CU-Boulder Technology of the Month:

Genes and Mechanisms for Improving Cellulosic Ethanol Production in E. coli

UC Denver Technology of the Month:

Inhibition of ERK1/2 as a Treatment for Cardiac Hypertrophy and Heart Failure

Bioscience Licensing Associate
The CU Technology Transfer Office is seeking a Life Sciences Licensing Associate for its Anschutz Medical Campus office (Aurora, CO). The Licensing Associate has responsibility for the management and administration of a portfolio of intellectual property, which involves identifying, soliciting, and evaluating invention disclosures for patent and market potential, prioritizing investments in the portfolio, and negotiating and administering option and license agreements. Please review the full requirements - to apply, visit www.jobsatcu.com (posting #807777).

Deadline Announced for State Bioscience Research Grant
The 2009 round of the Colorado Bioscience Research and Evaluation Grant  (BDEG) program is now underway, and TTO invites bioscience faculty to submit proposals for this grant program. University researchers are eligible for grants of $50,000 - $200,000 for commercial proof-of-concept (POC) work; eligible fields include therapeutics/vaccines, diagnostics, medical devices, and platform technologies. To apply for this grant, TTO must receive a pre-proposal summary by September 25, 2009; an invention disclosure for your technology must also be on file with TTO by this date. The deadline to submit final written applications to TTO will be October 2, 2009. Application guidelines and application forms can be downloaded online - for questions, please contact Rick Silva, 303-724-0222 (UC Denver) or Kate Tallman, 303-492-5732 (CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs).

Press Release: U of Colo Announces $1.6M in Bioscience Commercialization Grants
The University of Colorado has selected 11 projects for funding under a 2008 legislative initiative to increase the commercial potential of bioscience technologies from Colorado research institutions. These grants, known as 'proof of concept' grants, fill a crucial gap in funding between basic research funding (typically from federal agencies) and industrial commercialization of technology (funded by companies). The grants are designed to move promising new drugs, diagnostic tests and medical devices closer to commercial readiness. Under House Bill 1001, passed in 2008, the State of Colorado provided a total of $1.5 million to Colorado research institutions in 2009, matched by equal funding contributed by the universities. Grants to CU researchers (including matching grants) totaled $1.64 million; the winning grant proposals were:

• Natalie Ahn PhD, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, CU-Boulder, for targeted drugs to treat melanoma.

• K. Ulrich Bayer PhD, Department of Pharmacology, UC Denver, for a new drug to prevent permanent neurological damage in stroke patients.

• Mark W. Duncan PhD and Anthony Elias MD, Division of Pulmonary Medicine and Division of Medical Oncology, UC Denver, for improved diagnosis and early detection of breast cancer.

• Heide L. Ford PhD and Rui Zhao PhD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, UC Denver, for the identification and development of novel therapeutics that maybe used to treat a wide variety of cancers.

• Emily A. Gibson PhD and Timothy Lei PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Department of Electrical Engineering, UC Denver, for an improved flow cytometry device for analysis of blood samples.

• Bradley Olwin PhD, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, CU-Boulder, for a method of repairing damaged muscle (including damage from Muscular Dystrophy) using stem cells.

• Daniel Schwartz PhD, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, CU-Boulder, for liquid crystal-based DNA microarrays to cost effectively measure genetic material and quickly gather gigabases of genomic data.

• Timothy F. Scott PhD, Department of Mechanical Engineering, CU-Boulder. Photodegradable materials for temporary and minimally-invasive implantable medical devices.

• Robin Shandas PhD, Division of Cardiology, UC Denver and Department of Engineering, CU-Boulder, for a medical device to treat venous valve incompetence.

• Wei Tan PhD, Department of Mechanical Engineering, CU-Boulder, for a new type of vascular graft to provide improved access for dialysis patients.

• Linda Watkins PhD, Department of Psychology, CU-Boulder, for a novel approach to treating chronic pain and increasing the clinical efficacy of opioid pain relief drugs.

Deadline Announced for New Energy Tech Commercialization Grant
The CU-Boulder Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) is teaming up with TTO and industry to provide funding and support to commercialize CU energy technology. Commercialization from lab to industry involves vision, strategic business focus, dedicated people and funding.  RASEI has put together a set of programs to help guide faculty and researchers down that path with industry guidance, focus and funding, including the new Market Assessment Program (MAP) to help researchers understand market and technology development needs for successful commercialization. Researchers wishing to apply for this grant must submit an invention disclosure and pre-proposal by October 16, 2009; final proposals are due November 25, 2009.

New CU-Boulder Biotechnology Facility to Tackle Challenges Ranging From Cancer and Heart Disease to Tissue Engineering
A revolutionary biotechnology and biomedical research and teaching facility being built at the University of Colorado at Boulder will tackle a wide variety of pressing human health challenges ranging from cancer, aging and cardiovascular disease to inherited diseases, vaccine development and tissue engineering. The new facility will offer the opportunity for a wide swath of researchers to collaborate, said CU-Boulder Distinguished Professor and Nobel laureate Tom Cech. Cech is director of the Colorado Initiative in Molecular Biotechnology (CIMB), which will use the new building as a springboard to further research, teaching and technology at the intersections of life sciences, physical sciences, math, computational sciences and engineering. "One of the most exciting features of this building is the chance for those in chemistry, biochemistry and biology to interact with engineers, physicists, chemists and computer scientists on problems in modern biology best approached in interdisciplinary fashion," Cech said. The modern equipment in the facility also will give biotech companies the chance to come in and collaborate with CU-Boulder faculty and students and use powerful biochemical, genetic and pharmacological screening instruments, for example, to better understand biochemical processes and further drug design.

A Look at TTO in FY2009 and Going Forward

• In August 2009 TTO released its performance metrics for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009. Please follow this link to a short presentation summarizing our performance.
• This podcast presents a fiscal year end update from David Allen, Associate VP for Technology Transfer and Tom Smerdon, Director Of Licensing & New Business Development. Net: in a challenging fiscal environment, TTO managed well, and focused on continuing to deliver value to its primary internal and external constituents and stakeholders.
  

MediciNova Buys Avigen in $37M deal
MediciNova reported in late August that it had finally worked out a deal to buy CU licensee Avigen for $37 million, or $1.24 per share. The two companies first announced some terms of the deal in June. At that time, Avigen's CEO and CFO Andrew Sauter claimed that combining Avigen's AV411 and MediciNova's MN-166 programs could improve development potential to address a range of neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis, neuropathic pain and drug addiction.

ImmuRx Receives $577K SBIR for Treatment of Tuberculosis
CU licensee ImmuRx has been awarded a $577,000 SBIR award from the NIH to study the application of its adjuvant platform to the treatment of tuberculosis. This award will support the extension of the ImmuRx platform from treating cancer to treating chronic infectious diseases such hepatitis C as well as TB.

KMLabs Secures SBIR and STTR Grants to Advance Ultrafast Lasers for Key Applications
CU licensee KMLabs announced in August that they have received an STTR Phase I award from DOE to advance the company's compact ultrafast laser technology; an SBIR Phase I award from DOE to develop a short-pulse power-scalable laser system; and an STTR Phase II award from the U.S. Air Force for micro-machining applications. 

UC Denver Researchers Find Safer Way to Transform Skin Cells into Stem Cells
University of Colorado Denver's School of Medicine researchers Wenbo Zhou and Curt Freed have announced a new way to convert human skin cells to stem cells. The researchers have created "human induced pluripotent stem cells" (iPS cells) - reprogrammed to look and act like embryonic stem cells - from human skin fibroblasts using a common cold virus. Freed and Zhou are the first to show that this method can be used to safely reprogram human cells.

TTO Staff Changes
TTO is pleased to welcome Brynmor Rees, a new licensing associate in our Boulder office. Brynmor works with faculty and the rest of the TTO team to commercialize inventions in the biological sciences, chemistry, and alternative energy. Brynmor was formerly Senior Officer with the technology transfer group at The University of British Columbia, also within the life sciences and chemistry. He holds an undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Victoria and a Master of Biotechnology from the University of Toronto. Brynmor enjoys backpacking with his wife, and is both a student and teacher of meditation and yoga.

Bryn replaces Licensing Manager Joseph Carroll, who left TTO in September to take a leadership position with the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute in Dublin - TTO wishes Joseph all the best in his new role.

New UCCS Faculty to Lead Entrepreneur Efforts
In August the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs announced Peg the appointment of Thomas N. Duening as the new El Pomar Chair for Business and Entrepreneurship. Duening joins Michael Larson and Terry Boult as El Pomar Chairs; the three faculty chairs work through the El Pomar Institute for Innovation and Commercialization (EPIIC), to build university and community partnerships and to bring new ideas to the region.

CU-Boulder Professor Unraveling Mystery of Treating Chronic Pain
Successfully treating chronic pain with opioids such as morphine - minus the side effects - may soon become a reality, bringing relief to millions of people who suffer from debilitating pain. Distinguished Professor Linda Watkins of the University of Colorado at Boulder and her colleagues in CU-Boulder's psychology and chemistry and biochemistry departments are working to develop new drugs that enhance the ability of opioid drugs to treat pain, while decreasing their negative side effects such as tolerance, dependence and addiction.

UC Denver Parkinson's Researcher Receives Funding to Investigate Liver Drug
Dr. Curt Freed is testing a new clinical strategy for the treatment of Parkinson's disease thanks to a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) through their 2009 Rapid Response Innovation Awards. The funding will enable Freed and collaborator Wenbo Zhou to further investigate their discovery that a drug called phenylbutyrate can prevent brain deterioration in animal models of Parkinson's disease by turning on a protective gene called DJ-1. Phenylbutyrate is already approved by the FDA to treat an unrelated condition, a rare form of liver disease.

ION Engineering Names Corkadel EVP Operations
Clean-tech startup (and CU licensee) ION Engineering has named Claude C. "Corky" Corkadel III Executive Vice President of Operations. This move comes as ION enters advanced discussions with several global partners to pilot and commercialize their new technology for carbon capture and cleaning of acid and sour gas streams.

Colorado BioSymposium on Pulmonary Disease

September 16, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora

Renowned medical researchers from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine and National Jewish Health who have placed Colorado in the forefront of research into pulmonary diseases will participate as speakers and panelists in a special one-day BioSymposium.

Rocky Mountain Life Science Investor Conference

September 17, Ritz Carlton, Denver

See the future of healthcare-and your role in shaping it-at the Rocky Mountain region's first and only life science investor conference. Hosted by the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA), this event brings together leading investors, emerging companies and senior executives to cultivate partnerships within our industry.

TTO Faculty Seminar: Commercializing Renewable Energy Technologies

September 17, CU-Boulder

Co-hosted with the CU-Boulder Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI), this event will present industry and faculty perspectives on commercialization of renewable/sustainable energy technologies, as well as provide information on resources available to CU investigators working in these areas. Speakers will include a CU-Boulder faculty member and a perspective from the VC community, as well as RASEI Entrepreneurship and Business Development Director Trent Yang. This lunch seminar is free and open to CU faculty from all campuses - please RSVP via email.

Biofuels Development and Scale-up: Truths, Myths and Real Risks in Biofuel Development

September 21, CU-Boulder

The CU-Boulder Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) and Colorado Energy News are hosting a new series of thought leadership workshops designed to provide a definitive, actionable market roadmap for participants. In this seminar, biofuels leaders from across all segments - academia, research labs, startups and mature industry - will meet to forge a framework for analyzing critical commercial scale-up issues within biofuels.

Keys to Bioscience Success: Negotiating the Venture Term Sheet

September 25, Cooley Godward Kronish, Broomfield

In the second installment of Cooley's "Keys to Bioscience Success" series, two experts in Colorado's venture community walk through a negotiation of key points and issues that affect a company's rights, future payouts, impact of changes in the valuations, liquidation preferences, and much more.

Entrepreneurs Unplugged: Niel Robertson, Founder and CTO of Service Metrics

September 28, CU-Boulder

Entrepreneurs Unplugged is a meeting place where faculty, students and community members with technical backgrounds learn about and get involved in entrepreneurship.

Save the Date: ESPRIT Innovation Alliance Breakfast

October 6, Millennium Hotel, Boulder

As part of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce ESPRIT Entrepreneur celebration, TTO will host this event showcasing CU innovations at all stages of development, from lab to startup to successful company. Following these short presentations, there will be an opportunity to mingle with the researchers and entrepreneurs, as well as with TTO staff and other members of the CU innovation community. Details, agenda and registration will be available online after September 7.

Boulder/Denver New Technology Meetup Group
October 6, CU- Boulder
This ongoing event provides a forum for technologists and entrepreneurs to showcase the new (especially web-based) technology developing in Boulder/Denver tech community. Five companies have five minutes each to demonstrate their new technology, followed by five minutes for Q&A from the audience.

Colorado Green Tech Meetup

October 8, CU-Boulder

An ongoing event to support eco-entrepreneurs and others people involved and/or interested in green tech: energy generation, transportation, construction, and efficiency technologies. Businesses and researchers present new technologies, and attendees may announce business news, job openings, fundings, etc.

Call For Presenters: Angel Capital Summit

Applications due October 13

Applications are now being accepted from entrepreneurs wishing to present their businesses at the Angel Capital Summit. Take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to connect with the most valuable financial resources your company needs to mature and thrive within today's competitive economy. The Summit will feature the best and brightest financing strategies for the Rocky Mountain Region, with an anticipated audience of between 400-700 entrepreneurs, private investors and service professionals.

Third Annual CU-Boulder Energy Research Symposium

October 21, CU-Boulder

Hosted by the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI, formerly the CU-Boulder Energy Initiative), this symposium will begin with a keynote address by Professor Steve Rayner of Oxford University followed by a poster session in which faculty, research associates, graduate students and other scientists display research projects and ideas for tackling energy and related climate change or sustainability issues. Participants can learn about related research interests and expertise on the CU campus and at local federal laboratories. Additionally, a Seed Grant Competition with awards up to $50,000 will be held following the Symposium; only poster participants in the Symposium will be eligible to submit proposals to the Seed Grant Competition.

RETool: Business Opportunities in Renewable Electricity

October 29, Denver

This one-day business workshop led by CU-Boulder faculty will tell you what you need to know about renewables and electricity, including key business opportunities and challenges for renewable electricity technologies.

Patent Rejections Soar as Pressure on Agency Rises
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the steward of the nation's most important technologies, has been rejecting applications at an unprecedented rate during the past few years, yet it still cannot keep pace with the torrent of applications. After consistently rejecting applications at a rate of about 35% since 1975, the Patent Office - faced with a growing backlog - underwent a convulsive shift around 2004 and now turns down well over half. In the quarter that ended June 30, it denied more than 59%.

Incubator Numbers Grow with Interest in Tech Entrepreneurship as Recession Cure
As economists and policymakers debate the details of how and when the nation will recover from the recession, the topic of entrepreneurship and the role it will play in shaping the new economy continually arises. In the coming years, some analysts predict a rise in entrepreneurship both as a result of massive layoffs and an aging workforce not yet ready or able to retire. To help new tech entrepreneurial efforts succeed, incubators offer valuable resources such as access to university research, laboratories, mentors, and networking opportunities. Click the link above for an overview of specialized incubators that have emerged over the past several months to support high-tech ventures.

UCCS Science and Engineering Building earns Gold for Efficiency and Innovation
The new Science and Engineering Building at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The building was formally dedicated Aug. 6, and houses departments of biology, physics, mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Top 10 U.S. States for Cleantech in 2009
Every state has its own special mix of renewable resources that are just being waiting to be tapped. But some states are doing a better job than others at bringing together all the parts of the economy with natural resources and manufacturing know-how. Colorado (ranked 4^th) is cultivating a true cleantech culture, with roughly 200 cleantech firms dotting the area stretching from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins. The state has attracted more than 17,000 cleantech jobs from 2006 to 2008. Colorado was also able to attract Vestas Wind Systems, the world's leading supplier of wind turbines, to open four new plants - an investment of more than $600M.