Monthly news, events & updates |
Building a Rainforest in the Desert | December 2020 |
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In the Spotlight - Featured Inventor |
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2019 Rainforest Innovation Fellow |
Angela Wandinger-Ness, Ph.D.
Professor & Vice Chair for Research
Department of Pathology
The Victor and Ruby Hansen Surface Endowed Professor in Cancer Cell Biology and Clinical Translation
Associate Director for Education, Training and Mentoring
Comprehensive Cancer Center
The University of New Mexico
Passionate about science and education, Dr. Wandinger-Ness is motivated by sleuthing out disease mechanisms and translating discoveries into better or new therapies. In the cancer arena, she and her team have identified new uses for known drugs and are evaluating the benefits for ovarian cancer in patient trials. She leads a vibrant research team that includes students and fellows focused on ovarian cancer and kidney disease. In the area of kidney disease she has elucidated the mechanisms underlying autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and relationships to oral-cranio-facial disease. Her current work includes developing strategies for kidney regeneration through the use of stem cells and decellularized scaffolds.
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UNM Start-Up Microceres Moving Forward |
Two researchers from the University of New Mexico’s Biology Department launched the company last year after developing the technology through a joint project with Sandia National Laboratories. The UNM biologists – professor David Hanson and then post-doc research and development scientist Patrick Hudson – worked with laboratory scientists to apply “micro-needle” technology previously developed by Sandia to measure water and health metrics in plants.
Kevin Robinson-Avila’s November 23, 2020 article, “Plant sensors promise savings,” from the Albuquerque Journal.
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UNM Rainforest Innovations Hosts Its Second Virtual Innovation Showcase |
On November 10, UNM Rainforest Innovations (formerly STC.UNM) hosted its second virtual Innovation Showcase featuring the latest developments in research and technology from the University of New Mexico (UNM). Six researchers pitched their technologies via Zoom and featured both life-science and physical-science technologies. Presentations were moderated by UNM Rainforest Innovations staff members Gregg Banninger, Innovation Manager of Life Sciences, and Alex Roerick, Senior Innovation Associate of Engineering & Physical Sciences.
Read more about the featured technologies from the showcase and watch the presentation recordings.
Our next virtual Innovation Showcase is scheduled for February 2, 2021 from 3-5 p.m. (MST). Click here to Register
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ABQ Biotech Firm Hires Veteran Industry Executive |
Sandia Biotech Inc. has hired veteran industry executive Steven Miller to help take medical diagnostics technology licensed from Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of New Mexico to market.
The Albuquerque startup has spent more than a decade developing laboratory kits based on novel LANL and UNM compounds that allow medical researchers to rapidly detect targeted diseases for analysis and drug development. It already sells the kits to research laboratories and universities, but it’s now ready to aggressively expand into commercial markets, said Sandia Biotech President Tony Pino.
Kevin Robinson-Avila’s November 23, 2020 article, “ABQ biotech firm hires veteran industry executive,” from the Albuquerque Journal.
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Lobo Rainforest Virtual Pitch Competition Winners Announced |
New Mexico college students showcase innovation and creativity despite ongoing pandemic to win money for their business ideas
A 9-month-long public health crisis, ninety-eight percent of classes being held online, and a complete lack of normal social interaction could have negatively impacted the Fall 2020 Lobo Rainforest Pitch Competition. But instead, students submitted 49 ideas to the all-virtual competition, providing judges with some of the best ideas the competition has seen to date. This semester the competition was completely virtual again. Typically, students get first-round feedback and finalists get a second chance to impress the judges. This time, students were given one chance to submit a 90-second pitch to be judged by industry leaders and no do-overs. The judges’ choices are in and 10 students were awarded their share of the $4750 prize pool.
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Join us for this special virtual event with a presentation by Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property & Director of United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Event registration details will be emailed soon.
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Lobo Rainforest I-Corps Site at UNM Now Accepting Applications for Spring 2021 Cohort |
Receive Entrepreneurial Training, Mentoring & $3,000!
Do you have an idea for a technology? Explore the transition of your technology to the marketplace through this entrepreneurial training program to help determine if your technology is ready for the market. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), this program’s purpose is to teach UNM faculty and students to identify market or product opportunities that can emerge from academic research or student ideas.
The online program will run on Mondays, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. from February 22, 2021 – May 10, 2021 via Zoom meetings. No meeting will occur on March 15, 2021.
Deadline to apply to the Spring 2021 I-Corps program is February 7, 2021.
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Attend Upcoming Virtual Open Office Hours Providing Mentoring for Your Startup/Idea
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Mr. Stacy Sacco teaches entrepreneurial studies at the Anderson School of Management, serves as the Director of the UNM Small Business Institute and is President of Sacco Connections, a management consulting firm.
Mr. Sacco will be available for one on one mentoring where he will give guidance, coaching and perspective to enhance entrepreneurship and provide connections to resources at UNM and in the community. There are many resources available to those who have ideas that they may want to turn into a business!
Upcoming Rainforest Mentoring Office Hours:
December 4, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (MST)
These are virtual office hours, click Sign Up below to select the time frame you plan to attend and a Zoom link will be emailed to you.
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For over twenty years, Dr. Larry Sklar has dedicated himself as an inventor to making high-throughput flow cytometry the benchmark for flow cytometry technology. For nearly as long, as the director of the UNM Center for Molecular Discovery, he has made New Mexico internationally known as a hub for flow cytometry research and technologies. HyperCyt-based systems are now finding their way into mainstream screening labs. In doing this, he has given a tool to researchers everywhere to discover more effective ways to understand and treat cancers, infectious diseases and many other biological applications, and built multiple teams of inventors and innovators along the way that are reflected in his patent portfolio and commercialization activity.
Meet with Rainforest Innovation Fellow Larry Sklar, Ph.D. for virtual 1:1 office hours to discuss your ideas, research, entrepreneurial, and biotechnology pursuits.
Rainforest Innovation Fellow in Residence Virtual Office Hours:
December 4, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Click Sign Up below to select the appointment time frame for a 45-minute virtual appointment and a Zoom link for your meeting will be emailed to you.
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UNM Rainforest Innovations | Website
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