Author: Bioventures Team
News

Amy Hopper Swan Joins BioVentures as Strategy Consultant

Amy Hopper Swan is the founder of Swan Impact Strategies, a consulting firm that helps mission-driven organizations design and deliver high-impact programs. With nearly a decade of experience in entrepreneurship, program management and strategic planning, Amy has supported statewide and national initiatives to expand innovation, secure funding and measure outcomes.  Amy will help research and communicate BioVentures’ impact while supporting strategic planning and the exploration of diverse funding models to support entrepreneurship at UAMS, ACH and CAVHS.  She brings a strong background in economic development, impact storytelling and startup support, with a particular focus on translating research into real-world solutions.  Meet Amy at Innovation Week.

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May 5, 2025
Events

Student Innovators Recognized at Student Research Day 

BioVentures is proud to honor the winners of the inaugural Student Innovator Award, selected at Student Research Day.  The Student Innovator Award recognizes student research with the potential for translational and commercial success. The winners received a certificate and a cash prize.  Student Research Day was held April 17 at UAMS, sponsored by UAMS Research & Innovation, the UAMS Graduate School and the Faculty Academic Senate.   All students participating in Student Research Day were eligible for the award, which was selected by BioVentures leadership and staff. Honorable mentions were also awarded at the event in the form of “Innovation Spotlight” ribbons affixed to promising posters.  “We were incredibly impressed by the bright ideas and translational thinking displayed by UAMS students so early in their research,” said Stefanie Kennon-McGill, Ph.D., senior program manager at BioVentures. “It’s BioVentures’ aim to recognize and support these students in their journey toward changing health care through innovative, translational discoveries.”  Student Interest Group  Also with an eye toward nurturing student interest, BioVentures is exploring the possibility of starting an Innovation & Entrepreneurship Student Interest Group at UAMS. Students from all colleges are welcome to participate. The group would start meeting in Fall 2025.  Students are encouraged to fill out this form to indicate interest, identify focus topics, and sign up for future notifications. 

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April 23, 2025
Events

BioVentures Innovation Week to Celebrate Innovation & Entrepreneurship at UAMS 

BioVentures invites the UAMS community to Innovation Week, May 12-15, 2025.  Designed to showcase innovation, foster industry connections and highlight the pathway from research to commercialization, Innovation Week offers opportunities for everyone from seasoned inventors and those just starting out.  Whether you’re an entrepreneur, inventor, researcher or industry partner, Innovation Week is your chance to engage with the thriving healthcare innovation ecosystem at UAMS and beyond.  Innovation Week Highlights  Join us to learn, connect and take your ideas to the next level.   Learn more & register.

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April 4, 2025
Opportunities

Apply Now: Healthcare Innovation Sprint at UCA

Are you a student passionate about solving real-world healthcare challenges? The Healthcare Innovation Sprint, hosted by Arkansas Conductor, is a four-day, all-expenses-paid residential camp for rising juniors, seniors, recent grads, and graduate or doctoral students from Arkansas colleges and universities. Participants will collaborate in interdisciplinary teams to tackle real healthcare problems with mentorship from experts in entrepreneurship, medicine, and innovation. 📌 Application Deadline: April 25 Apply Now.

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April 3, 2025
Events

BioVentures at the AUTM Annual Meeting

It was a privilege to join fellow innovators at the AUTM Annual Meeting March 2-5 in National Harbor, Maryland, where we celebrated 50 years of propelling technology transfer forward. BioVentures and our colleagues nationwide remain committed to advancing innovation that transforms the future.  The BioVentures team learned about the latest industry trends and ideas for accelerating discoveries from the lab to the marketplace. Thank you to everyone who connected with us and contributed to these vital discussions.  Keep the conversation going: connect with our team on LinkedIn: Eric Peterson, John Sherrill, Michael Geranen, Stefanie Kennon-McGill 

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April 3, 2025
Events

Student Innovator Award to Debut at Student Research Day 

BioVentures will announce the Student Innovator Award on April 17 at Student Research Day. This new opportunity recognizes and supports innovative student research with the potential for translational and commercial success.  Visit the BioVentures booth at the event to learn more about intellectual property, patenting, entrepreneurship and commercialization.  All Student Research Day participants are eligible – no additional application required.  Student Research Day is 3 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Thursday, April 17, in the I. Dodd Wilson Building, UAMS Little Rock Campus.  Thank you to UAMS Research & Innovation, the UAMS Graduate School and the Faculty Academic Senate for organizing this event!  Click here to learn more.

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April 3, 2025
Events

HSE Grand Rounds to Feature Laura James

Laura James, MD, director of the Translational Research Institute and vice chancellor for Clinical and Translational Research at UAMS, will be the featured speaker at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, for the Health Sciences Entrepreneurship Grand Rounds.  James, who is co-founder of the rapid acetaminophen-induced liver injury testing company Acetaminophen Toxicity Diagnostics, will speak about “Creating a New Diagnostic Test: Translational Science Principles in Action.”  Join us at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, 10th Floor, Betsy Blass Conference Room, Room 10014.  The UAMS community and public are welcome to attend.  HSE Grand Rounds are sponsored by the Translational Research Institute’s Health Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship Postdoctoral Training Program and BioVentures LLC. 

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April 3, 2025
Events

HSE Grand Rounds: Luna Acosta

The next Health Sciences Entrepreneurship (HSE) Grand Rounds will feature Luna Acosta, MBA, ECM, Director of Technology Transfer and the Catalyst Innovation Center at Arkansas State University.

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March 5, 2025