr. Markin’s patents are licensed to major corporations, including Abbott Laboratories, and they form the basis of modern clinical laboratory automation, Dr. Linder said.

As chairman and president of UNMC Physicians, Dr. Markin thrives on tackling difficult problems.

“If you can define the problem, there are 100 smart people who can find the solution,” he said. “Finding and framing the appropriate problem is often the hardest part.”

Dr. Markin’s professional and academic research interests have focused on solid organ transplantation, informatics and clinical laboratory automation, which includes:

• Robotics;
• Information systems;
• Medical utilization management; and
• Outcomes optimization.

During his career, Dr. Markin has:

• Secured 16 U.S. patents;
• Written more than 300 publications; and
• Published nearly 200 abstracts and chapters in books.

Solution for lab problems leads to business endeavor

In 1993, he founded LAB-InterLink, a spinoff of UNMC that provided products for hospital-based laboratory automation systems.

He also developed an automated microbiology platform for U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command for use in the clinical laboratory.

“My goal was simply to solve problems for our clinical laboratory, not to build a product,” he said.

UNeMed assists with the patent process

But with the help of UNeMed officials, he learned how to protect and patent his ideas.

Obtaining a patent “means you’ve solved a problem no one else has solved,” Dr. Markin said. “The time and effort involved is similar to being published in a significant scientific journal.”

AminoActiv for sale at Center for Healthy Living
by Chuck Brown, UNMC public relations

For the next two months, AminoActive is on sale at the Center for Healthy Living for $19.99 per 60-capsule bottle. The center is currently the only place in the Nebraska where AminoActiv is available.

AminoActiv, a natural pain relief agent designed by UNMC’s researchers, is now on sale at the Center for Healthy Living.

From Oct. 1 through Nov. 30, a bottle of 60 capsules or a jar of AminoActiv cream will be sold at an introductory price of $19.99.

AminoActiv — which was licensed by UNeMed to distributor Vireo Resources — is a pain reliever that uses amino acids — naturally occurring agents in the human body — to repair damaged tissue.

Studies show it is as effective as ibuprofen in terms of pain relief and has no harmful side effects.

The technology behind AminoActiv was invented in the late 1990s by a UNMC research team led by Jonathan Vennerstrom, Ph.D., and Donald Miller, Ph.D. The team included:

• Sam Augustine, Pharm.D.;
• Tom McDonald, Ph.D.;
• Jon Wagner, Pharm.D.; and
• Dennis Robinson, Ph.D.

AminoActive is particularly useful for recovery from exercise.

Many on campus, including Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., Don Leuenberger, vice chancellor for business and finance, and Keith Swarts, director of business services, use AminoActiv to enhance exercise performance.

“The product keeps me running,” said Swarts, who regularly participates in marathons and other distance events.

The Center for Healthy Living is the first place AminoActiv can be purchased in Nebraska. Call 402-559-5254 for more information.

]]> http://blog.unmc.edu/unemed/?feed=rss2&p=602 http://blog.unmc.edu/unemed/?p=507 http://blog.unmc.edu/unemed/?p=507#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:00:44 +0000 harrisam http://blog.unmc.edu/unemed/?p=507 Innovation Week 2009

UNeMed would like to thank all who participated in Innovation Week 2009.  Below is a look back at the week’s events.

Awards Ceremony Video  Click Here

Kathleen Healey, Ph.D.

Spotlight on innovation - Meet Kathleen Healey, Ph.D.
by Toni Harris, UNeMed Corporation

As part of Innovation Week (Sept. 28 - Oct. 2), UNeMed Corporation will spotlight the research of several UNMC inventors. Here, researchers discuss their passion for innovation and share their thoughts on the process.

Obesity has been referred to as a national epidemic; nearly 55 percent of all Americans are either overweight or obese.

Obesity leads to several diseases and health issues including diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Estimated costs attributed to obesity alone in the United States are approximately $99 billion annually.

Kathleen Healey, Ph.D., said the key to changing these statistics is education and behavioral modifications. Dr. Healey and her team, which includes a dietician, nurses and behavioral experts, developed the A-Wrist-A-Trac system.

The novel invention — a collection of color-coded bracelets — helps modify many types of behaviors, especially dietary intake. The bracelets track behavior and actions as they occur.

The method is simple. The bracelets are moved from one wrist to the other as an action is performed. Each bracelet color designates specific foods groups, as based on the USDA food pyramid.

“The idea of A-Wrist-A-Trac came to me as I reviewed the USDA Food Pyramid,” said Dr. Healey, who is an instructor in neurological sciences and a clinical associate with the College of Nursing.

Working in the field of multiple sclerosis, Dr. Healey sees patients on a daily basis. Prior to this, she worked with life style changes and risk factor modification in cardiovascular disease.

“Overall health influences disease state,” she said.

Dr. Healey’s team continues to study other uses for the A-Wrist-A-Trac system including medication guidance and monitoring of COPD, diabetes or other complex disease management regiments.

“It is important that future applications are scientifically-based,” she said. “There is value in all types of research especially behavioral studies in health care.”

Dr. Healey’s team has received national recognition for their innovation and have submitted their research results for publication.

Michael Dixon, Ph.D., President UNeMed Corporation

Michael Dixon, Ph.D., president of UNeMed, has been named to Leadership Omaha’s 32nd class.

The community leadership-training program, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Chamber Foundation, is designed to motivate individuals to develop a sense of community trusteeship.

The 10-month program, which includes monthly full-day seminars on various topics, encourages participants to assume leadership roles in community affairs and develop awareness of the Omaha community.

Dr. Dixon, who has been UNeMed president since April and served as the corporation’s director of intellectual property, continues UNMC’s representation in the Leadership Omaha program.

Many UNMC employees have participated in the program in the past including:

• Bob Bartee, vice chancellor for external affairs;
• Kyle Meyer, Ph.D., associate dean for the School of Allied Health Professions;
• John Adams, Ph.D., assistant vice chancellor for budget and strategic planning;
• Keith Swarts, director of business services; and
• Renee Fry, J.D., director of UNMC Public Relations.

Paul Dunman, Ph.D.

Spotlight on innovation — Meet Paul Dunman, Ph.D.
by Toni Harris, UNeMed Corporation

As part of Innovation Week (Sept. 28 - Oct. 2), UNeMed Corporation will spotlight the research of several UNMC inventors. Here researchers discuss their passion for innovation and share their thoughts on the process of invention.

Paul Dunman, Ph.D., and his staph team have identified a novel enzyme that may lead to new ways to treat the deadly MRSA bacteria.

Dr. Dunman, assistant professor in the department of pathology and microbiology, found that this enzyme starves the bacteria to death. The discovery paves the way for vaccine development.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is one of the most resistant strains of staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus), a common bacteria that lives on skin and in noses of healthy individuals. It also is the leading cause of most common skin infections in the United States.

MRSA has become more prominent in recent years and is responsible for more deaths in the United States each year than HIV/AIDS. In addition, staph is the leading cause of infectious heart disease, the No. 1 cause of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections and one of four leading causes of food-borne illnesses.

Dr. Dunman has great insight into what it takes to develop a compound that will have a positive impact on public health, said Steve Schreiner, Ph.D., senior licensing specialist for UNeMed.

“His expertise adds a great deal of credibility to the antimicrobial work underway at UNMC,” Dr. Schreiner said.

The staph team has collaborated on the technology with researchers from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

“The work is a phenomenal merger of several cutting-edge technologies, which collectively allow an unprecedented view of the host-pathogen interface,” Dr. Dunman said.

Earlier this year, Dr. Dunman was the recipient of the Gilmore Award for his research into ways to combat MRSA. The annual award recognizes outstanding research contributions by young UNMC faculty members.

Since his 2004 arrival at UNMC, Dr. Dunman has secured several grants, including an RO1 award from the National Institutes of Health, published nearly 25 articles and designed his staph-killing antibiotic.

On Oct. 1, Dr. Dunman will join his fellow researchers in the Durham Research Center Auditorium for UNeMed’s 2009 Research Innovation Awards. The 4 p.m. ceremony will recognize inventors for their new inventions, patents and licensed technologies.

When asked how he chose this field, Dr. Dunman describes a time in graduate school when an antibiotic he was working on cured a patient who otherwise would have died.

“It was then I decided antibiotic drug development was what trips my trigger,” he said. “Today we are well on our way to developing a novel class of antibiotics that may be used to treat other related bacteria pathogens.”

Dr. Dunman credits his success to having a good mentor who listens to his ideas, provides suggestions and encourages him to test those ideas.

Dr. Dunman’s ultimate research goal is the advancement of patient care.

“I won’t rest until at least one of my inventions makes it to market and is used in patient care,” he said.

He works closely with the UNeMed team to achieve this goal.

“The folks at UNeMed are among the best that I’ve ever worked with,” Dr. Dunman said. “They are here, in part, to protect your ideas and promote them to others. I anticipate that they’ll be a major component of our future.”

Tsuneya Ikezu, M.D., Ph.D.

Spotlight on innovation - Meet Tsuneya Ikezu, M.D., Ph.D.
by Toni Harris, UNeMed Corporation

As part of Innovation Week (Sept. 28 - Oct. 2), UNeMed Corporation will spotlight the research of several UNMC inventors. Here researchers discuss their passion for innovation and share their thoughts on the process of invention.

Tsuneya Ikezu, M.D., Ph.D., knows the sobering statistics: 5.3 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease.

Those numbers are expected to quadruple by 2050.

Meanwhile, someone develops Alzheimer’s — the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States — every 70 seconds.

“These numbers are simply too high,” said Dr. Ikezu, professor and vice chairman for research, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience and director for the Center of Neurodegenerative Disorders at UNMC.

Dr. Ikezu’s research focuses on the molecular characterization of brain disorders and the effectiveness of new therapies to treat them.

“I study Alzheimer’s because it is the most common brain disorder among the elderly,” he said. “The disease is inevitable for any aging human.”

It’s also costly. Alzheimer’s and dementia triple health care costs for Americans age 65 and older, he said.

On Oct. 1, Dr. Ikezu will join his fellow researchers in the Durham Research Center auditorium for UNeMed’s 2009 Research Innovation Awards. The 4 p.m. ceremony will recognize inventors for their new inventions, patents and licensed technologies.

Earlier this year, Dr. Ikezu’s discovery of an enzyme with promising implications in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders led to the largest acquisition of venture capital for UNeMed Corporation and UNMC. An Australian venture capital group invested about $2 million in Dr. Ikezu’s research.

The money will further his research through drug discovery over the next four years. Dr. Ikezu remains optimistic that a compound may be identified to begin clinical trials.

“Innovation is one of the most beautiful expressions of human intelligence and creativity — including arts and science,” he said. “Not everything we do results in a patent, but we can enhance the efficiency and productivity of an experimental design, or invent something useful that will benefit research.”

In addition to his studies with Alzheimer’s, Dr. Ikezu’s research may provide greater insight into the brain disorders of patient’s with Parkinson’s disease and AIDS.