UNMC, Nebraska Medicine yield large economic footprint

February 17, 2015 Comments (0) News

Study reports economic impact of $4.2 billion annually

by Tom O’Connor, UNMC

OMAHA, Neb. (Feb. 16, 2015)—UNMC and its primary clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine, have a combined $4.2 billion annual impact on Nebraska’s economy, a study released today indicates.

Durham Research CenterThe study, completed by nationally recognized consulting firm Tripp Umbach, shows that the Med Center not only contributes to the state’s well-being in health care, but also is a major player in driving its economy, said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.

“Our work impacts Nebraskans every day. Although our primary goal is to improve the lives of Nebraska through clinical care, education, research and community outreach, we’re proud to be such a strong contributor to the state’s economy and take that responsibility seriously,” said Dr. Gold, who also serves as chairman of Nebraska Medicine’s advisory board.

Tripp Umbach studied fiscal year 2013-2014, and its study includes UNMC, Nebraska Medicine, and the work that those organizations’ employees do for affiliates such as the VA Medical Center and Children’s Hospital & Medical Center.  Since 1995, Tripp Umbach has completed economic impact studies of all 130 medical schools and 400 teaching hospitals for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

“It’s clear that UNMC and Nebraska Medicine have a significant impact on the economic health and well-being of our state. The education, research and patient care happening here attracts talent to Nebraska, produces a skilled workforce, leads to new products and innovations, and improves the quality of life for people around the state and the world,” said University of Nebraska Interim President James Linder, M.D. “I could not be more proud of the economic, educational and health benefits that UNMC and Nebraska Medicine bring to Nebraska.”

Of the $4.2 billion impact, $1.8 billion was through direct expenditures for goods and services by UNMC, employees, students, out-of-state patients and visitors. The remaining $2.4 billion came in the form of indirect spending within Nebraska, meaning the businesses and individuals that received direct payments from the medical center and its affiliates then respent their money within the state.

“It takes strong pillars to support a thriving state and local economy, and two of Greater Omaha’s most powerful are based – literally – at the city’s core,” said David Brown, president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber. “UNMC and Nebraska Medicine are an undeniable force in terms of economic impact, job creation and workforce development; phrases we revere at the Chamber because we know they equate to lives improved and enhanced access to prosperity city-, region- and statewide.”

Dr. Gold noted that a key benefit of the Med Center, economically, is attracting fresh dollars to the state’s economy and keeping dollars from leaking out of the state to other academic health centers.

For instance, the Tripp Umbach report concluded that two clinical service lines – cancer and transplantation – have an economic impact of $377.8 million and $139.1 million, respectively, on the state’s economy.

“Programs such as these serve a double benefit by keeping money in the state’s economy and attracting dollars to the Nebraska economy from other regions of the country and internationally,” Dr. Gold said.

Other findings of the report included:

  • UNMC and Nebraska Medicine created and supported 28,927 Nebraska jobs in fiscal year 2013-2014.
  • UNMC and Nebraska Medicine generate $99.1 million per year in state and local taxes (i.e. dividends, fines/fees, sales, property, real estate, motor vehicle, licensing and other taxes).
  • UNMC graduates working throughout Nebraska generate an economic impact of $3.9 billion. Based on profession, physicians have a $2.7 billion impact or $1.3 million per graduate, followed by dentists ($534 million total/$750,000 per grad), pharmacists ($339.9 million/$300,000 per grad), advanced practice registered nurses ($147 million/$250,000 per grad), physician assistants ($134.7 million/$250,000 per grad), and physical therapists ($111.4 million/$200,000 per grad).
  • The combined impact of two service lines (cancer and transplant services) at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine totals $516.9 million (direct and indirect spending).

The study showed that about $1 in every $25 in the Nebraska economy is generated by UNMC/Nebraska Medicine, and the Med Center generates one in every 35 jobs in the state.

“The work we do to educate next generation health care providers, advance research of critical health issues and treat patients from around the world will always be our top priority,” said Dr. Gold, “but it’s both humbling and gratifying to know how connected and significant that work is in keeping a strong Nebraska economy.”

Nearly half of Nebraska’s physicians, dental professionals, bachelor-prepared nurses and allied health professionals have graduated from UNMC. As an academic health science center, UNMC offers patients world-class health care backed by the latest research innovations and practiced by faculty training the next generation of health providers.

Tower cranes dot the landscape as the medical center continues construction work, in Omaha, on the $323 million Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, the Lauritzen Outpatient Center, the Lozier Center for Pharmacy Sciences and Education/UNMC Center for Drug Discovery, and, in Kearney, the UNMC/UNK Health Science Education Complex.

Read article

UNMC, UNL receive additional $2.8 million from U.S. Army for robotic telesurgery research

February 13, 2015 Comments (1) News

OMAHA, Neb. (Feb. 13, 2015)—The University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have received $2.8 million from the U.S. Army to continue work on robotic telesurgery research. Coupled with the $1.4 million award the group received last year, it brings total current funding to $4.2 million.

The funds awarded from the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity are being used to produce and test a miniaturized, remotely controlled surgical robot. The robots could enable a surgeon in a remote battlefield area to perform complex, lifesaving surgery with the aid of an expert surgeon potentially thousands of miles away.

Dmitry Oleynikov, M.D., director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery and the Center for Advanced Surgical Technology at UNMC, is the principal investigator of the grant. Shane Farritor, PhD, UNL professor of mechanical and materials engineering, is co-principal investigator of the grant.

Researchers say the mini robots have the capability to provide basic diagnosis and triage of internal injuries in war zones or in a remote area where medical facilities aren’t immediately available. The robot can be inserted into the patient via a tiny incision, through the mouth or another natural orifice and be controlled by a surgeon in a remote location. The device would transmit live video images so surgeons could identify the trauma and serve as a “remote first responder.”

“As the military disperses surgical facilities so patients receive care where they are stationed, it’s important to maintain and improve outcomes by making the most sophisticated diagnostic and interventional care as widely available as possible,” Dr. Oleynikov said. “Our work can be a force multiplier for expert surgical capability in areas where it’s not possible to deploy limited medical personnel and resources.”

Dr. Farritor said the collaboration between UNL and UNMC makes the project special and provides the opportunity to make a real impact. “Besides the direct benefit to the Army, our robots can help in civilian clinical applications such as colon resection and other areas of general surgery,” Dr. Farritor said.

 

The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick MD 21702-5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office. This work is supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs under Award No. W81XWH-14-1-0058. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Department of Defense.

Read article

Mirsalis will discuss ‘War on Infectious Diseases’

February 13, 2015 Comments (0) News

OMAHA, Neb. (Feb. 13, 2015)—Jon Mirsalis, PhD, the Managing Director of the Bioscience Division and Executive Director of Translational Development at SRI International in Menlo Park, Calif., will present an hour-long seminar next week in the Durham Research Center auditorium.

Dr. MirsalisHis talk, “A New Paradigm for Engaging the War on Infectious Diseases,” is set to begin at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Mirsalis is an internationally recognized expert at developing drugs for infectious diseases. He is expected to discuss efforts to overcome recent cutbacks in funding for research and development with a growing trend toward private-public partnerships. He will focus on the growing need for vaccines and therapeutics, and will present new models for discovering and developing them.

The author of more than 200 publications and abstracts, Dr. Mirsalis has been involved in developing more than 50 different therapeutics, and manages two major programs with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Pharmacy is hosting the event.

Read article

‘Free Lunch*’ provides career advice for scientists…and free lunch

January 30, 2015 Comments (0) News

by Tyler Mueller, UNeMed

OMAHA, Neb. (Jan. 30, 2015)—UNeMed president and CEO Michael Dixon, PhD, told an audience of 111 grad students and postdocs they should be open and curious about alternative opportunities and subjects during UNeMed’s “Free Lunch*” panel discussion Thursday.

freelunch2“You don’t have to be a master of one thing,” he said. “You can be involved in multiple things.”

The panel discussed how their career paths began, and what led them to working at UNeMed, the technology transfer office for UNMC. The panel also gave advice on how others might follow a similar path. Along with Dr. Dixon, the panel included UNeMed vice president and director of marketing and licensing, Steven Schreiner, PhD, and UNeMed licensing associate, Agnes Lenagh, PhD

The UNMC Postdoc Association co-sponsored the event.

All three speakers said they originally had no intention of working in the tech transfer market. Dr. Lenagh said she thought about becoming a teacher or joining the Peace Corps while working in the labs. Dr. Lenagh said the monotony of lab work started to wear her down, working with the same data every day. Dr. Dixon agreed, saying “it couldn’t get more basic than what I did.” Then Dr. Lenagh heard about a UNeMed internship.

Working in tech transfer gives Dr. Lenagh the opportunity to learn about new discoveries and inventions each day.

“With tech transfer,” she said, “you get to see what other people are doing and are a part of the process.”

Dr. Schreiner expanded on the process, saying much of the time in the beginning is spent looking for similar inventions or technologies. If a similar product exists, UNeMed works with the researcher to find a way to improve or differentiate it from the existing technology. If there is an opportunity to make the technology a reality, UNeMed will look for it.

“We don’t pick winners and losers,” he said. “The market does.”

Even when a product might not be popular with companies, Dr. Schreiner emphasized the discussion doesn’t end there. UNeMed looks for other opportunities with the company to try to find something else to work on together.

When asked about internship advice, Dr. Lenagh stressed a need for students to take initiative.

“You gotta’ be outgoing and you can’t be shy,” she said. “You have to love what you do.”

Read article

Andersen joins UNeMed as contracts specialist

January 23, 2015 Comments (1) News

by Tyler Mueller, UNeMed

Jeff AndersenOMAHA, Neb. (Jan. 23, 2015) — UNeMed announced today the addition of lawyer Jeff Andersen, J.D., as a contract specialist.

Andersen will assist researchers at University of Nebraska Medical Center by protecting their work and findings. When information is shared between labs or other entities, Andersen creates protective agreements, such as confidentiality and material transfer agreements. These agreements are common tools that protect researchers, inventors and their discoveries as they work to build collaborations that can help further their work.

“We are incredibly fortunate to recruit someone with his expertise and knowledge to the team,” UNeMed president and CEO Michael Dixon said. “He is an outstanding addition to UNeMed. We’re looking forward to the insight that he will bring.”

Andersen will perform the duties and responsibilities previously held by Jack Mayfield, who passed away unexpectedly in October.

Andersen graduated from Creighton University in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He then obtained his J.D. in 2000, also at Creighton. He obtained his registration to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 2003.

Andersen has spent much of his career in intellectual property law. He previously worked for Baird Holm, LLP, where he was involved with starting their patent practice section.

Before that, Andersen specialized in patent prosecution at Advent IP, LLP, and Suiter Swantz, PC, LLO.

Andersen said he knew several UNeMed staffers before joining the team. At various networking events, he met Dixon; Joe Runge, Business Development Manager; and Jason Nickla, Director of Intellectual Property.

“They have always spoken very highly of UNeMed and made it sound like a great place to work for,” Andersen said. “I wanted to learn a different side of the IP business. Working at UNeMed gives me that opportunity. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Read article

New biomedical institute to grow university research, tech transfer

January 9, 2015 Comments (0) News

(From a University of Nebraska press release)

LINCOLN, Neb. (Jan. 8, 2015)—The University of Nebraska is launching a new biomedical technology institute that will position NU as a leader in key areas of research and development and expand opportunities for faculty, staff and students to partner with the private sector, commercialize their discoveries, and help grow the state’s workforce and economy.

The Nebraska Advanced Biomedical Technology Innovation and Discovery Institute, approved by the Board of Regents in November, will be jointly led by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska at Omaha. The two campuses already have collaborative programs in place in critical areas like bioinformatics, robotics, biomechanics, simulation and visualization and other areas, and through the new institute will expand partnerships with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska at Kearney and other public and private institutions.

Read the full release here.

Read article

The year in review: Highlights from 2014

December 31, 2014 Comments (0) Blog, News

by Charlie Litton, UNeMed | Dec. 31, 2014

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 2014:

1. Jack Mayfield, 63

LO_jack_mayfield_2014We have been spoiled by the good fortune of having only happy news to share in the realm of medical research and development, so we were unprepared for the harsh reality of saying goodbye to our friend and colleague, Jack Mayfield, who suddenly passed in late October. It was a tough, bitter pill to swallow, and one we still lament today. The profound loss was a seismic event felt by everyone in our office, many others in the university system and even the region. By comparison, the remaining items on the following list seem trivial.

awards12. Innovation Week: 2014

One of the largest portions of traffic driving through the site was dedicated to information about our annual series of events called Innovation Week. We carried several stories about some of the innovations and research that were featured at Demo Day (see below), a seminar dedicated to fostering better collaborations between academia and industry, our annual open house, and a new scavenger hunt event. But the main event has always been the week-ending Innovation Awards Ceremony and Reception, which named Marius Florescu, M.D., the 2014 Emerging Inventor for technologies he’s working on associated with hemodialysis. The Most Promising Invention of 2014 was Jason MacTaggart’s, M.D., Aquablade, a high-pressure water jet that can safely cut tissue amid the flowing blood within the vasculature.

3. My first year: What everyone should know about tech transfer

As I completed my first year with UNeMed, I reflected on what I learned about the technology transfer industry. I came into the job with some preconceived notions that turned out to be plain wrong. The popularity of the post was a welcome surprise, but I think it’s also telling. Judging from the entirely positive feedback, most tech transfer offices operate under the same guiding principles and philosophies.

Caronda Moore4. Current treatments and innovative advances in diabetic research

Licensing associate Caronda Moore, PhD, penned a short blog about what we might soon see in the way of future breakthroughs for diabetes. Our office has been excited about a new gene transfer therapy for diabetics developed by Keshore Bidasee, PhD We were so impressed that it was our Innovation of the Year in 2013. The technology shows a lot of promise. In early testing, it appears to reverse a lot of the damage cause by diabetes, while lowering blood sugars levels. In this piece, however, Moore looks beyond Dr. Bidasee’s discovery to additional possibilities that might lie on the horizon.

5. Inflammation: The problem with heart disease and what we can do

Practicing cardiologist and researcher Dan Anderson, M.D., PhD, breaks down the core problem of coronary artery disease and how it leads to heart disease. In a fascinating and easy-to-understand examination of how heart disease progresses into a life threatening condition, Dr. Anderson also offers a sliver of hope that our ability to help more people may soon happen. Dr. Anderson is part of a team of UNMC researchers who are on verge of developing a new blood test that make heart disease entirely more predictable, and thus more preventable.

COPD Detection Platform Hardware6. The next big thing: Biomechanics and your smartphone

Fascinating research from the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s one-of-kind biomechanics facility inspired UNeMed’s business development manager, Joe Runge, to explore all that might be possible with something as ubiquitous as the smartphone. Runge’s thoughts appear to have been somewhat prescient, as several technologies are emerging from the labs of Nick Stergiou, PhD, that improve treatments or diagnostic abilities for a wide variety of ailments and conditions, including concussions, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, fall prevention in the elderly, or even autism. I suspect more detailed announcements about these technologies will populate next year’s list of top stories.

7. UNeMed shareholder meeting announces Shanghai office, success in 2014

D.J. Thayer and Bo Han, M.D., PhDBy all our measures, the 2014 Shareholder Meeting was a runaway success. While the meeting served several notable purposes, it also marked the first public announcement that UNeMed was expanding its operation to China with the establishment of UNeMed Health Consulting Services Shanghai, or UNMC China for short. Shortly after the brief announcement at the August shareholder meeting, UNeMed officially opened the doors to its Shanghai offices in October, and will use the presence to create more opportunities and stronger partnerships than ever before.

8. Why we care about the startup and entrepreneur communities

Superficially, this post was a look at a recent success story of UNMC technology resulting from UNeMed’s consistent and continued involvement in the startup and entrepreneur communities. But the popularity of the post speaks to the true intent of the piece, which was to highlight the importance of those communities and how tech transfer offices like ours would be wise to consider dedicating resources toward them. It takes patience and a long-view approach before any dividend can be expected, but building a biotech industry in a traditionally agronomic culture like Nebraska can’t happen overnight. But it can be done, and there is ample evidence showing Omaha is shifting towards more high-tech, high-growth industries like biotech.

9. Containing Ebola means we must care for the caregivers

Joe RungeNational media extensively covered the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s involvement with the treatment of Ebola patients who were infected while helping people in stricken Africa nations. When we first heard that Richard Sacra would be our first Ebola patient at the now world-renown biocontainment facility, we shared many of the conflicted emotions that everyone felt. But upon final examination, we were all proud to be associated with an institution that had the people, training, facilities and expertise to handle such patients. And as Joe Runge elegantly pointed out in this blog post, the best hope of containing the outbreak is to care for those frontline caregivers who bear the brunt of the risk as they try to save lives and comfort the afflicted.

Phillips screw head and driver10. Innovate to Innovate: New yardsticks needed to create new ideas

I found it remarkable — and worth writing about — the amount of smaller, lesser known innovations necessary just to get the big idea off the ground. It prompted a series of posts about researchers who must “innovate to innovate.” This was in the context of a researcher here, Marius Florescu, M.D., who had an idea for a better hemodialysis. Dr. Florescu thought he had a better way to help patients suffering kidney disease and failure and face regular dialysis treatments. Those patients often undergo a surgical procedure that connects a vein and artery, usually in the arm, becoming a portal that plugs into dialysis machines. Called an AV or arteriovenous fistula, these ports are complicated and prone to failure and complications. Dr. Florescu’s idea might solve some of those issues, but he had no way to prove it—until he invented a whole new process and procedure. The early success of the experiments, and subsequent industry interest, is part of the reason why Dr. Florescu was named the 2014 Emerging Inventor of the year.

Honorable Mention

Six new technologies featured at Demo Day 2014

The UNMC Technology Demonstration Day entered its second year during the 2014 Innovation Week festivities, and featured six promising innovations that have been licensed to existing companies, served as the basis of a new startup, or attracted intense interest from industry. The presentations were all videotaped and all but one are publicly available for viewing: Coronary artery disease biomarker; Labpoint middleware; COPD detection platform; hemodialysis catheter; laparoscopic training simulator. Acera Surgical declined to make public its presentation.

Nebraska Invests $100k in UNMC nanotech startup

We have a soft spot for ProTransit Nanotherapy, an Omaha-based biotech startup that was built off the innovations of a former UNMC researcher. It’s true, the company CEO, Gary Madsen, was our entrepreneur in residence as he founded the company, but the amazing ability of the technology and its potential to help people is why we go a little weak in the knees. And so we’re always excited to hear about Dr. Madsen and his fledgling operation reach a major milestone. He’s one-step closer to making things like sunscreen and cosmetics effective barriers against skin cancer, and he’s has other products in the pipeline that have shown some jaw-dropping results with testing in repairing damaged brain cells and spinal tissue. We are still years from seeing any of this outside the lab, but we’re happy to report that the progress thus far looks great.

UNeMed in the news

A new feature began last year highlighting the occasions when UNeMed, UNMC researchers or their inventions reached local, regional or national media. The page is growing into a long list of short blurbs that summarize the media mentions and link to the news items when possible. Some media links will inevitably break once outlets remove those stories from their servers, but we will continue to curate this popular new feature. We will try to replace those broken links with alternate versions as we become aware of them.

Classics

Several posts from previous years remain popular and relevant, in some cases more than a year after their original publication date — particularly those that focus on day-to-day operations and legal issues associated with intellectual property.

 

Read article

FREE LUNCH*

December 29, 2014 Comments (0) News

* Discussion about career options away from the bench will be provided.

freelunch2OMAHA, Neb. (Dec. 29, 2014)—On Thursday, Jan. 29, UNeMed will present, “Free Lunch,*”  a noon-time meal that people can eat without paying any money. A complimentary panel discussion about potential alternate career opportunities for scientists will also be provided.

Everyone is welcome to attend, but not everyone will receive free food. Register now to reserve your free food ticket, or join the waiting list in case there is extra free food. People who do not register or join the waiting list will almost certainly not get any free food.

“Free Lunch” and the panel discussion is a joint venture sponsored by UNeMed, the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s technology transfer office, and UNMC’s Postdoctoral Association.

Scheduled panelists are former UNMC graduate students and postdocs that have survived the lonely road of free-food hunting and now lead relatively happy and peaceful lives in the world of technology transfer and commercialization.

UNeMed president and CEO Michael Dixon, PhD; UNeMed vice president and director of marketing and licensing Steven Schreiner, PhD; and UNeMed licensing associate Agnes Lenagh, PhD, will discuss how their career paths began with scientific pursuits and led to their current work in the technology transfer business. The discussion will also likely cover other avenues away from the bench, and how others might follow a similar path.

—-

* Eaters of the free food are welcome to eavesdrop on any part of this discussion, and are even encouraged to ask questions, if they’re into that sort of thing. People who ask questions will receive a free UNeMed T-shirt that can be worn for many occasions, or used as a very large napkin while eating the free food. UNeMed T-shirts also look good on large pets, as makeshift lampshades, or as pillow cases on laundry day. Wearing a UNeMed T-shirt as a pair of pants has not been an appropriate use of any UNeMed T-shirt since 2007.

The panelists will also be very impressed if people eating the free food already have a UNeMed T-shirt. A person with a really old UNeMed shirt will probably be rewarded with a prize of some kind.

The exact nature of the free food has not yet been determined but officials have assured that it will be better than phoning in a platter of last-minute store-bought cookies, but not as great as a ribeye steak dinner.

The panel will be moderated by UNeMed communications associate Charlie Litton, who has absolutely zero scientific credentials, but is an expert eater of free food. Officials suggest that the busier he remains asking questions, the less likely it is that he will eat any of the free food.

UNeMed is not responsible for empty calories or injuries occurred during Free Lunch. All eaters will be eating at their own risk and there is no representation or warranty, express, implied, statutory or otherwise.

Read article

Five cancer researchers recruited to Buffett Cancer Center

December 5, 2014 Comments (0) News

Bring in more than $5 million in funding

by Tom O’Connor, UNMC

OMAHA, Neb. (Dec. 5, 2014)—The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and its clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine, has added five new translational cancer researchers to its staff in recent months.

Located at 45th Street and Dewey Avenue, the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center is scheduled to open in 2017.

Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer CenterThe recruits hail from some of the nation’s top scientific and medical institutions. Collectively, they bring more than $5 million in cancer research funding to Nebraska. All have begun their work at the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center during the past four months.

“When we launched this ambitious project to build the world’s finest cancer center right here in Omaha, we believed that it would attract the very best minds in cancer research from around the world,” said Ken Cowan, M.D., PhD, director of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.

“These recruits exemplify that vision. We are building a place where pioneering scientific exploration will shape the future of cancer science and medicine – and these recruits are just the start.”

The $323 million Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – the largest construction project ever on the medical center campus – will create approximately 1,200 jobs at the medical center alone, plus thousands of others in construction and related industries. In total, the project will provide 4,657 new jobs to the metro area, infusing $537 million annually into the economy on an ongoing basis.

As translational cancer researchers, these new recruits conduct research that applies discoveries generated in the laboratory directly to patients’ bedsides.

The new recruits are:

Nick Woods, PhD

  • Recruited from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla. Joined the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center on Oct. 1.
  • Has a $400,000 National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant in breast cancer.
  • A Fairfield, Neb., native and cancer survivor, Dr. Woods’ primary research interest is systems biology based analysis of protein-protein interactions networks associated with cancer signaling pathways to identify novel targets for cancer therapies. His future goals are to examine acute myeloid leukemia signaling pathways associated with Fanconi Anemia proteins.
  • For more information on Dr. Woods, click here.

Michael Green, PhD

  • Recruited from Stanford University. Joined the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center on Nov. 1.
  • Has a $195,000 grant funded by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
  • Green works to identify and understand the genetic alterations that give rise to lymphoma and allow it to evade the immune system. He is interested in the genetics of B-cell lymphoma, with the goal of using genetic profiling to understand disease biology and inform treatment decisions.
  • For more information on Dr. Green, click here.

Amar Singh, PhD

  • Recruited from Vanderbilt University. Joined the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center on Oct. 1.
  • Has a $1.65 million National Institutes of Health grant in colon cancer.
  • Brought one other PhD level researcher with him to Nebraska.
  • Singh’s research focuses on understanding the role of the tight junction proteins, claudins, in the regulation of barrier function, colonic inflammation and neoplastic transformation and growth in correlation with the EGF receptor signaling.
  • For more information on Dr. Singh, click here.

Punita Dhawan, PhD

  • Recruited from Vanderbilt University. Joined the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center on Oct. 1.
  • Has a $950,000 Veteran’s Affairs Health Grant in colon cancer
  • Recruited one additional PhD postdoctoral fellow from Chicago.
  • Dhawan focuses her research on claudins, metastasis, tumorigenesis, signal transduction and trafficking, and cell death and differentiation.
  • For more information on Dr. Dhawan, click here.

Rebecca Oberley-Deegan, PhD

  • Recruited from National Jewish Hospital in Denver. Joined the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center on Aug. 1.
  • Has a $1.65 million National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute grant in prostate cancer
  • Oberley-Deegan’s research examines the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the context of radiation and cancer biology. Her laboratory previously has shown that a catalytically active antioxidant can protect normal prostate tissues during radiation, but not prostate tumor tissues. The focus of her research is to determine the mechanisms by which antioxidants can protect normal tissues from radiation while simultaneously making the tumor vulnerable to radiation damage.
  • For more information on Dr. Oberly-Deegan, click here.

The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated cancer center — a distinction held by only 68 centers in the country. It is the only NCI-designated center in the state of Nebraska. The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center is also one of the 13 founding members of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of the world’s leading cancer centers. This recognition means the most current and innovative treatment options are available to cancer center patients through the integration of cutting-edge research into state-of-the-art care. Cancer center physicians and scientists work together to quickly translate discoveries made in the laboratory into innovative treatments for the patient.

Read article

Linder highlights UNeMed success in halftime show, again

December 4, 2014 Comments (0) News

IOWA CITY, Iowa (Dec. 4, 2014)—Jim Linder, interim president of the University of Nebraska, spotlighted UNeMed during a five-minute halftime interview in the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ final football broadcast of the regular season on Friday, Nov. 28.

Greg Sharpe (left) and interim president of the University of Nebraska chat about the value of the University to the state during a pre-rocrded interview that aired during the Nebraska-Iowa football game last week.

Greg Sharpe (left) and interim president of the University of Nebraska Jim Linder chat about the value of the University to the state during a pre-recorded interview that aired during the Nebraska-Iowa football game last week.

Shortly before Nebraska completed its 17-point comeback in a 37-34 overtime win over Big 10 rival Iowa, Linder chatted for five minutes with the “Voice of the Huskers,” Greg Sharpe, the Husker Sports Network’s prime broadcast play-caller since 2008.

Linder told Sharpe that the University helps drive the state economy by pushing innovations to the marketplace. He used UNeMed as an example, noting the more than 400 new UNMC inventions at UNMC in the last five years.

“More important than numbers are the new products that could change lives: New therapies for diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s.” Linder said.

Linder has been a regular feature during all radio broadcasts of Nebraska football games, and wrapped the regular season Friday in an interview that demonstrated the whole value of the University to the state. The interview revisited several subjects touched on in previous weeks, including the work performed by healthcare providers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in their high-profile battles against Ebola.

“I’m proud of the commitment of our physicians and staff at UNMC and TNMC for their work in caring for Ebola patients,” Linder said during the pre-recorded interview, adding that UNMC is now “a national model for Ebola care.”

Linder, who led UNeMed from 2006-2011, also talked about the Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, the University’s booming enrollment, and the Innovation Campus’ focus on food, fuel and water.

Read article

More to tech transfer than meets the eye

November 24, 2014 Comments (0) Blog

by Tyler Mueller, UNeMed | Nov. 24, 2014

When I first told people about my internship, I really didn’t know what to say.

Tyler Mueller

Tyler Mueller

It was before I had even started working there. Before I went in for the interview, I visited the website and thought I had a pretty good idea of what UNeMed did. I kept seeing the same description over and over again; “The technology transfer office.” Most people didn’t know what this meant so I just told them “they’re like the salesmen for research at the university.”

Now I can safely say there’s so much more to it than that.

Every business has the primary goal of profit. But this feels different. Everyone works hard with each other and the researchers at the university. The staff is passionate about their career and it shows through their work. They take it seriously because what they do can affect the world and they strive for it.

Admittedly, it was a bit overwhelming at first. The staff is incredibly educated. And with all those degrees, I figured everyone would be wealthy. To me, licensing and selling life-saving treatments would be one of the most profitable markets. But they’re not working for that paycheck each week; they are working for the satisfaction that their work can change the world and make it a better place.

This same attitude is reflected through stories on the website and speakers at the shareholder meeting. Technology transfer offices are about helping people, how creative and innovative people can be. The shareholder meeting wasn’t about how much money they were making. The focus was on these amazing technologies they have already started licensing and already started working towards the end goal of helping a patient.

Not every technology licensed at the university is designed to save lives. Some technologies simply eliminate the hassle of a task in the lab. But they all serve a purpose, with some having the potential change the world.

When I think about what technology transfer means to me, I don’t think about salesmen or profits anymore. I think about new ideas, new technologies, new treatments, new medicines, and new procedures and how to we take that and get it to the masses and those who need it. We edge closer and closer towards a time when the problems of today can be solved tomorrow.

Read article

Nebraska invests $100k in UNMC nanotech startup

November 21, 2014 Comments (1) News

ProTransit Nanotherapy

ProTransit Nanotherapy president and CEO Gary Madsen, PhD, (center) shows off a vial of prototypes that could one day be incorporated into skin care products such as sunscreen and cosmetics. The nanoparticles, formulated by scientists Bala Vamsi Karuturi, PhD,(left) and Steve Curran (right), are vehicles that can deliver powerful antioxidants to the deepest layers of skin where they can help prevent skin cancer, wrinkles and blemishes. (Photo: Charlie Litton/UNeMed)

by Charlie Litton, UNeMed

OMAHA, Neb. (Nov. 21, 2014)—A biotech startup in Omaha reached a major milestone, completing its first round of fundraising and inched a step closer to providing skincare products that prevent skin cancer, wrinkles and other blemishes. The investment also keeps hope alive the company will be able to expand as intended to create applications that can treat brain damage caused by stroke and even heal spinal cord damage.

ProTransit Nanotherapy, a company based on a technology invented at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, announced Monday a $100,000 investment from Invest Nebraska, a program administered by the state’s Department of Economic Development that focuses on fostering high-growth, high-paying industry startups and small businesses in Nebraska.

ProTransit Nanotherapy’s location on UNMC campus and its place in Omaha’s growing biotech industry were factors in Invest Nebraska’s decision. But Mark Crawford, Invest Nebraska’s CEO and investment manager, said the largest factor was about ProTransit’s co-founding president and CEO, Gary Madsen. Crawford said he “invests in people, not companies.”

Mark Crawford_LO

Mark Crawford

“What attracted us to Gary was that he’s a seasoned biotech CEO,” Crawford said. “Gary’s decision to start his company in Nebraska shows the growth of our ecosystem.”

Madsen—the former entrepreneur in residence at UNMC’s technology transfer office, UNeMed—said Invest Nebraska gave his fledgling company the final push it needed.

“That’s going to allow us to really get up and running here in this laboratory, buying equipment, and buying supplies,” Madsen said.

ProTransit Nanotherapy will begin development of bench-scale products, and move nanoparticle production to Omaha from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where co-founder and inventor Vinod Labhasetwar, PhD, now works.

Already, ProTransit employs 2.5 full-time positions, including skilled and highly-specialized scientists, Steve Curran and Bala Vamsi Karuturi.

“The really good thing is both of these guys have worked on exactly these type of nanoparticles before,” Madsen said. “I never thought I would find anyone like that, and here’s two of them right on campus.”

Steve Curran

ProTransit Nanotherapy’s Steve Curran demonstrates part of the process for building the nanoparticles that could one day make skin care products much more effective in preventing skin cancer, wrinkles and blemishes. ProTransit is an Omaha startup company based on technology invented at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. (Photo: Charlie Litton/UNeMed)

Before joining ProTransit, Curran and Karuturi worked in laboratories of Dr. Joseph Vetro in the College of Pharmacy, specializing in building the type of nanoparticles that Madsen expects will deliver powerful antioxidants to the deepest layers of skin.

Dangerous UV light from the sun, chemicals, smoke, smog and even the natural aging process create free radicals within the skin. If unchecked, free radicals bang around inside the tissue, damaging cells, which leads to things like wrinkles, blemishes and even cancer. Antioxidant enzymes are known to be an effective treatment against free radicals, but stabilizing and getting the enzymes to where they’re needed has been the tricky part.

Developed by a former UNMC researcher, Dr. Labhasetwar, ProTransit’s nanoparticles essentially serve as a delivery vehicle that can reach places within the human system that others can’t. That means antioxidant enzymes can finally penetrate to the deepest layers of skin where they can do the most good, Madsen said.

“Up till now,” Madsen said, “the problem with the enzymes is they don’t penetrate the skin, and they’re really unstable. They last for just a few minutes.”

By enclosing the enzymes in a harmless, biodegradable nanoparticle, Dr. Labhasetwar not only stabilized the enzymes, but also created a slower, more gradual release.

ProTransit dermal therapy

Once formulated, the nanoparticles made by ProTransit Nanotherapy look like a fine white powder.

Applying a skin product with ProTransit’s technology could have a lasting effect that battles free radicals for weeks after just one application. Finding out just how long and how effective will be part of the early round of testing. Testing for the skin care products will be done on artificial skin and tissue cultures grown in a lab.

Madsen was also involved in securing a recent $1.2 million grant from the Nebraska Research Initiative at the University of Nebraska to upgrade and purchase new equipment in the biologics production facility. That money is being used to equip the nanoparticle pilot plant that Madsen—along with UNMC researchers on other projects—is using for early-stage production.

Madsen said he expects to move into a phase-two round of fundraising where he will need an estimated $1.2 million to scale-up the process, and fully develop the skincare product. Although one of the world’s largest cosmetic manufacturers is already expressing interest in ProTransit’s first product line, it will likely be several years before it will be available on store shelves, Madsen said.

Invest Nebraska could see a return on its investment as soon as 2016. The investment is a two-year convertible note, which means after two years Invest Nebraska could seek repayment with interest. Or, if ProTransit Nanotherapy starts selling stock at any point within the next two years, Invest Nebraska could convert the loan into a share of company ownership at a discounted rate.

dermis second dayexport

Read article

UNeMed opens office in Shanghai

November 14, 2014 Comments (1) News, Success Stories

UNMC-China Ribbon Cutting

Chinese and University of Nebraska Medical Center officials cut the ribbon to UNMC-China on Oct. 29, 2014. UNMC-China is a subsidiary of UNeMed, the technology transfer office for UNMC. Pictured from left are Deloitte’s Maria Liang; UNMC vice chancellor for business and finance Don Leuenberger; UNeMed’s director of international and domestic business affairs D.J. Thayer; and UNMC’s director of the Asia Pacific Rim Development Program, Jailin Zheng. (UNMC Photo: Lisa Spellman)

by Charlie Litton, UNeMed

SHANGHAI, China (November 7, 2014)—The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s relationship with China formed a stronger bond with the official opening of a satellite office in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 29 officially opened the door to deeper biomedical cooperation between UNMC and Chinese sectors in biomedical industry and healthcare education.

“Collaboration with China’s biomedical industry and higher education is really the essence of our strategy,” said D.J. Thayer, UNeMed’s Director of International and Domestic Business Affairs, who oversaw the creation of UNMC-China.

UNMC-China will focus on three core areas: Improve international collaborations, share knowledge, and commercialize UNMC innovations in a vast Chinese marketplace that lives in the world’s second largest economy.

“This is taking what we do best, and combining it with what they do best,” Thayer said. “We’re good at a lot of things, but not everything. Everyone benefits from this. Nebraskans, Americans, the Chinese. Everyone.”

D.J. Thayer

UNMC recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of its relationship with China, which has been based largely on educational exchange and research collaborations.

Opening a fully-staffed operation in Shanghai expands that relationship for greater collaborations with Chinese medical schools and hospitals. The new office opens a path to a wider range of possibilities for commercializing UNMC technologies and developing partnerships with industrial partners in China.

UNMC already has a long track record of successful student and faculty exchanges, as well as several UNMC inventions licensed to Chinese companies.

But UNMC will also expand its focus abroad to consulting with Chinese officials and developers who are increasingly trying to provide more Western-styled healthcare options. Already, UNMC-China is meeting with Chinese architectural and engineering firms on a $3 billion project that would create a massive health care facility for a piece of the growing medical tourism market.

UNMC-China is a subsidiary of UNeMed Corporation, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC. UNMC-China is known officially as UNeMed Health Consulting Shanghai, or UHCS for short.

Read article

Sillman, Fenster win scavenger hunt

November 6, 2014 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News

by Tyler Mueller, UNeMed

Graduate students Brady Sillman and Danielle Fenster won the first scavenger hunt of UNeMed’s Innovation Awards, an annual celebration honoring UNMC researchers, faculty, students and staff for their ideas, inventions and discoveries.

To win the scavenger hunt, contestants had to follow clues to complete questions, answer trivia on UNeMed’s social media pages, and even post a few “selfies” to social media.

Brady Sillman

“I knew that I wanted to do something to help people.” Brady Sillman

Sillman and Fenster complete the scavenger hunt in a tie for first place. But winning the scavenger hunt isn’t the only thing Sillman and Fenster have in common. Both were inspired by loved ones to pursue a career in research.

Sillman, a graduate student in Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, came to UNMC for the institution’s “great reputation and world-renown program.” Sillman’s sister inspired him to join the medical research community. She has cerebral palsy, an incurable disorder that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills.

“I knew that I wanted to do something to help people,” Sillman said. “It wasn’t until I joined a small research lab at UNO and got first-hand experience in the lab that I knew that I finally found my way of contributing.”

Danielle Fenster

“My great-grandmother had Alzheimer’s and I wanted to help others like her.” Danielle Fenster

Fenster is also a graduate student in Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience. Fenster joined UNMC after having a great experience working in Keshore Bidasee’s lab in the summer research program. Fenster was also inspired by a loved one.

“My great-grandmother had Alzheimer’s and I wanted to help others like her,” said Fenster.
When asked for advice for new students, Sillman said to get involved on campus. “Get involved in intermural sports or the Graduate Student Association. The more involved you get, the better you’ll be connected.”

Fenster said to think carefully when choosing a lab for research. “Find something you’re passionate about,” she said. “It will be a long couple of years if you dislike your lab or research.”

Read article

Jack Mayfield, 63

November 4, 2014 Comments (2) Blog, News

Jack Mayfield

Jack Mayfield was most visible on campus during Innovation Week, usually snapping pictures.

by Charlie Litton, UNeMed

The small office where Jack Mayfield churned out agreements and licensing contracts at near prolific rates remains dark today.

Jack fell from an apparent heart attack Tuesday. By Friday the 63-year-old was gone.

Jack joined UNMC in 2012, working as a contracts specialist in the technology transfer office, UNeMed. Any researcher, student, staff or faculty who ever needed a quick contract drawn up to share materials or protect confidentiality, probably worked with Jack.

LO_jack_mayfield_2014But to ask anyone who worked with him, few mention his chops as a lawyer. In fact his unequaled production rarely even rates a mention. More often we use words like “mentor” and “teacher” and “friend.” And of course we talk about his passions: Photography and cycling, pursuits he chased with vigor and vitality.

Jack was perhaps most visible as a regular fixture during UNeMed’s Innovation Week, relentlessly snapping photos of anyone and everyone who stood still long enough. Long before joining UNeMed, Jack ran a successful photography business in Tennessee, and he was always willing to lend his skills whenever asked.

I knew Jack best as photographer, because that’s a part of what I do.

In the most basic terms photography is about light. It’s about capturing and preserving the light of a moment. As simple as it sounds, understanding what needs to be done to capture light can be intensely complicated. Particularly in the days of celluloid, when Jack was firing at top speed as the “Pictureman.”

Capturing the light is in many ways easier now with the instant feedback that digital provides, but the basic principle remains the same. Whether it’s lining up silver iodide crystals or ones and zeroes: Capture the light, preserve the moment.

I would like to know how many moments in time he captured, shooting countless rolls of film at graduations, parties and who knows what else. How many of those are now cherished memories for the smiling faces he popped with a flash and shutter? How many scrapbooks, picture frames and even forgotten shoe boxes in attic spaces are populated with those time capsules he created?

He gave each of those people some small measure of immortality, and in so doing achieved it for himself. I’m grateful that he shared with me some of how he did that.But no part of Jack was larger than his enthusiasm for cycling. A member of an Omaha bike club, the Dundee Chain Gang, Jack logged somewhere on the order of 9,000 miles in 2013. For the record, if you wanted to drive from New York to L.A., you’d log about 2,700 miles. From Omaha, that 9,000 miles would get you to somewhere between India and Inner Mongolia.

After every long weekend of even longer rides—marathons, really—Jack would recount the exhausting trips with glee. And he had photos too. The new pictures of Jack and his rider-buddies—beaming under their bike helmets in all their spandex glory—would find a special place on his bulletin board. Some of the pictures are a little dog-eared and ever-so-slightly faded from the morning sun that creeps into his east-facing office.

His office is dark now, but those happy pictures are still there—taken in some far off place where the hills were steep climbs, but the glide down to the finish must have been worth every exhausting pump and kick.

Visitation is Tuesday, Nov. 4, 6-8 p.m. at Heafey-Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak & Cutler, 7805 West Center Road, Omaha, Neb.. Funeral services are Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 10:30 a.m. at Christ Lutheran Church in Louisville, Neb.

Read article

Florescu, MacTaggart honored at Innovation Awards

October 24, 2014 Comments (2) Innovation Week, News, Success Stories

by Tyler Mueller, UNeMed

awards1OMAHA, Neb. (Oct. 24, 2014)—Marius Florescu, M.D., took home the 2014 Emerging Inventor award, while Jason MacTaggart, M.D., received the Most Promising New Invention award during UNeMed’s eighth annual Innovation Awards Ceremony and Reception Thursday afternoon at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Florescu_091614_cropped_LO

Dr. Florescu

An estimated 203 attended the Innovation Awards ceremony, the culmination of UNeMed’s Innovation week, where researchers such as Drs. Florescu and MacTaggart are honored and celebrated for their inventions and discoveries. UNeMed also honored all the UNMC staff, students, and faculty who received a U.S. patent, licensed an innovation or reported a new invention during the last fiscal year.

Dr. Florescu, an associate professor in the nephrology division of UNMC’s Department of Internal Medicine, received the Emerging Inventor award for two his recent inventions: A hemodialysis catheter and a device to improve the arteriovenous or AV fistula.

The new hemodialysis catheter tube is designed with a small balloon that can expand to remove the build-up that naturally grows into a mass that blocks flow. Florescu’s innovative design would significantly lower the cost of removing the blockage by eliminating the need for additional procedures.

Jason MacTaggart, M.D.

Dr. MacTaggart

The new design for the AV fistula is the first major improvement in 40 years in the area. AV fistulas are made by surgically creating a portal between a vein and artery, usually in the wrist, for patients who must undergo regular hemodialysis.

Dr. MacTaggart, an assistant professor in the vascular surgery section of UNMC’s Department of Surgery, was awarded the Most Promising New Invention for his new surgical tool, the AquaBlade. The AquaBlade is designed to cut tissue amid flowing blood using highly-pressurized water. The device can also be used to remove stents in blood vessels. The AquaBlade is less invasive, thereby lowering the risk factor associated with heart surgery and speeding up the recovery process for the patient.

Divya Bhagirath was the 2014 winner of a free iPad.

Divya Bhagirath was the 2014 winner of a free iPad.

“Considering all of the other outstanding work and creativity demonstrated by many of my colleagues here at UNMC, this award is a great honor for me and my collaborators,” Dr. MacTaggart said via email. “We can’t thank our friends at UNeMed and people like my chairman of surgery, Dr. [David] Mercer, enough  for helping facilitate the work that led to this award, as it is their unwavering support of our research that allow us to conceive and refine inventions like the AquaBlade.”

UNeMed also awarded prizes to the winners of the first ever scavenger Hunt, which went to Brady Sillman and Danielle Fenster who tied for first place.
Divya Bhagirath was the lucky winner of the free iPad.

Read article