From the Director: The future of university TTOs are integrated innovation ecosystems

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Todd Sherer, PhD, is the Associate VP for Research and Executive Director of the Emory University Office of Technology Transfer. Here, Todd shares the importance of innovation ecosystems: what they are, how they influence technology transfer, and where we go from here. Thirty years ago, if you’d called the innovation ecosystem together at Washington State University – whose technology transfer office (TTO) I was working in at the time – I would have been the only person in the boardroom. Happily, this isn’t the case anymore: I recently had a meeting with at least eight different programs across the university Read More …

Multiple Myeloma in Your Marrow

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A plasma cell, a type of white blood cell found in bone marrow, creates antibodies that fight germs and infections. But when cancerous plasma cells – called M proteins – crowd out healthy ones, it can lead to a cancer called multiple myeloma. Symptoms and complications of multiple myeloma Typically, there are few to no symptoms in the initial onset of the disease. However, signs like bone pain in the spine or chest, nausea, fatigue, frequent infections, or weakness in the legs can appear as the disease progresses. In 2023, the American Cancer Society estimated that 35,730 new cases of Read More …

A Different Kind of Translation: Biology, English, and an OTT Position

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In the days leading up to March 13th, 2020, a date now seared in my mind as the day the world shut down, I was a high school junior in California. Blissfully unaware that it would be my last time in high school, I didn’t take note of any of the things I would come to miss so dearly – my friends’ faces and sitting in a classroom, walking through a jam-packed hallway, my daily train ride to school. In fact, in those last few days, I barely noticed any of it. I was busy. Specifically, I was slogging away Read More …

Emory scientist Khalid Salaita earns top Merck prize for viral sensing technology

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Dr. Khalid Salaita, Samuel Chandler Dobbs professor of chemistry at Emory University, is the 2023 recipient of the Merck Future Insight Prize. The prestigious award is given to a researcher whose work currently lays the foundation for a “dream product” that is important for the future survival of humanity. The 2023 topic is the pandemic early alert system, and Salaita’s work on Rolosense, a viral sensing technology, has earned him the prize – which also includes a €500,000 research award. “It’s an arms race between us and pathogens, and being able to detect any pathogen in real time is going Read More …

5 Ways to Stay Safe in the Summer Sun

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For many, summer is arguably the best season of the year. Beach trips, no school, vacation, and, of course, the summer sun. But with long periods of direct sun exposure also comes painful sunburns and damage from UV light, a form of radiation the sun emits that damages DNA in skin cells. Not to fret! You can still enjoy all summer has to offer with a few simple tips to protect yourself. Tip #1: Wear sunscreen! The FDA recommends wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Even on cloudy days, UV light can still damage your skin, so Read More …

Angel investing vs. venture capital: What’s the difference?

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It’s no secret that you need funding to launch a start-up, and angel investing and venture capital are two of the most common sources. There are significant differences between these types of funding, and the right fit depends on both the characteristics of the inventor (you) and the terms of investments. What is an angel investor? An angel investor is someone that provides a large amount of their own money to an early-stage startup. Some angels invest independently, but often investors will join angel networks in which they pool funds to make larger investments. In exchange for this monetary support, Read More …

Emory’s Female Founders Forum promotes underrepresented innovators

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This is the first installment of a series featuring the Female Founders Forum at Emory (F3@E). This year’s cohort members include Drs. Rasheeta Chandler, Elaine Fisher, Louise Hecker, Rebecca Levit, Cassandra Quave, Sarwish Rafiq, and Chunhui Xu. Out of the estimated $283.3 billion venture capital (VC) allocated in 2022, start-ups with all-women teams received just $4.5 billion – less than 2% of the total funding. F3@E is one step that Emory University is taking in response to this disparity. An initiative created by Deborah W. Bruner, Senior Vice President for Research, in partnership with Emory’s Office of Technology Transfer (OTT), Read More …

From the Lab to the Law: My journey to IP, from an OTT intern

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My life journey to this point has been anything but traditional. While some might call my path “circuitous,” I would argue my experiences helped me develop a multitude of transferable skills. I decided in my last two years of my undergraduate education at Georgia State University (Go Panthers!) to pursue becoming a medical doctor. During this time, I was also interested in applying for “Teach for America” as I had a passion to be a part of educational equity in our society. I was accepted as a corps member and taught eighth grade science for four years – a  whole Read More …

The Hatchery offers space for student entrepreneurs to innovate

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“Entrepreneurship” has become a buzzword in popular culture. Look no further than the 40% of Americans who’ve started a side hustle, or to the popular show Shark Tank, in which start-up businesses seek investors and get feedback. At Emory, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, and there are dozens of resources for the campus community to use – even beyond the business school. One of the largest facilitators of entrepreneurship at Emory is in The Hatchery, Center of Innovation. The Hatchery supports student innovators and entrepreneurs from all Emory schools and covers all stages of innovation, from inspiration and Read More …

From the Director: March-in authority to control drug prices ultimately hurts Americans

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Todd Sherer, PhD is the Associate VP for Research and Executive Director of the Emory University Office of Technology Transfer. In this article, Todd reflects on the Bayh-Dole Act and provides a lesson on march-in authority as outlined in the law. Before the bipartisan Bayh-Dole Act was passed in 1980, no federally funded drugs, vaccines, or products were commercialized and brought to market. This was because the government, not the inventing organizations, took ownership of the patent. At a time when American industrialism was threatened, the Bayh-Dole Act strengthened U.S. competitiveness. In the past, activists have tried to challenge Bayh-Dole Read More …

An Overview of PTSD

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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious and greatly misunderstood condition. There is a high degree of stigma, controversy, and mystery attached to this condition, which is why it was only in 1980 that the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) recognized PTSD as a disorder. Although progress has been made since its recognition as a disorder, PTSD is still controversial in many spaces, and scientists and patients alike struggle with miseducation and dismantling stigma. Causes PTSD can develop in a person if they are subject to a “catastrophic stressor,” or exposure to an upsetting, traumatic event. Exposure Read More …

15 Good Minutes: Samuel Sober

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The singing of Bengalese finches led Samuel Sober, PhD, to a breakthrough technology for understanding how the brain controls movement and the processes of sensorimotor learning. “Songbirds are the best model system for understanding how the brain controls complex vocal behavior, and one of the best systems for understanding control of motor behavior in general,” says Sober, Emory associate professor of biology. This breakthrough comes after decades in the neuroscience field. After getting his bachelor’s in neuroscience and behavior, Sober pursued a doctorate in neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco. His doctoral thesis researched human motor planning and Read More …

Chronic Kidney Disease: The Basics

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Two small, bean-shaped organs – the kidneys – have a big impact on our overall health. They filter out waste and excess fluids and help regulate our blood pressure. When our kidneys gradually stop working, it can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this article, we will discuss what CKD is, its causes, symptoms, and ways to prevent it. What is chronic kidney disease? Chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition that gradually reduces the function of the kidneys, leading to a build-up of waste and fluids in the body. When the kidneys can’t filter blood as effectively as Read More …

Q&A with Annual Celebration 2023 Awardees: Anant Madabhushi, PhD

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Can you introduce yourself? I am Anant Madabhushi, the Robert Woodruff Professor of biomedical engineering at Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology. I also have a joint appointment in Biomedical Informatics, pathology and radiology. Apart from that, I’m also a research career scientist at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. My research interest is in convergence AI and machine learning for problems in precision medicine. Specifically, my group is interested in using routinely acquired data – such as CAT scans, MRI scans, and biopsy images – to interrogate with AI/machine vision-based algorithms and identify patterns that will allow us to Read More …

Q&A with Annual Celebration 2023 Awardees: Rasheeta Chandler, PhD, RN

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Rasheeta Chandler, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN is an Associate Professor, tenured, at Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. Her research interests include HIV prevention in minority populations and comprehensive sex health promotion, supported by funding from the National Institute on Nursing Research. Can you introduce yourself? I am a professor at Emory in the School of Nursing, and my passion comes first and foremost from being a Black woman. As a healthcare provider, I’m driven by the opportunity to provide care to marginalized women and women of color – listening to them and their needs, and helping Read More …

Q&A with Annual Celebration 2023 Awardees: J. David Prologo, MD

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Dr. Prologo is an interventional radiologist whose research has focused on the application of image guided techniques to the delivery of stem cell therapies, the treatment of cancer pain, and for obesity management. Can you introduce yourself? I am David Prologo – an Interventional Radiologist and Associate Professor of Radiology in the Emory School of Medicine. What did you enjoy about winning an award? This is an amazing honor given the incredible level of innovation and commercialization that comes out of Emory. Can you tell us a little bit more about the technology/innovation you received the award for? My partner Read More …

Q&A with Annual Celebration 2023 Awardees: Cassandra Quave, PhD

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Cassandra Quave, Ph.D. is Curator of the Herbarium and Associate Professor of Dermatology and Human Health at Emory University, where she leads natural product drug discovery research initiatives and teaches courses on medicinal plants, microbiology, and pharmacology. Can you introduce yourself? I’m an Associate Professor of Dermatology and Human Health at Emory. I also serve as the Curator of the Emory Herbarium. I cofounded Verdant Scientific in the summer of 2022 and serve as the CSO for the company. What did you enjoy about winning an award? It is always nice to receive recognition for one’s work. I am passionate Read More …

Funding Opportunities for Women-Owned Start-Ups

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Women-owned businesses are on the rise: According to 2022 census data, their average earnings increased by 27% from 2021, they employ 10.9 million Americans, and they had an estimated $432.1 billion in annual payroll. But despite these impressive numbers, women-owned businesses still lag behind their non-women-owned counterparts in an important area. While women-owned businesses were more likely to take funding compared to men in 2022, they got less money. In 2022, male-owned businesses received 41% more in funding than women-owned enterprises. Since a lack of funding can prevent a start-up from getting off the ground, these facts put women-owned start-ups Read More …

About Hemophilia

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In 1854, the son of Queen Victoria, Prince Leopold, died following minor fall. Leopold had hemophilia: a hereditary bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot properly. In the 19th century, hemophilia was a misunderstood and devastating disease, and contributed to the deaths of people in all levels of society, including princes. But with his prominence in society as a member of the Royal Family, Prince Leopold’s death led to more attention to the disease and more research for a cure. Today, hemophilia can largely be controlled, and patients’ quality of life can remain high. What is hemophilia? Hemophilia Read More …

4 Federal Grant Options for Small Businesses and Start-ups

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Ask any entrepreneur, and they’ll tell you that money is a top concern for their small business. Profits are essential, but grants specifically for small businesses can also be a gamechanger for their long-term success. Grants – monetary awards designated for a specific purpose – help small businesses in more ways than one. They can bring in more cash flow, offer visibility and credibility, and make businesses more likely to receive other forms of funding. For U.S.-based companies, there are several small business grant options, starting with the government. Does the government provide small business grants? Yes! The United States Read More …