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Insights on Innovation and Commercialization
Welcome to the BioVentures Podcast, where innovation meets opportunity. As the technology transfer office of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), BioVentures plays a pivotal role in managing the intellectual property generated at the institution. Our mission is to empower inventors and startups in transforming their ideas into impactful solutions, fostering regional economic and social development.
Join us as we delve into the critical topics that shape the journey from discovery to market. From business development and healthcare sciences to legal matters, patenting, and intellectual property management, our podcast offers insights and expertise to help you navigate the complex landscape of technology commercialization. Tune in to stay informed and inspired by the stories and strategies that are driving the future of innovation.
Episode 5 – AR Ventures Accelerator Program (Part 3): Targeting Biofilm Regulators When Treating Staph Infection
This is our third and final episode showcasing members of this year’s AR Health Ventures Accelerator (ARHVA) program. Dr. Gyan Sahukhal sits down with us to discuss tackling staph infections and the challenges of treatment due to biofilm. His therapeutic approach targets regulators of biofilm formation and reduces complications from these types of infections.
Episode 4 – ACTIVE Spotlight: Smart Eye Technology
This episode focuses on Dexter Caffey, a member of the BioVenture’s Arkansas Collaborative for Technological and Innovative Venture Equality (ACTIVE) program. Dexter shares his entrepreneurial journey and the inspiration behind Smart Eye Technology, a biometric security platform focused on continuous facial recognition to protect sensitive data.
Episode 3: AR Ventures Accelerator Program (Part 2): Looking for New Liver Injury Biomarkers
The latest episode of the BioVentures podcast is the second part of the expose on the AR Health Ventures Therapeutic Accelerator (ARHVA) program. Our guest, Dr. Mitch McGill, an associate professor at UAMS, focuses his research on improving liver injury detection in clinical trials, specifically by developing new biomarkers to complement or replace alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a commonly used but limited indicator of liver damage.
Episode 2: AR Ventures Accelerator Program (Part 1): New Approach to Chemotherapy Using Liposomes
In this episode of the BioVentures Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Samir Jenkins, an AR Health Ventures Accelerator program (ARHVA) awardee. ARHVA is a new funding program aimed at supporting the commercialization of promising research projects at UAMS. Dr. Jenkins is focused on developing radiation-activated liposomes for targeted chemotherapy delivery, specifically using cisplatin. This approach aims to minimize the toxicity of chemotherapy to healthy tissues by releasing the drug directly at the tumor site in response to radiation, a technique that is not widely explored in current clinical applications. Jenkins has conducted initial tests demonstrating successful drug release upon radiation exposure and is in the process of refining the technology for further testing. Our conversation touches on the challenges of treating aggressive cancers, like lung and pancreatic cancer, and the potential benefits of localized drug delivery to improve treatment outcomes.
Read the transcript here.
Episode 1: Empowering Disadvantaged Health Entrepreneurs
Dr. Stefanie Kennon-McGill and Dmitri Scott discuss how ACTIVE supports socially and economically disadvantaged innovators in healthcare.
Read the transcript here.