
President & CEO
(402) 290-4840
mdixon@unmc.edu
Michael Dixon is President and CEO, working with faculty, students and staff to help commercialize innovative, new ideas that have the potential to improve public health in Nebraska and beyond. Dr. Dixon is responsible for setting UNeMed’s strategic path while directing efforts to protect, market and license new technologies.
Dr. Dixon is a graduate of Leadership Omaha Class 32 and a 2011 recipient of the Midlands Business Journal “40 under 40” award. As an active member of the community, Dr. Dixon serves on several Boards of Directors, including Invest Nebraska Corporation, a non-profit, venture development organization that advises and invests in companies and early stage business ideas in Nebraska. He also sits on the board of Bio Nebraska, a nonprofit trade association dedicated to the development and growth of Nebraska’s bioscience industry.
Dr. Dixon holds a doctorate in Pathology and Microbiology from UNMC.
Recent UNeMed news featuring Dr. Dixon:

UNeMed Board expands, adds expertise from Boston and San Diego
OMAHA, Nebraska (November 17, 2023)—UNeMed announced today that Michael Bishop, PhD, and Kimberly Lamb, PhD, have joined its Board of Directors. “When the topic of new Directors came up,” UNeMed Chairperson Anne Barnes said, “we knew it was important for us add expertise from the strongest biotechnology clusters in the world and we couldn’t be …

Nebraska 78th in world for U.S. patents
OMAHA, Nebraska (August 7, 2023)—For the sixth straight year, the University of Nebraska cracked the list of top 100 universities in the world for securing United States patents, landing 78th in 2022. Annually produced by the National Academy of Inventors, the ranking reflects the total number of U.S. patents granted to academic institutions worldwide during …

Current pharmaceutical, biomedical trends need UNMC research
OMAHA, Nebraska (June 19, 2023)—After 50 meetings with various representatives of a wide range of international biotech and pharmaceutical companies, UNeMed learned their key areas of interest could benefit from more UNMC research. “We have no shortage of intriguing innovations, but I think there might be some major opportunities for us if we could further …

UNMC innovator accepted into national entrepreneurship program
OMAHA, Nebraska (January 16, 2023)—Breanna Hetland, PhD, has been accepted into a competitive national entrepreneur-mentoring program that could help boost her innovations in Intensive Care Units everywhere. Dr. Hetland, Assistant Professor in the UNMC College of Nursing, invented a digital platform called Remote ICU. The software solution enables and promotes more robust patient and family …

Sky’s the limit for Virtual Incision’s surgical robotics platform
OMAHA, Nebraska (December 6, 2022)—A new surgical robotics system developed at the University of Nebraska will get a chance to prove its potential when NASA tests the device on the International Space Station in 2024. Inventors Shane Farritor, an engineering professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Dmitry Oleynikov, a surgeon formerly at the …

Hawley returns to UNeMed
OMAHA, Neb. (November 28, 2022)—Amanda Hawley, PhD, has returned to UNeMed, bringing with her six years of industry experience into her role as Senior Licensing Specialist. “Recruiting Amanda back to the University is a huge win,” UNeMed President and CEO Michael Dixon said. “We have the advantage of her already proven experience in tech transfer, …