Category: Opportunities
Blog

BioVentures Receives Chancellor’s Circle Grant to Expand Student Innovation Training

BioVentures LLC has been awarded a $15,000 Chancellor’s Circle Grant to support the initiative “Empowering Student Innovation: Building an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem at UAMS.” The program provides UAMS medical and STEM students with hands-on training in intellectual property, startup development, translational research, and commercialization. By integrating scientific research, technology transfer, and entrepreneurial education, it creates structured, experiential pathways for students and trainees to transform scientific ideas into innovations that improve the health and well-being of Arkansans. Megan Reed, Ph.D., MBA, senior licensing associate with BioVentures, accepted the grant on behalf of the organization. This initiative reflects BioVentures’ ongoing mission to bridge research and commercialization at UAMS and to empower the next generation of innovators working to translate discoveries into real-world health solutions.

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November 12, 2025
News

We’re Hiring: Research Program Manager  

Do you have a passion for advancing scientific innovation through program leadership? BioVentures is looking for a Research Program Manager to help us build the future of biomedical entrepreneurship and translational research in Arkansas.  This role is perfect for someone who thrives at the intersection of science, strategy, and operations.  What you’ll do:  • Lead and manage multi-year grants that support innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialization  • Coordinate educational programs that help researchers turn discoveries into real-world solutions  • Collaborate with faculty, industry partners, funders, and leadership to move complex projects forward  • Oversee budgets, reporting, compliance, and timelines across multiple initiatives  Why join us?  • Be part of a mission-driven team supporting health innovation at UAMS and beyond  • Help grow Arkansas’s biomedical innovation ecosystem  • Gain exposure to federal funding agencies, and state and national commercialization networks  • Work in a collaborative environment that values initiative, creativity, and impact  About you:  • You have experience in biomedical research, grant management, or academic programs  • You’re highly organized, proactive, and an excellent communicator  • You bring a strong understanding of higher ed or biomedical research environments  • Familiarity with entrepreneurship, tech transfer, or commercialization is a plus, but curiosity and willingness to learn are just as important  Apply now: Research Program Manager – UAMS / BioVentures  Know someone who’d be great in this role? Please share! 

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October 1, 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
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
News

Submit Your Idea: ARHVA Awardees Receive Support Toward Commercialization

The AR Health Ventures Accelerator (ARHVA) invites UAMS employees to submit innovative therapeutic or drug discovery ideas for significant financial and administrative support toward commercialization.  Selected projects receive financial grants of up to $50,000, project management, budget allocation and progress tracking. This unique support framework allows researchers to focus on their innovations, while ARHVA ensures projects stay on track, increasing the commercial value and paving the way for successful licensing, partnerships or startups.  All UAMS employees are eligible to apply, including trainees and postdoctoral fellows. The full Request for Applications document outlining the application process is available on the ARHVA website, as is a detailed FAQ. The application period begins August 26, 2024, and runs through September 30, 2024, at 5 PM. The funding decision announcement will be November 29, 2024​. Read about inaugural ARHVA cohort, who are tackling biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus infections, radiation-responsive liposomes for cancer therapy, and a novel biomarker for liver injury detection.  For more information, contact BioVentures Senior Program Manager Stefanie Kennon-McGill, Ph.D., at skennonmcgill@uams.edu.

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August 26, 2024