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FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Funding
2021 MTRAC Awardees Announced
$1.1 million awarded to 7 different projects
FFMI recently announced that its Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) for Life Sciences Innovation Hub has awarded a combined $1.1 million in funding to seven high-tech, mid-stage research projects led by researchers at U-M and Michigan State University. These projects aim to address significant unmet needs in healthcare with the goal of commercializing the research and positively impacting human health.
The 2021 MTRAC award winners are:

Lola Eniola-Adefeso, Ph.D.
U-M Chemical Engineering
Bile Salt-Based Composite Microparticles as an Effective Treatment for Submental Fat Reduction

Jianping Fu, Ph.D.
U-M Mechanical Engineering
EmbryoTOX: A Novel Human Embryo Toxicity Testing Platform

Jun Hee Lee, Ph.D.
U-M Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Next Generation Spatial Transcriptomics

Mats Ljungman, Ph.D.
U-M Radiation Oncology
Universal Cancer Targeting Using Precision CRISPR Technology

Howard Petty, Ph.D.
U-M Ophthalmology
Prediction of Cancer Recurrences with Biomarkers

Benjamin Viglianti, M.D., Ph.D.
U-M Radiology
First In Human Testing of FNP-59, a Non-Invasive Imaging Agent to Diagnose Primary Aldosteronism

Arthur Weber, Ph.D.
MSU - Physiology
Variable Inductor Passive Contact Lens-Based IOP Sensor
Commercialization Education
Sign Up for March 16 Innovation Studio
Looking for feedback and input on your biomedical innovation? Join the Fast Forward Medical Innovation team for Innovation Studio, virtual office hours that give life science innovators of all levels the chance to address project needs, challenges, or questions. Participants can get individual feedback on:
  • innovation concepts      
  • opportunities for commercialization education      
  • funding resources      
  • any other innovation concerns that faculty, staff, or trainees may have      

The Innovation Studio is available for 30-minute consultations via Zoom every third Tuesday of the month. The next available consultations will take place Tuesday, March 16, between 2:00pm-3:30pm. Space is limited.
FCVC Innovation Challenge Strives to Improve Cardiovascular Care - Submissions Due Tomorrow!
The 2021 Frankel Cardiovascular Center (FCVC) Innovation Challenge will take place virtually on May 20, 2021.

This year, submissions for both the Grand Prize and Just Do it Awards will be in video format. Submissions will be accepted until February 18, 2021.

Now in its fifth year, the Innovation Challenge awards up to $100,000 to one or more winners. The goal is to empower the community of trainees, faculty, staff, patients, and families at the CVC to propose, test, and implement new innovations.
FFMI fastpace Spring Cohort Registration Available
FFMI fastPACE is a four-week biomedical and commercialization course designed to help participants prepare a successful business case for funding and development partnerships.

Registration is now available for the Spring 2021 cohort, to be held virtually, beginning Friday, April 30. Sign up today!

Questions? Email Jon Servoss, FFMI Director of Commercialization Education.
Out & About with FFMI
FFMI team members Meghan Cuddihy, Ph.D., Program Manager, FCVC Innovation Program, Jon Servoss, M.S., Director of Commercialization Education, and Brad Martin, Ph.D., FFMI Managing Director, were co-authors of a manuscript that was recently accepted to the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science.

The article, which was published with FCVC faculty Kim Eagle, M.D., Hamid Ghanbari, M.D., Chandu Vemuri, M.D., and OTT Mentor-in-Residence David Olson, describes the administration and impact of the Aikens Innovation Academy. It also highlights the extensive innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem at UM.

Read the pre-proof here.
FFMI was invited to present to the 2021 Faculty Innovation Fellows as part of the Michigan Wolverine Innovation Network (MWIN) at the University of Michigan-Flint. MWIN aims to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in all academic disciplines at UM-Flint by educating faculty in the innovation process with the intent to develop a multidisciplinary capstone course for students.

FFMI team members Brad Martin, Ph.D., FFMI Managing Director, Michelle Larkin, MSE, Director of Commercialization Programs, and Jon Servoss, M.S., Director of Commercialization Education, guided faculty through the business model canvas, leading to a practical exercise in ecosystem mapping and value proposition development.
Last week, FFMI participated in MichBio’s annual BioTalent Summit focused on preparing, recruiting, and retaining the right talent for Michigan’s bio-industry. 

In partnership with the U-M Medical School’s Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and the U-M Rackham Graduate School, FFMI promoted the Biotech Career Development Program. This program is designed to educate, train, and provide career exposure to opportunities in biotechnology for U-M graduate students and postdocs in life science programs. 

In addition to FFMI, the Summit featured representatives from Michigan's bio-industry, along with workforce and economic development, education, and non-profit professionals, for thoughtful discussion, perspectives from a variety of industry stakeholders, networking, and more.
Debra Grega, M.B.A., Ph.D., FFMI Business Development Director, attended the most recent U-M Precompetitive Consortium (RPC2) Joint Meeting with the now five industry partners reviewing the current projects ranging from bioinformatics of -omics data to patient diagnosis with respect to disease progression.

The RPC2 is a unique University of Michigan-industry consortium focused on chronic kidney disease. Five years ago, FFMI was instrumental with Dr. Matthias Kretzler in forming RPC2 with three major pharmaceutical companies, all sharing preclinical projects and data to further identify drug targets and treatments. 
FFMI Follow-Up
MTRAC Award Winner, Fifth Eye, Highlighted on Healthcare Innovation website
A venture-backed company spun out of the University of Michigan has developed an early warning system for hemodynamic instability in critical care settings.

The venture capital-backed startup, Ann Arbor-based Fifth Eye, has developed a noninvasive clinical tool called Analytic for Hemodynamic Instability (AHI), which it says is the first solution to establish real-time streaming data for early-onset hemodynamic instability.
Bulletin Board
Looking for Feedback - New Survey Gathering Information on Education Innovation
RISE (Research. Innovation. Scholarship. Education.) is creating a Michigan Medicine culture where bold, scalable education innovations impact health and science. This movement needs the voices and contributions of all members of the Michigan Medicine community. You are invited to share your insight regarding education innovation at Michigan Medicine by completing the RISE Innovation Culture Survey. Your contribution will guide future education innovation efforts. Results from the first RISE Innovation Culture Survey can be accessed here.
LHS Collaboratory - Digital Transformation in Healthcare for a Diverse World
The LHS Collaboratory and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry are co-hosting Digital Transformation in Healthcare for a Diverse World.

Tuesday, February 23, 2021
12:00pm-2:15pm

The keynote presentation (12:15pm-1:15pm) will be followed by breakout sessions (1:15pm-2:15pm) on topics presented by U-M faculty and guests. The keynote speaker is Dr. Bernardo Mariano, Jr., Director of Digital Health & Innovation, Chief Information Officer - World Health Organization.
RFP Now Open: Michigan Medicine-PKUHSC Joint Institute
Following a temporary suspension of the RFP process due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Joint Institute of the University of Michigan and Peking University Health Science Center has announced the re-activation of its awards cycle.

Projects will be prioritized that demonstrate an effective team approach to discovery, emphasize new findings on diseases relative to both countries, and can be leveraged for extramural funding opportunities.

DEADLINE: February 24, 2021
Asahi Kasei Pharma Looking to Collaborate on Drug Development
Asahi Kasei Pharma is publicly calling for new proposals related to drug development needs. Submissions will be assessed with respect to their potential as concepts for collaborative research and fostering of research.

Drug candidates are being sought in the following therapeutic fields:
  • neurodegenerative disease  
  • autoimmune disease  
  • critical care medicine  
  • bone/cartilage conditions  
  • muscle-related disease  

The application period ends at 8:00am GMT (3:00am EST) on February 25, 2021.

Contact Debra Grega for further details.
$50,000 Jack L. Berman, M.D., & Barbara A. Berman, Ph.D., Depression Research Award
The Berman Research Fund is intended to assist investigators with pilot funding for an innovative research project in the area of depression, bipolar, and mood disorders. The purposes of the fund are:
  • to promote innovation by allowing researchers to take risks to explore new areas of research
  • to help researchers obtain preliminary results that will assist them in obtaining funding from other sources.

The focus of this year’s Berman Award is on depression among youth. This includes a wide range of topics, such as suicide prevention and the impact of COVID-19.

The opportunity for funding is available to early career faculty members including research faculty members, lecturers, or any rank up to Assistant Professor. 

Proposal Deadline: March 8, 2021
Submission & Review Process: All proposals should be submitted electronically via Competition Space.

For more information, please contact Debbra Galanti.
2021 Massey TBI Grand Challenge
Made possible by a generous gift from the Joyce and Don Massey Family Foundation, the TBI Grand Challenge supports the development of diagnostic, device, therapeutic, or health IT solutions that address the initial 'golden hours' of care after severe traumatic brain injury.

Virtual Kick-Off: March 9, 2021
1:00pm-4:30pm
A Conversation with the Burroughs Wellcome Fund on March 17
In an event sponsored by Michigan Medicine Corporate & Foundation Relations, leadership from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund will offer a firsthand look at significant funding opportunities designed to overcome the exceptional obstacles currently before our scientific community and accelerate discovery.

1:30PM-3:00PM
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Learn More About Thousands of Stored Biospecimens from COVID-19 Patients
Over 20,000 biospecimens are stored in the COVID-19 Biorepository. Since it launched in spring of 2020, it’s been a trove of discovery for U-M researchers.

The ultra-cold temperatures in the facility at NCRC help keep the samples intact, preserving the fragile genetic material, proteins, immune-response molecules, and cellular signals that can reveal how the virus wreaks havoc in the body.
Our Collaborators
U-M Tech Transfer
To better navigate the complexities of the U-M biomedical research enterprise, visit the Research Project Lifecycle. This interactive tool provides an overview of the resources available to you, not only within the Medical School Office of Research but also across the University of Michigan.
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.