A UNIT OF THE U-M MEDICAL SCHOOL OFFICE OF RESEARCH
June 14, 2018
Upcoming Events :
EVENT   DATE WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Commercialization of Life Science Technologies: A 3-Part Webinar Series 
Webinar #1-Milestones & Timelines for Therapeutic Development
Monday,
June 25, 2018
12:00pm-1:00pm
RSVP for Webinar

Webinar #2-
Milestones & Timelines for Medical Device & Diagnostics
Wednesday, 
July 11, 2018
12:00pm-1:00pm
RSVP for Webinar

Webinar #3-
Milestones & TImelines for Digital Health Technologies
Wednesday, 
August 15, 2018
12:00pm-1:00pm
RSVP for Webinar



 
Faculty, staff, and students are welcome to sign up for this 3-part webinar series presented by Fast Forward Medical Innovation and the U-M Office of Tech Transfer. The webinars are designed to help participants learn about the specific timelines and milestones required for therapeutic, diagnostic, medical device, and health IT development, and define the life cycle of biomedical technologies. CLICK HERE for more information and to register. 

The CME event is open to all U-M faculty, staff, and students. The University of Michigan Medical School is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.  The University of Michigan Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Creditâ„¢. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  The speakers, Michelle Larkin, Sara Johnson, and Drew Bennett, have no commercial relationship relevant to this presentation.  Dr. Kevin Ward, the faculty planner, has no commercial relationship relevant to this activity.
Lipodystrophy 2018: A Call for Global Action


Tuesday,
June 26, 2018 - Wednesday,
June 27, 2018
Rosen Centre Hotel
Orlando, FL
FFMI and Dr. Elif Oral from the
U-M's division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes (MEND), are co-organizing a symposium entitled Lipodystrophy 2018: A Call for Global Action is an ancillary event to the American Diabetes Association 2018 conference

Researchpalooza
Wednesday,
August 8, 2018
11:00am-2:00pm
Circle Drive in front of Med Sci I 
Researchers, students, faculty, and more can join the FFMI team at Researchpalooza, a fun event that spotlights the labs and offices here to serve you at U-M. 

FFMI team members will be available to talk to you about
U-M's wide variety of biomedical commercialization programs and funding opportunities.
Seeking the Singularity in Healthcare: Digital Innovation for Impact


Thursday,
October 18, 2018
1:00pm-5:30pm
BSRB Khan Auditorium and ABC Seminar Rooms

Networking mixer to follow
Faculty, staff, students, and biomedical innovators working on digital health technologies and those interested in learning about the health IT system and collaboration opportunities can attend this symposium that focuses on the growing and inevitable intersection of technology and healthcare. This half-day event is hosted by Joyce Lee, M.D., M.P.H., Robert Kelch Professor of Pediatrics, FFMI Health IT Faculty Champion.

CLICK HERE to learn more and RSVP.
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U-M Therapeutic Innovation Fund RFP -
Up to $150K to Support Drug Discovery 

The Michigan Center for Therapeutic Innovation (MCTI) and FFMI offer the U-M Therapeutic Innovation Fund, a five-year, $2.5 million fund created to accelerate the discovery and translation of therapeutic candidates at the University of Michigan. The fund supports the discovery and optimization of small molecule lead compounds for projects with a specific, novel, and testable drug discovery hypothesis. Selected projects receive funding and resources to support medicinal chemistry efforts through MCTI and funding for drug design, assay development, cell biology, structural biology, and pharmacology (up to $150,000 in value for each award for a period of 18 months with the funds being disbursed in two stages). The fund is jointly administered by MCTI and FFMI.

A pre-submission application and meeting must be completed on or before July 13, 2018. The submission deadline for the full proposal is July 27, 2018 at 5pm. CLICK HERE for more information.
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Sign Up Today for FFMI fastPACE and
FFMI fastPACE Train-the-Trainer
Courses starts September 2018

Do you have an innovative idea?  Are you looking for funding, collaboration, and mentorship? FFMI is launching the 9th cohort of the FFMI fastPACE course on September 21, 2018. The
4-week course is designed to equip biomedical faculty and researchers with the knowledge and tools to navigate the initial process of commercialization.

In parallel with the FFMI fastPACE course, FFMI, in partnership with the Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR), is offering the Fall 2018 FFMI fastPACE Train-the-Trainer programPiloted March of 2017, FFMI  fast PACE Train-the-Trainer offers outside institutions the opportunity to observe our experts and biomedical research teams to learn how to launch the acclaimed FFMI  fast PACE course at their home institutions.  To learn more about FFMI fastPACE Train-the-Trainer, please join us for an informational webinar  on Friday, June 29, at 12pm. CLICK HERE to register.

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Mi-Kickstart Proposals Due August 1 - Join FFMI for A Proposal Workshop on July 9  
Webinar provides help with early-stage project funding application

Fast Forward Medical Innovation is accepting proposals for the  Mi-Kickstart early-stage funding program.

Mi-Kickstart awards, made possible by the  Michigan Economic Development CorporationMTRAC for Life Sciences Innovation Hub, the  William Davidson Foundation, the  U-M Medical School Office of Research, and the  Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research, offer early-stage funding to biomedical researchers across the state of Michigan. This award is aimed to enhance the commercial potential of a technology owned by any Michigan-based non-profit to the point of demonstration of utility and possible inclusion in  Mi-TRAC or other research funding programs.

Applications are due Wednesday, August 1

Mi-Kickstart Proposal Workshop
On Monday, July 9, from 12:00pm-1:00pm, FFMI will host a webinar-based working session designed to walk through the Mi-Kickstart early-stage funding award proposal and offer guidance and tips for a successful submission. This webinar will cover a proposal for a diagnostic innovation.

Participants will gain valuable insight, including:
  • How to write a successful proposal with step-by-step instructions from the FFMI team
  • The opportunity to view funded proposals to analyze successful strategies
  • The chance to ask specific questions directly to the FFMI team of commercialization pathway experts
  • Individual project-specific coaching, including the opportunity to follow up directly for additional guidance
CLICK HERE to register

Questions? Please contact Biomedical Innovation Specialist, Michelle Larkin , or Biomedical Innovation Specialist, Sara Johnson .
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U-M Fast Forward GI Innovation Fund Winners  

FFMI recently announced the winners of the Fast Forward GI Innovation Fund, which targets discovery and development of future technologies to help patients suffering from gastrointestinal disease. 

The three-year, $500,000+ fund is supported by a donation from entrepreneur alumna, Mary Petrovich, and matched by the U-M Medical School's Department of Internal Medicine and its Division of Gastroenterology, as well as the College of Engineering, where Ms. Petrovich received her undergraduate degree.

GI Fund Winners
Tier I Awards - $25-$50K funding projects that address a discrete milestone that is critical to the advancement of research to the point of product development

Matthew W. Ralls, M.D., Diann Brei, Ph.D. and Jonathan Luntz, Ph.D.
MEND: Michigan ENdoluminal Distraction for Short Bowel Syndrome

Robert Fontana, M.D.
Development of a Prognostic Biomarker of Acute Liver Injury

Jiaqi Shi, M.D., Ph.D.
Metabolic Biomarkers in Cyst Fluid to Accurately Diagnose Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms

Peter Higgins, M.D.
Novel Kinase Inhibitors as Anti-fibrotic Drug Candidates in Crohn's Disease

Liangyou Rui, Ph.D.
Novel Treatment of NASH using Kinase Inhibitors

Tier II Awards - $75-$100K funding projects with specific milestones for proof-of-concept and later-stage translational studies

William Chey, M.D. and Eric Shah, M.D.
Development of an Office-Based, Disposable Device to Screen for Dyssynergic Defecation in Constipated Patients

Congratulations to all the winners!
biotech
Biotech Career Exploration Program Examines Career Options and Skill Building 

The Biotech Career Exploration Program is designed to educate, train, and provide career exposure to many aspects of biotechnology outside of the traditional academic tenure-track faculty position. As part of the program, themed career panels offer participants an inside look at non-academic careers from experts in each area sharing advice and experiences.

To date, the career panels have focused on University Administration, Staff, and Support; Consultant/Nonprofit and Government/Other; and Small Biotech Startups.

The next panel will take place tomorrow, Friday, June 15 from 9:30am-10:30am, and will focus on large corporations.

The Biotech Career Exploration Program is provided by Fast Forward Medical Innovation, the Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research, and the UMMS Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

For more information, contact Jon Servoss, FFMI Commercialization Program Manager. 
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FFMI fastPACE Course Successfully Launches at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
FFMI fastPACE Train-the-Trainer participants introduce FFMI biomedical innovation and commercialization course to their institution

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences recently held their first cohort of the FFMI fastPACE Course after attending the U-M FFMI fastPACE Train-the-Trainer program, offered in collaboration with the Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research. Called Bioventures fastPACE, the initial cohort educated 10 project teams developing novel therapeutics, medical devices, and health information technology. 

CLICK HERE to read the full article.
road
On the Road with FFMI

Connie Chang, FFMI Interim Executive Director; Debra
Grega, FFMI Business Development Director; and Najoua Elbourkadi, FFMI Associate Director for Business Development
attended the Bio International Convention in Boston.

Connie Chang; Brad Martin, MTRAC for Life Sciences Commercialization Program Manager; Jon Servoss, FFMI Commercialization Program Director; Visha Krishnan, FFMI Senior Business Analyst; Mike Ranella, FFMI Business Development Associate Director; and Hirak Parikh, Monroe-Brown Biomedical Seed Fund Manager attended the 2018 Precision Medicine World Conference at the U-M's Ross School of Business.

Mike Ranella traveled to Chicago for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. 

Visha Krishnan was in Washington, D.C., for the Digestive Disease Week conference in early June.
followup
Latest News from Project Teams Who Received FFMI Funding, Training, and Support

MTRAC Awardee, Helen Kales, M.D., U-M Professor of Psychiatry, is featured in an article highlighting her web-based caregiver support tool, WeCareAdvisor.  CLICK HERE to read the full article. 

Former Path of Excellence in Innovation & Entrepreneurship student, Leo Li. M.D., is the latest FFMI Student Spotlight feature. Leo spent his Impact Semester with FFMI, working closely with the Monroe-Brown Seed Fund and the Path of Excellence in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. He will begin his anesthesiology residency at UCLA this fall. Congratulations, Leo!

The Path of Excellence in Innovation & Entrepreneurship held its 3rd Annual Student Retreat on June 9th at the Innovatrium. The retreat was an opportunity for the new M1s to meet, present, and network with the older medical students already in the Path. M1s presented their final projects and completed the last step of their Innovation Bootcamp training, which aims to prep students with the fundamental skills of innovation and entrepreneurship. 

Path of Excellence in Innovation & Entrepreneurship student, Stephen John, and his team took first place at the Wayne State's Global Health Alliance Competition for their NeoVent project. Congratulations!
news
In Other News

The Michigan-Pittsburgh-Wyss Regenerative Medicine (MPWRM) Resource Center is currently soliciting pre-proposals for its Interdisciplinary Translational Project (ITP) program. It will support specific technology development activities which establish technology readiness towards submission of IND/IDE applications to the FDA for therapies in the dental, oral, and craniofacial space. Pre-proposal applications are due Friday, July 27, 2018, by 5:00pm. Questions? Contact Yoshida Mutsumi at yoshidam@umich.edu.


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Fast Forward Medical Innovation is part of the Office of Research, where our mission is to foster an environment of innovation and efficiency that serves the U-M Medical School community and supports biomedical science from insight to impact.