TTO Monthly Newsletter

Volume 10 ~ Issue 5 ~ February 2014       

What's Inside
Tech Spotlight
Top News
CU Technology in the News
CU Research Highlights
People
Upcoming Events
CU Resources
Innovation in the News
Links

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Spotlight:

 

 

Biotech:  

Improved 3D or 4D Imaging of Coronary Arteries

 

 

 

Materials Science:

Evapoporometry - Determining the Pore-Size Distribution of Membranes

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

*To view more CU technologies available for licensing and partnering, go to Tech Explorer.

Top News at TTO

Tissue Fusion to Commercialize Laser Surgical Device Developed at CU 

Tissue Fusion and CU recently completed a license agreement that will allow the company to continue developing a new surgical device that utilizes lasers, rather than staples and sutures, to close wounds during nasal surgery. A team led by mechanical and aerospace engineer Michael Larson (El Pomar Endowed Chair of Engineering and Innovation at UCCS), has developed a laser-based device for closing wounds during nasal surgery. The device generates heat and pressure to fuse tissue membranes together, but is designed specifically for use in septoplasty and rhinoplasty, using pre-set parameters to make the device easy to use by a surgeon or a trained medical technician. In addition to making the surgical procedure faster and simpler, the fusion device also has the potential to shorten healing time and reduce side effects like swelling, scarring, and infection. Read the full press release.

 

SixOne Solutions Developing CU's Targeted Breast Cancer Therapy 

SixOne Solutions and CU have completed an exclusive license agreement, allowing the company to develop new, targeted therapeutics for treating and preventing the spread of breast cancer with far fewer expected side effects than traditional chemotherapy. A research team at the CU School of Medicine led by Heide Ford and Rui Zhao has identified two proteins that play key roles in the growth and spread of cancer cells. Importantly, while these proteins are also active in normal embryonic development, they are inactive in most healthy adult tissue. As a result, the therapeutics developed by the Ford/Zhao group are expected to have minimal effects on healthy cells, while specifically targeting cancer cells - this targeting means fewer or minimal side effects. Read the full press release.

 

Colorado OEDIT, School of Mines and CU-Boulder Selected as National Advanced Manufacturing Technology Sites 

The state of Colorado and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) will receive funding from the Department of Defense's institutes to support innovation and collaboration in Colorado's advanced manufacturing industries. OEDIT partnered with CU-Boulder for the Digital Manufacturing and Design Institute (DMDI), a 73-member multi-state public, corporate and university consortium led by a University of Illinois spinoff with partners from Colorado and several other states. "These new advanced manufacturing sites will leverage our existing efforts in innovation and technology such as the Colorado Innovation Network and the Advanced Industries Accelerator Act to put Colorado at the forefront of advanced manufacturing," said OEDIT director Ken Lund. (See also: CU-Boulder Will Be a Partner in Digital Manufacturing Institute; Announcement from WhiteHouse.gov.)

  

Now Available: TTO Annual Report, 2012-13 

TTO is pleased to announce that our annual report covering our activities from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 is now available for viewing (please click the image at left).

 

Impact: CU Technology + Licensees in the News

GlobeImmune Announces Completion of $7.5M Private Placement 

CU licensee GlobeImmune, Inc. announced that it has completed a $7.5M private placement of convertible notes and warrants. GlobeImmune is focused on advancing multiple clinical programs in infectious disease and oncology based on its Tarmogen product candidates.

 

Mosaic Biosciences Raises $2.3M 

Mosaic Biosciences Inc., a CU licensee, raised $2.274M in new funding, according to a federal regulatory document; the Boulder-based company plans to raise $2.31M in total in its latest funding round. Mosaic makes a water-soluble gel that can be used to fill and heal wounds, currently going through testing required to receive U.S. FDA approval.

 

SFC Fluidics Receives Funding to Develop Portable Device for Brain Trauma Patients 

CU licensee SFC Fluidics, Inc. has been awarded a $1.5M Phase II research grant from the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for the advanced development of its MD Analyzer™ platform, which seeks to provide timely and clinically-effective monitoring of patients suffering from severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

 

CU Toxicology Takes the Guesswork Out of Drug Use and Misuse 

For the first time, treatment providers will be able to see a complete picture of their patients' drug use and misuse using a revolutionary new drug test developed by CU Toxicology, a newly launched enterprise of the CU School of Medicine's Department of Anesthesiology. This non-profit laboratory on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus has developed a groundbreaking and highly sensitive urine drug testing technology that confidently reveals greater than five times more drug use than any urine drug screen on the market.

Pipeline: CU Research Highlights
Nanoscale Pillars Could Radically Improve Conversion of Heat to Electricity 

CU-Boulder scientists led by Mahmoud Hussein have found a creative way to radically improve thermoelectric materials, a finding that could one day lead to the development of improved solar panels, more energy-efficient cooling equipment, and even the creation of new devices that could turn the vast amounts of heat wasted at power plants into more electricity.

 

From Common Colds to Deadly Lung Diseases, One Protein Plays Key Role 

Researchers from CU's Anschutz Medical Campus were part of an international team of researchers that has zeroed in on a protein that plays a key role in many lung-related ailments, from seasonal coughing and hacking to more serious diseases such as MRSA infections and cystic fibrosis. The finding advances knowledge about this range of illnesses and may point the way to eventually being able to prevent infections such as MRSA.

 

CU-Built Software Uses Big Data to Battle Forgetting 

Software similar to that used by online retailers to recommend products to a shopper can help students remember the content they've studied. The software, created by computer scientists at CU-Boulder's Institute of Cognitive Science, works by tapping a database of past student performance to suggest what material an individual student most needs to review.    

People

TTO Welcomes Michael Carr, Licensing Associate

In December, TTO welcomed Michael Carr, a licensing associate specializing in chemistry and the physical sciences for the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses. Michael was formerly an Associate Technology Manager in the University of Illinois at Chicago's Office of Technology Management, where he worked with inventors from pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, chemistry and chemical engineering. He was an OTM liaison to four faculty startup companies from the University, and participated in the Chicago Innovation Mentors (CIM) program, helping faculty and startups access entrepreneurial resources in the region. Michael earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Hope College and an MBA UIC Liautaud Graduate School of Business. He was also a graduate student at the University of Michigan in Organic Chemistry. Prior to his time in tech transfer, Michael worked at D.A. Stuart, a chemical company specializing in industrial lubricants and coolants.

 

Caruthers and Jin Honored by National Academy of Sciences 

Two CU-Boulder researchers were among the 15 honored last month by the National Academy of Sciences for their extraordinary scientific achievements. Marvin Caruthers, distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry, is the recipient of the NAS Award in Chemical Sciences, and Deborah Jin, an adjoint professor of physics, is the recipient of the Comstock Prize in Physics.

 

CU-Boulder Faculty Win Prestigious Early Career Awards

Two faculty members in the CU-Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science have received the National Science Foundation's prestigious CAREER award - the NSF Faculty Early Career Development, or CAREER, award supports junior faculty members who demonstrate excellence in research and who effectively integrate their research with education. CU-Boulder's recent recipients are Prashant Nagpal, an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, and Franck Vernerey, an assistant professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering. Additionally, Ana Maria Rey, a theoretical physicist at JILA (a joint institute of CU-Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology) has been honored by the White House with a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers - PECASE is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

 

Do you know of a recent award, new position or transition of interest to the CU tech community? Please send information to [email protected]
 
Upcoming Events

Silicon Flatirons Crash Course: Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs 

February 26, CU-Boulder

Whether you are exploring a new product idea, developing an initial business plan, pitching investors, or preparing for a successful exit, intellectual property (IP) protection is a vital issue for every technology start-up to master. This crash course will provide you with a basic understanding of each of the primary forms of IP protection and help you to appreciate how those protections can be put to work as tools to add value to your business. Presented by Jason Haislmaier, a partner in the Boulder office of Bryan Cave, and hosted by CU-Boulder's Silicon Flatirons center.

 

Boulder/Denver New Technology Meetup 

March 4, 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.

 

Tech Transfer Office Hours 

March 5, CU-Boulder

Representatives from the Technology Transfer Office will be on-hand to meet one-on-one with members of the CU research community. If you have questions related to research commercialization, please stop by, have a donut or cup of coffee and get some information.

 

CREED Finance Series - Investor Readiness: Path to Capital 

March 5, CREED, Golden

Supporting cleantech companies with a comprehensive picture of the investment landscape including investment pitches, connection with investors and regularly scheduled investor presentations and speaking engagements. Hosted by the Colorado Center for Renewable Energy Economic Development (CREED)

 

Prometheus and Myriad Supreme Court Decisions - Impact on the Biotech Industry 

March 6, Colorado BioScience Association, Denver

These Supreme Court decisions limited the scope of what can be patented. This panel discussion, led by CU Law School Dean Phil Weiser, will explore how these decisions have changed the way that companies and institutions protect their intellectual property. The panel of experts will address whether the balance between patents and innovation has shifted too far, as well as explore options now available to protect their investment in innovation. Hosted by the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA).

 

Silicon Flatirons Crash Course: Startup Boards 

March 6, CU-Boulder

For entrepreneurs, figuring out how to form and run a board of directors can be intimidating and confusing. On the flip side, it is not always clear to board members what their duties and responsibilities are to the company. In this Crash Course hosted by CU-Boulder's Silicon Flatirons center, local VC Brad Feld will draw from his recent book, Startup Boards, to illuminate some basics of corporate governance such as why you need a board, who should be on your board, how to run board meetings, and other challenges boards can present.

 

SoPE Colorado Chapter Meeting 

March 6, Copic Insurance, Denver

The Society of Physician Entrepreneurs (SoPE) is a global biomedical and health innovation and entrepreneurship network helping doctors and other health professionals get their ideas to market. Members include entrepreneurs, service providers, investors , industry partners, academics and others interested in biomedical and health innovation.

 

CBSA BioBreakfast: Bioengineering Innovations 

March 12, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora

Hosted by the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA), BioBreakfast events provide quick glimpses into key aspects of Colorado growing biotech industry.

 

Conference: SciFi and Entrepreneurship 

March 14, CU-Boulder

Sci-Fi writers and entrepreneurs both innovate to "create the future." Silicon Flatirons' Annual Conference, Sci-Fi and Entrepreneurship: Is Resistance Futile, will explore the relationships, similarities and synergies between the two disciplines.

 

Angel Capital Summit 

March 18-19, University of Denver

The theme for this years' Angel Capital Summit is "Building Value" The conference will present thought leaders addressing value creation from many angles such as building brand value, intellectual property, market share, customer value, team building, value in M&A, and minimizing risk. Over twenty companies will be pitching for angel and venture capital at the summit - demonstrating how they are creating value through disruptive innovation and execution. Hosted by the Rockies Venture Club (RVC).

 

Digital Health Summit 

April 8, Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree

Hear from thought leaders in this evolving field and join like-minded health care professionals for an event that explores the future of digital health technology, health data, telehealth and digital health funding. Conference and exhibitor registration is now open at this registration link. Hosted by the PrIME Health Collaborative, a growing community of more than 400 health care administrators, physicians, technologists, academics, entrepreneurs and investors improving health care outcomes and reducing cost through the commercialization of emerging technologies.

 

Entrepreneurs Unplugged: Peter Hudson, M.D., Co-Founder and CEO of iTriage 

April 8, CU-Boulder

Entrepreneurs Unplugged is a meeting place where faculty, students and community members with technical backgrounds learn about and get involved in entrepreneurship. In particular, the program offers students and faculty an opportunity to learn how a successful startup is created as well as an opportunity to network. Each Entrepreneurs Unplugged meeting features food, drink and - most importantly - an experienced entrepreneur to discuss his/her start-up experiences. Hosted by Silicon Flatirons and ATLAS - register online.

 

CBSA BioBootcamp 

April 17-18, Dorsey & Whitney, Denver

In this two-day program for startup companies, attendees will learn valuable information from experienced entrepreneurs about how to build a company designed to commercialize bioscience technologies while avoiding dangerous pitfalls that are typically encountered along the way. There is no fee for this program hosted by the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA), but applicants must apply for admittance by April 3.

 

To have your event featured here, please send an email to [email protected].

 

 

CU Resources
Next-Generation Sequencing: Cancer Fight Enters the Next Generation 

In recent years, scientists have broken the codes of an increasing number of genes linked to cancer and developed therapies that target the mutations. But it's a task that requires analyzing millions of nucleotide sequences that make up the DNA of normal and cancer causing genes. As the number of targeted therapies has increased, so has the burden of lab work required to find the hits so vital to planning treatment. A new technology known as next-generation sequencing (NGS) addresses that burden. It processes exponentially larger amounts of DNA thanks to mass automated throughput of genetic material.

 

The Colorado Molecular Correlates Laboratory (CMOCO) at the CU School of Medicine is among a relatively small group of institutions offering NGS. The process at CMOCO uses sophisticated equipment to burrow through enormous haystacks of genetic data in search of a mutation in any one of a panel of 26 cancer-associated genes known to respond to targeted therapy or predict the outcome of therapies. If the sequencing identifies one of the cancer culprits - such as EGFR, which is associated with non-small cell lung cancer - clinicians can turn to a drug that targets it.

Innovation in the News

 The Mile-High View: Colorado's Innovation Ecosystem

 

Colorado Stats: Colorado Ranks in Top Ten for VC Dollars and Deals Per Capita

According to stats provided by SSTI, Colorado ranked eighth for both venture capital dollars per capita and VC deals per capita in 2013. Overall, the state ranked ninth for overall venture capital investment, as well as for seed and early-stage VC dollars.

 

Interview: Innovation Center of the Rockies 

In 2013, CU's longtime partner Innovation Center of the Rockies received a national award from the State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI) for its work in commercializing university research in the Rocky Mountain region. In this SSTI interview, ICR director Tim Bour and program manager Eric Gricus discuss the early goals of the organization (at that time, the Boulder Innovation Center), which included working with CU to commercialize university technology, ICR's expansion to include all four of Colorado's research universities, and the organization's next steps.

 

How Boulder Became America's Startup Capital 

Boulder is an entrepreneurial powerhouse like no other. In 2010, the city had six times more high-tech startups per capita than the nation's average, according to an August 2013 study by the Kauffman Foundation - and twice as many per capita as runner-up San Jose-Sunnyvale in California. Its success is a very specific, and in some ways limited, way of fostering a local economy. But it offers an unexpected solution to how cities all over the U.S. could make themselves a welcoming spot for startups.

 

Fitzsimons Life Science District in Aurora Growing Exponentially 

Construction on the booming Fitzsimons Life Science District along Colfax Avenue and Interstate 225 can be seen for miles. In the last year, the innovative bioscience park that fosters the growth of medical research and development startup companies grew exponentially. The "biopark," located in Adams County, Aurora launched and completed several projects to continue the expansion of space and resources for the 578-acre site (including the Anschutz Medical Campus). Already, the property is one of the largest of its kind in the country.

 

SSTI Roundup: 2014 Bills Tackle Crowdfunding, Tax Credits, Startup Capital and More 

Several bills aimed at supporting startups, advancing research and improving the workforce have been introduced with the start of the 2014 sessions. Review SSTI's roundup of new 2014 state legislation.

 

What a City Needs to Foster Innovation: Cafes, Bike Lanes, and 3D Printers 

Innovation districts cluster and connect leading-edge institutions with startups and spin-off companies, business incubators, and accelerators in the relentless pursuit of cutting-edge discoveries for the market.

 

Tech Transfer Regions: Central US and Canada 

Colorado featured positively in this Global University Venturing "Future Trends" report on tech transfer outside the east/west coast hubs.

Parting Quote

"Can you have successful companies in other geographies that are significant successes? The answer is, of course, because there are many of them. Not so long ago the statement was made that you shouldn't start a company anywhere other than Silicon Valley. Boston and New York weren't on that list. I think it's unbelievably myopic to say the only place you can build your company is Silicon Valley or City X. It goes against the law of systems dynamics - if everyone goes to a certain place to do a certain thing, you're not going to have increasing returns forever. You should decide where to live your life, and then build your life around that."

 

Boulder-based investor Brad Feld, co-founder of the Foundry Group and Techstars (source).

University of Colorado's Office of Technology Transfer Mission Statement

The CU Tech Transfer Office provides patent and other commercialization support to researchers at CU's four campuses, and serves as a liaison for industry partners interested in commercializing CU technologies.

(303) 735-3711
[email protected]
http://www.cu.edu/techtransfer