University of Rochester Technology Transfer

HTR Software LaunchPad Demo Day!

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:33:10 +0000

After an intensive three months of learning from potential customers and constantly refining their business models, the twelve software teams in the HTR LaunchPad program are ready to show off the fruits of their labors.

Adapted and brought to the Rochester area by High Tech Rochester and funded by the Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation, the LaunchPad is an entirely new way to vet, validate and improve the way businesses are created.

A key premise of the HTR LaunchPad is that software start-ups are not yet businesses; rather, they are entrepreneurs with ideas that must be validated through extensive customer discovery and learning.

Demo Day begins at 4:00 pm with a networking event among Rochester’s vibrant entrepreneur, investor, and general business community. In addition, each team will have a display table in the Geva lobby, where they’ll preview their new software-based businesses.

At 5:00 pm, each team will formally present their business story and description of their software innovation, backed by Power Point visuals and/or a live hook-up to show the software in action.

The LaunchPad Demo Day will be moderated by Jeff Valentine, a partner at the private equity firm Exium Partners and recently involved with High Tech Rochester as a judge in the 2013 Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest. Jeff was CEO of Callfinity, a company he co-founded in Boston, moved to Rochester, grew by 500%, and sold to M5 Networks in 2011. He is also an active angel investor with the Rochester Angel Network and advisor to local startups.

At 6:30 pm, networking resumes in the Geva lobby with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 4, 2013: 4:00 – 7:30 pm (program begins at 5:00 pm)

WHERE: Geva Theater, 75 Woodbury Blvd., Rochester, NY 14607

Registration: Free and open to the public; registration requested.

Please Register Here

Gastroenterologists Use New Technology to Detect Precancerous Cells

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:15 +0000

Esophageal adenocarcinoma is now the fastest growing form of cancer in the United States, but gastroenterologists at The Center for Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have been using an innovative technology to detect precancerous cells in time to prevent disease progression.

The WATS^3D computer-assisted brush biopsy takes a wide sample of tissue from the esophagus and then analyzes it using a 3-Dimensionial computer imaging system that is based on an algorithm developed as part of the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative missile defense program. WATS^3D stands for “Wide Area Transepithelial Sample.”

URMC Gastroenterologist Vivek Kaul, M.D., along with Gastroenterology Fellows Danielle Marino, M.D., and Donald Tsynman, M.D., today in Orlando, Fla., presented new research examining WATS^3D at Digestive Disease Week®, the world’s largest gathering of physicians and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.

Full Announcement

F.I.R.E. Series, “IP Issues in Transactions”, May 14th at 12 pm!!

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:14:50 +0000

The Office of Technology Transfer, in cooperation with the Center for Entrepreneurship proudly present F.I.R.E. in May:

“IP Issues in Transactions”

Intellectual Property issues are pervasive in many kinds of transactions. This talk will provide a brief description of the various types of IP and focus on how these different forms may effect transactions and technology valuation.

Our presenter this month is Ralph Loren, a partner at Edwards Wildman Palmer. Ralph lectures around the country on a variety of patent, licensing and litigation topics, including arbitration issues. He was a part-time professor at Boston University School of Law, where he taught patent law.

Where: the Class of ’62 Auditorium (G-9425 & 1-9425)
When: Tuesday, 14 May 2013, 12:00 – 1:00 PM

A light lunch will be served following the presentation. Please contact David Englert, or call 585.276.6615 for more information or to register for this event.

Although the F.I.R.E. Series continues to be free and open to the public, a small fee for parking may apply (usually between $5 and $6). Registration would be appreciated by noon Monday, 13 May 2013.

Stephen Dewhurst Named Vice Dean for Research at UR School of Medicine and Dentistry!

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:05:48 +0000

Stephen Dewhurst, Ph.D., has been named vice dean for research at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. A faculty member since 1990 and past senior associate dean for basic research, Dewhurst will lead the School’s research strategic planning process and help advance its research priorities by identifying areas of excellence in which to make strategic investments; strengthening the research infrastructure; improving education and training; and promoting collaborations and alliances that will result in increased research funding.

The new position was recommended by a faculty-led strategic planning committee headed by Dirk Bohmann, Ph.D., and Lynne E. Maquat, Ph.D. As vice dean for research, Dewhurst will work closely with the senior associate deans for basic and clinical research, J. Edward Puzas, Ph.D., and Thomas A. Pearson, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., to accomplish these goals.

“There’s no doubt that this is a challenging time in science: Researchers are faced with an extremely competitive funding environment and a scientific landscape that is changing more rapidly than ever before,” said Mark B. Taubman, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry. “We take these issues very seriously and believe Steve will help leadership and faculty respond to these challenges. With a wide-ranging understanding of research and an outstanding track record of organizing successful institutional collaborations, he is the ideal candidate for the job.”

Full Announcement

SBIR/STTR Grant Opportunities and Writing – Register by April 26, 2013!

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:36:53 +0000

Each year, 11 federal agencies set aside more than $2 billion to fund research and development at small businesses, through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. Federal agencies issue solicitations to small companies, including start-ups, for proposals on specific research and product development.

Come to this seminar to learn how you can apply for SBIR and STTR grants to fund your research and new product development. Free to qualified small
businesses.

Register for one or both sessions by Friday, April 26, 2013: Call HTR’s Mike Riedlinger at 585.413.9061 or send him an e-mail.

What You Will Learn in SBIR Basics (morning session – 9:00 am to noon)
For any small business engaged in technology research and development

Overview of SBIR and STTR programs
How entrepreneurs, small businesses and academic researchers can tap into these funds
Meet area SBIR & STTR award winners that will share their experiences and proposal tips

What You Will Do in the Grant Writing Workshop (afternoon session 1:00 – 4:00 pm – bring a lap top or iPad)
For small businesses in the optics industry and others seeking and ready to write NSF SBIR grants

Search for open NSF grant topics
Outline a grant proposal
Enroll in the government’s system for grant submissions

Who Should Attend:

Entrepreneurs seeking to start a technology business
University researchers commercializing their technology
Phase I award winners planning a Phase II proposal
Past Phase I applicants who have not yet won an award

SBIR proposals are two times more likely to be funded when small businesses partner with a university or research institution. Meet technology commercialization and tech transfer officials from area universities and research institutions that partner with entrepreneurs and small businesses on these proposals.

Presenters at this seminar include:

NSF Grant Recipient - Victoria Van Voorhis, Second Avenue Software
Cindy Gary, University of Rochester
Mike Riedlinger, High Tech Rochester
Jean Kase, PTAC
Jack McGowan, Insyte Consulting
Drake Thomas, SBDC

JEAN KASE
The Entrepreneurs Network – TEN
Helping High-Growth Companies Succeed

Email: jeankase@ten-ny.org | Website: http://TEN-NY.org
Monroe County Office: 50 W Main Street, Ste 8100, Rochester, NY 14614 | Telephone: 585.753.2031
HTR Office: 150 Lucius Gordon Drive, Ste 100, W Henrietta, NY 14586 | Telephone: 585.214.2423

RocNext Featured Article: UR Revamping Research Commercialization – Scott Catlin Hired to Oversee Innovation and Technology

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:19:17 +0000

Each stage of Scott Catlin’s career has taken him in a slightly different direction, but, as a whole, it amounts to an ideal path leading to his new role as vice president for innovation and technology commercialization at the University of Rochester.

Catlin, who started in the job on March 1, took advantage of an Air Force ROTC program to pay for his college education, but he later recognized how the decision was worth more than cost of tuition.

“Even though I did it originally for financial reasons, I got so much out of it from a leadership and management perspective. If I had known then what I know now, I probably would have done it even if they didn’t pay for school,” said Catlin, who earned a bachelor’s degree in optical engineering at UR in 1992.

Three years later, Catlin graduated from Notre Dame Law School. Afterward he served as a judge advocate general, mainly handling criminal prosecutions before going to work for about a year as a management consultant at Bain Capital.

Full RocNext Article

UR Researchers Identify New Pathway, Enhancing Tamoxifen to Tame Aggressive Breast Cancer

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:58:44 +0000

Tamoxifen is a time-honored breast cancer drug used to treat millions of women with early-stage and less-aggressive disease, and now a University of Rochester Medical Center team has shown how to exploit tamoxifen’s secondary activities so that it might work on more aggressive breast cancer.

The research, published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, is a promising development for women with basal-like breast cancer, sometimes known as triple-negative disease. This subtype has a poor prognosis because it is notoriously resistant to treatment. In fact, basal-like cancers lack the three most common breast cancer biomarkers – the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and theHer2/neu receptor – and without these receptors, the usual front-line treatments are not effective.

Until recently, tamoxifen was known primarily for its ability to block estrogen receptors on the outside of cancer cells. However, new studies have suggested that when tamoxifen is given in higher doses, it works through a second mechanism of action independent of the estrogen receptor. This second mechanism was the focus of the Rochester laboratory.

Led by doctoral student Hsing-Yu Chen and Mark Noble, Ph.D., professor of Biomedical Genetics at URMC…

Full Announcement

Innovocracy is Now Accepting New Project Applications from University of Rochester Students, Faculty and Staff!

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:46:43 +0000

In today’s world, raising capital for early stage technologies has become a grueling process, not only has government funding been cut, but companies and investors, too, have stopped taking big risks on new projects. This new way of doing business has forced researchers and Universities around the country to find innovative ways to bring in the capital needed to take their projects to the next level.

The University of Rochester, in an effort to help its researchers hunt down early stage, proof-of-concept, capital, decided to reach out and explore alternative investment avenues. So, when the University was first contacted by Mike Totterman, chairman of Innovocracy, they were thrilled to hear of his new crowdfunding platform focused on promoting and raising funds for early-stage academic research.

Once the platform was completed, two University of Rochester researches decided to give the new funding initiative a try. Dr. Daniel Mruzek, a psychologist and autism expert, and Dr. Stephen McAleavey, a biomedical engineer, had developed a novel toilet-training procedure using an electronic moisture pager and corresponding curriculum for children with autism.

The team had successfully tested the device in children with other developmental disabilities but needed additional funding to test the device in children with autism. Fortunately, Innovocracy provided the team with a unique platform that allowed them to reach out to the community and request support to raise the additional capital needed to complete their project. In less than two weeks the team was able to raise 50% of the funds required for the trial, by the end of month the team had exceeded its funding goal and were able to raise over $9,000 to carry out the additional testing on the device.

Next, a group of University of Rochester undergraduate biomedical engineering students decided to give the platform a try. The team had developed a unique handlebar device, the MonoMano, in their senior design course that allows physically handicapped individuals to effortlessly ride a bicycle. In order to develop and distribute the device on a large scale the team needed to raise additional capital to cover manufacturing costs, so they decided to post their project on the Innovocracy platform in hopes they’d garner enough financial support to continue production. By the end of the month, the students rose close to $6,000, which they ultimately used to manufacture additional handle bar units that were then sent to SportsNet and the Wounded Warriors Project for distribution.

Right now, two new University of Rochester projects are up on the Innovocracy platform and open for donation. The first technology, entitled “MindWriter”, is a software module that works in concert with a word-processing program to make the writing process productive and rewarding. The module was developed by Dr. Deborah Rossen, Associate Professor and Director of the College Writing Program, and is currently in its third iteration and is being tested by student writers at the University of Rochester. To help refine the program and begin user testing it at other institutions, Dr. Rossen is looking to raise $5,000, by May 1, 2013. To learn more about Dr.Rossen’s project and to donate to her program, please visit her Innovocracy page for additional information.

The second technology, entitled “Science Buddies Kits”, is made up of hands-on science activities and kits for elementary school-aged children that can easily be implemented in after-school programs. The kits were developed by Liam Casey, Research Assistant Professor of Environmental Medicine, and aim to employ an innovative and unique combination of characteristics that increase the likelihood of adoption by informal science educators. Liam is looking to raise $5,000, by May 1, 2013, to continue development and distribution of his kits to after school programs. To learn more about Liam’s kits and to donate to his project, please visit his Innovocracy page for additional information.

In just over a year, Innovocracy has been able to launch an incredibly successful crowdfunding initiative that has helped a number of University of Rochester researchers and students bring their technologies to market. Without Innovocracy, and others like it, some academic innovations may never get the chance to reach their true commercial potential.

Innovocracy’s goal is to provide a platform for innovators to solicit funds for academic projects. Contributions to Innovocracy projects are no strings attached donations and over 90% of the funds are distributed directly back to the innovators via their educational institutions. No equity changes hands and if interested, but not required, innovators may provide incentives to supporters (incentives may include updates, sample products and other thank you items).

Innovocracy is currently accepting new project proposals; so, if this is something you’d like to get involved in please Contact Innovocracy directly for more information. We strongly encourage any and all University of Rochester faculty and students looking to fund small projects, or a piece of a project, to take a quick minute to fill out Innovocracy’s short Questionnaire to find out if your project would be a good fit for the platform. If you have any additional questions please visit Innovocracy’s website, or give Innovocracy a call at 585-419-4955

Innovocracy is an independent organization, which is not owned or controlled by or otherwise affiliated with the University of Rochester.

NCIIA’s E-Team Program is Looking to Fund Your Technology!

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:08:17 +0000

NCIIA’s E-Team Program provides early-stage support and funding of up to $75,000 for student and faculty innovators and entrepreneurs working on market-based technology inventions.

In addition to funding, the program includes training, venture coaching and access to potential investment opportunities—all with the goal of moving innovations to market.

Teams are selected through a competitive process for their promising technology, commercial potential, positive social impact, and strong commitment.

Learn more about whether your idea is a fit by reading the guidelines.

Join the E-Team Program. Submit a proposal by May 10, 2013.

E-Team Program = funding + training + investment

Click here to meet the fall 2012 funded E-Teams!

Proposals Due May 3rd for Early Stage Drug Discovery Awards!

University of Rochester Technology Transfer — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:44:20 +0000

The Drug Discovery Pilot Award program, jointly funded by the Medical Center and the Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research at Temple University, is accepting proposal applications until Friday, May 3. The purpose of the program is to support projects in drug development research that result in technology development, extramural funding, and commercialization.

The program will fund early exploratory studies at Rochester with grants ranging between $4,000 and $8,000. The program also provides up to $25,000 to support “lead finding studies.” Contact Michael Rusnak at 276-6610 with any questions regarding submissions.