Have Patience with Patents: A Guide to Utility, Design, and Plant Patents

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

If a prospective patent enthusiast Googles “patents explained,” they can find maybe two websites in the top results that aren’t riddled with complicated definitions and explanations. However, patents are a subject that anyone can find fascinating as long as they receive the information in an interesting and relatable way. Without further delay, let’s get into it! Let’s start with the definition: Patents are “the granting of a property right by a sovereign authority to an inventor,” according to Investopedia. This simply means that a patent is a government’s way of promising that if an inventor discloses information about their invention, Read More …

Tackling the Terms of Technology Transfer

Posted onAuthorLinda Kesselring

As with any field, technology transfer comes with its own special language. But there is no need to worry when you face an article filled with confusing acronyms. Keep this glossary handy for when you need to break down the different types of agreements used throughout the technology transfer process. MTA & DUA MTA stands for Material Transfer Agreement and DUA stands for Data Use Agreement. Collaboration is critical to research and technology development. So, colleagues may want to protect the research tools that they share with each other. MTAs and DUAs are formal contracts that define the proper use Read More …

The ABCs of Start-up Funding

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

The lessons learned from fundraising for your childhood sports team may come in handy as you begin to grow your start-up. While 29% of start-ups fail after running out of money, series funding is a useful way to overcome this obstacle. Fundraising may be time consuming, but it is necessary to find investors to prevent your new business from running out of money before it can even begin. This process begins with pre-seed funding, where the founders of a startup raise money from themselves, friends, family, or even an angel investor to begin the development of a prototype or proof-of-concept before moving Read More …

Remaining in research, outside the lab: OTT intern reflects on her journey into tech transfer

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

When I began my PhD in Biomedical Science, I always envisioned myself making new discoveries and making the world a better place. I committed myself to research and I wanted to be a leader in the field.  My doctoral research enhanced my interest in molecular pathways and how deviations in these pathways can lead to various diseases. However, after completing my PhD, I decided to move away from research for a while and transition into academia. Working as an Associate Physiology Professor, I have educated students with various educational backgrounds and helped to enhance their critical thinking skills. While teaching Read More …

New Perspectives: My “invigorating” experience as an OTT intern

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Upon embarking in my graduate studies, I was struck by the vast amount of amazing research that happens on a daily basis. On the other hand, I felt disheartened by the substantial amount of research that failed to make a tangible impact in the “real world.” This realization highlighted the critical importance of effectively commercializing discoveries and optimizing technologies for their practical application. I aspired to pursue a career with a direct, translational impact. To gain a more comprehensive perspective, I joined Emory’s Biotech Consulting Club. Through this club, I discovered its intimate collaboration with Emory’s Office of Technology Transfer Read More …

Data Use Agreements 101

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

In the age of technology and data collection, the privacy and protection of data is a priority for both those who collect and those who utilize data. A Data Use Agreement (DUA) is a useful tool for the transfer of non-public data or use-restricted data that has been developed by private, government, or nonprofit organizations. What is a Data Use Agreement? A DUA, also sometimes called a data transfer agreement (DTA), is a legal contract that serves to protect data and confidentiality. It lays out the terms under which an entity – like a university or research center – can Read More …

How to strengthen your patent

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Why do we care about patents? If you create something – whether it’s a medical device, a new type of shoelace, or a better method of washing clothes – you have the chance to protect your idea and earn money off it. A patent is a publicly available, government-issued document that gives certain rights to an invention, such as preventing others from making, using, or selling your invention. Patents provide crucial protection to intellectual property, the intangible creations of the human intellect. When you apply for a patent, it’s processed within the administrative and legal framework of the patent office. Read More …

Emory’s Biotechnology Consulting Club Transforms Lab Innovations into Market Successes

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Many innovators struggle to bring their discoveries to a wider audience. Emory’s Biotechnology Consulting Club (EBCC) steps in to overcome this hurdle by creating a space “where business and science meet.” Making connections inside Emory and out Emory’s Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) and Biolocity connect start-up enterprises with student-led EBCC teams for semester-long consulting projects. It’s mutually beneficial: Start-up companies increase their chances of getting funding by collaborating with students to perform market analyses, identify competitors, and facilitate overall company growth. Students get to improve their skills and knowledge through contact with experts across various disciplines. Since EBCC was founded in 2019, it has Read More …

Debunking 3 myths about entrepreneurship

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Steve Jobs founded Apple. Rihanna founded Fenty Beauty. Arianna Huffington founded the Huffington Post. Each of these successful individuals risked it all to start their new businesses. Yet, daunting misconceptions about what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur often prevent others from following in their footsteps. But there are many types of entrepreneurship and even more types of entrepreneurs, and one’s unique experience could be just what they need to find success. Here, we’re setting the record straight on three common myths about entrepreneurship. 1. Entrepreneurs are always young. While the stereotypical image of an entrepreneur is someone young. Read More …

An Overview of Sleep Apnea

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Approximately 30 million people have sleep apnea, but only six million are correctly diagnosed with sleep apnea in the United States. When we’re asleep, our bodily functions keep us breathing as normal without our conscious awareness. However, sleep apnea causes a person to stop breathing entirely, and the lack of oxygen forces them to wake up and breathe. The abrupt, repeated pattern of awakening prevents the person from getting restful sleep and can have other harmful repercussions. What is Sleep Apnea? There are several but the three most common are obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), central sleep apnea (CSA), and treatment-emergent Read More …

15 Good Minutes: Khalid Salaita, PhD

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Khalid Salaita, PhD has been studying the connection between chemistry and mechanical forces in his laboratory at Emory for 14 years. After completing his PhD at Northwestern University, where he studied material science and interfaces and surfaces, he completed his postdoc at UC Berkeley studying the assembly of receptor tyrosine kinase proteins in the plasma membrane. He has been leading his lab at Emory ever since, studying a wide range of questions in the chemistry field. Not only is he a professor of chemistry and a program faculty of biomedical engineering, but he also is affiliated with the Winship Cancer Read More …

Q&A With Annual Celebration 2024 Awardees: Eric Ortlund, PhD

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Eric Ortlund, PhD, is the recipient for Emory OTT’s Deal of the Year Award at the 2024 Annual Celebration of Technology and Innovation. Ortlund and his research team used a structure-guided approach to exploit a newly discovered polar interaction to lock agonists in a consistent orientation. This enabled the discovery of the first low nanomolar LRH-1 agonist. In 2023, Emory University executed an exclusive high net worth license with Allonix Therapeutics for this technology. Can you introduce yourself? My name is Eric Ortlund. I’m a professor of biochemistry in the School of Medicine. I run a research lab here that Read More …

Q&A With Annual Celebration 2024 Awardees: Louise Hecker, PhD

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Louise Hecker, PhD, is the EmpowHER Award recipient at Emory OTT’s 2024 Annual Celebration of Technology and Innovation. Hecker is a prominent researcher in the field of regenerative biology and specializes in pulmonology. Her research primarily focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying lung fibrosis and developing novel therapeutic approaches for treating this debilitating disease. Can you introduce yourself? I’m Louise and I am an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Pulmonary Division. We do a wide range of projects, under a big umbrella. We study aging and injury repair. We’re not trying to necessarily find the fountain of youth Read More …

Q&A with Annual Celebration 2024 Awardees: Santiago Arconada Alvarez

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Santiago Arconada Alvarez is one of five members of the team receiving the Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity Award (IDEAward). Their technology, Low English Proficiency Nurse Communication Tool, is an application that revolutionizes how nurses communicate with patients who have limited English language proficiency and their caregivers. This novel mobile app enables the clinical team to communicate using common phrases in the patient’s language, images, and real-time translation. Can you introduce yourself? I am Santiago Arconada Alvarez and I’m a product development team lead working on medical apps for clinical research. Currently, I co-lead a group called the AppHatchery at Emory Read More …

Q&A with Annual Celebration 2024 Awardees: Erica Evans

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Erica Evans is one of six team members receiving the 2023 Corporate Partnership Award. Partnering with Honeywell, Evans and team are developing multiple diagnostics for sickle cell disease via a multi-pronged, multi-year partnership. Can you introduce yourself? I’m Erica and I’m a research assistant at Dr. Vivien Sheehan’s lab. I’ve been working on the microfluidics projects with her and Dr. Wilbur Lam at Georgia Tech. For about two years, we’d had a prototype for a sickle cell disease, red blood cell adhesion device. My main priority was to get that device to a state where we could reliably distinguish between Read More …

Q&A with Annual Celebration 2024 Awardees: David Myers, PhD

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

David Myers, PhD, is one of three team members to receive the 2023 Innovation of the Year award. The technology, A Bio-Inspired Skin Interface Method for Continuous Access to Blood for Measurement and Therapy, is a wearable, continuous blood collection device that can monitor blood-based biomarkers with reduced risk of blood clots. Can you introduce yourself? I’m David Myers. I’m an assistant professor in biomedical engineering. I studied mechanical engineering for my PhD, and then trained in hematology for my postdoc. What initially drew you to your field? I love seeing things move and how stuff works. Can you tell Read More …

Breaking Down Intellectual Property in Pop Culture

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Intellectual property, or IP, is an ancient idea that dictates how we consume today’s pop culture. Without IP, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy our favorite shows from the comfort of our couch, quote iconic movie lines, or even immerse ourselves in the latest bestselling novel. IP is crucial to pop culture, but what is it, exactly? Intellectual property is “a work or investigation that is the result of creativity to which one has rights and for which one may apply for a patent, copyright, trademark, etc.” Sound vague? It’s supposed to. Part of the reason is because of IP’s Read More …

Sickle cell disease: causes, complications, and cures

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

What is sickle cell disease? Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of red blood cell disorders caused by misshapen hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen throughout the body. Normal red blood cells are disk shaped, which allows them to flow smoothly through blood vessels. In contrast, the SCD genetic mutation causes the red blood cells to be crescent or sickle shaped. These sickle cells become rigid and sticky inside of the blood vessels, which blocks and slows blood flow to the body. Who is at risk? SCD impacts nearly 100,000 Americans. In the United States, SCD Read More …

Artificial intelligence in healthcare: How machines can improve patient experience and outcomes

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

Technology has become an integral part of our lives – including medicine. Now, healthcare industries are harnessing novel innovations, including artificial intelligence (AI), to improve many aspects of care. AI has been applied in patient diagnosis and monitoring, treatment protocol development, radiology, and drug development. While some of this might seem like science fiction, medical professionals use it every day to better the lives of their patients. How AI improves healthcare AI allows us not only to analyze data, but also to find their subtle and complex patterns. Machine learning algorithms, specifically, are responsible for these advancements. Engineers have developed Read More …

A guide to cardiovascular disease and a heart-healthy lifestyle

Posted onAuthorAsher Alt

February marks American Heart Month, a time to celebrate cardiovascular health and focus on heart disease prevention. Heart disease has continuously been the greatest health threat to Americans and the leading cause of death worldwide. It is estimated that nearly 17.9 million people across the globe die of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and roughly 48.6% of Americans age 20 or older have at least one CVD, including heart failure, congenital heart defects, stroke, or hypertension. In addition, it contributes to more than $320 billion in annual healthcare costs and lost productivity. Despite the stunning statistics, CVDs are preventable with a healthy Read More …