University of Georgia

Category: Technology Commercialization

Categories
Announcements Technology Commercialization

Introduction

The University of Georgia’s Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, Dr. Jennifer Frum, and UGA Vice President for Research, Dr. David Lee, are seeking a more active role in University Economic Development Association (UEDA) by their respective units. Playing a more active role in UEDA includes increasing UGA’s submissions to UEDA’s annual “Awards of Excellence” program, which recognizes outstanding, leading-edge, higher education projects and initiatives promoting economic development and engagement. The awards offer participants the opportunity for recognition, validation, enhanced funding competitiveness and critical peer review. OVPPSO and the Office of Research would like to build upon UGA’s past success and seeks submissions for the UEDA Annual Summit Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, 2019 in Reno, Nevada.

Process

Dates

April 26: OVPPSO/Office of Research deadline

May 3: Final application deadline

July 1: Finalist notification

September: Finalist teleconference

Sept. 30 – Oct. 1: UEDA Annual Summit – finalist presentations in Reno, Nevada

Oct. 1: Awards banquet

Helpful Information

UEDA is a membership organization representing public and private higher education, the private sector, public agencies and community economic development stakeholders in North America. UGA’s Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach has an existing membership to UEDA on behalf of the entire University.

In 2018, there were 24 program finalists in North America for the six award categories. UGA had three programs make the finals and one category winner for the second year in a row. Details on the 2018 finalists and those from prior years can be found here: https://universityeda.org/value-to-members/best-practice-sharing/awards-of-excellence/awards-of-excellence-2018-finalists/

In 2015, UEDA jointly published Higher Education Engagement in Economic Development: Foundations for Strategy and Practice with the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Commission on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Economic Prosperity (APLU-CICEP).  As a result of the insights gained during this process, the UEDA Awards Committee implemented changes in 2016 that revised the awards categories and judging criteria and process to align with the principles identified in this strategic framework.

The six awards categories emphasize three core missions:  Talent, Innovation and Place as well as projects and initiatives that occur at the intersection of these missions. Details on the eligibility criteria, award process, judging criteria and awards application are here:  https://universityeda.org/value-to-members/best-practice-sharing/awards-of-excellence/

Other Ways to Participate

In addition to the “Awards of Excellence”, there are two additional ways to engage with UEDA at the Annual Summit. The first is through UEDA’s “Call for Presentations” offering presenters the opportunity to participate in concurrent breakout sessions. Please see: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4887801/UEDA-2019-Application-Portal

The second is through UEDA’s “Lightning Round”, new for 2018 and is best described as a 5- minute quick pitch followed by audience Q/A.  Please see: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4887801/UEDA-2019-Application-Portal

“Call for Presentations” and “Lightning Round” proposals will not be vetted by OVPPSO and Office of Research prior to submission to UEDA. However, OVPPSO and Office of Research appreciates being copied on your submission to UEDA – PS&O proposals to Dr. Steve Dempsey (dempsey@uga.edu) and Research proposals to Dr. Derek Eberhart (dereke@uga.edu).

Categories
Announcements Technology Commercialization

The Innovation Gateway licensing team is moving to Tucker Hall the week of March 4, 2019. The startup team will remain at the Center for Applied Genetics and Technologies.

Visit the licensing team at 343 Tucker Hall. Contact Innovation Gateway at 706-542-1404 or gateway@uga.edu with questions.

Categories
Announcements Technology Commercialization

Innovation Gateway recently negotiated a master biological reception agreement with Addgene, Inc. Researchers requesting plasmids from the Addgene nonprofit plasmid repository will no longer be required to submit online requests to Innovation Gateway, saving researchers valuable time. The agreement also eliminates the need for individual material transfer agreements to be executed for each Addgene order, allowing researchers to receive the plasmids more quickly. Innovation Gateway is excited to offer this streamlined approach to material transfer agreements with Addgene.

Contact Sharon Gamble for more information, sharong7@uga.edu or 706-542-7850.

Categories
Technology Commercialization

The University of Georgia’s Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, Dr. Jennifer Frum, and Vice President for Research, Dr. David Lee, are seeking a more active role in the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) Awards of Excellence by their respective units. Playing a more active role in UEDA includes increasing UGA’s submissions to UEDA’s annual Awards of Excellence program, which recognizes outstanding, leading-edge, higher education projects and initiatives promoting economic development and engagement. The awards offer participants the opportunity for recognition, validation, enhanced funding competitiveness and critical peer review. OVPPSO and Office of Research would like to build on UGA’s past success and seeks submissions for the UEDA Annual Summit on October 21-24, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Process

  • Sign-up and participate in the Informational Webinar to held on April 20, 2018 from 12-1pm EST.
  • Review the Nomination Guide, which may be found on the UEDA Awards of Excellence webpage under Award Quick Links.
  • Download Application, which may be found on the UEDA Awards of Excellence webpage under Award Quick Links.
  • Complete application and forward PS&O proposals to Dr. Steve Dempsey (dempsey@uga.edu) and research proposals to Dr. Derek Eberhart (dereke@uga.edu) by Friday, May 11, 2018. OVPPSO and Office of Reearch will vet all proposals and submit a UGA package to UEDA for consideration.
  • Note all finalists selected by UEDA are expected to attend the UEDA Annual Summit on October 21-24, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Dates

May 11: OVPPSO/Office of Research deadline
May 15: Early application deadline
June 15: Final application deadline
August 1: Finalist notification
September: Finalist teleconference
October 22-23: UEDA Annual Summit – finalist presentations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
October 23:  Awards banquet

Helpful Information

UEDA is a membership organization representing public and private higher education, the private sector, public agencies, and community economic development stakeholders in North America. UGA’s Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach has an existing membership to UEDA on behalf of the entire University.

In 2017, there were 24 program finalists in North America for the six award categories.  UGA had three programs make the finals and one category winner. See details on the 2017 finalists and those from prior years.

In 2015, UEDA jointly published Higher Education Engagement in Economic Development: Foundations for Strategy and Practice with the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Commission on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Economic Prosperity (APLU-CICEP).  As a result of the insights gained during this process, the UEDA Awards Committee implemented changes in 2016 that revised the awards categories and judging criteria and process to align with the principles identified in this strategic framework.

The six awards categories emphasize three core missions:  Talent, Innovation and Place as well as projects and initiatives that occur at the intersection of these missions. See details on the eligibility criteria, award process, judging criteria and awards application.

Other Ways to Participate

In addition to the Awards of Excellence, there are two additional ways to engage with UEDA at the Annual Summit. The first is through UEDA’s Call for Presentations offering presenters the opportunity to participate in concurrent breakout sessions.

The second is through UEDA’s Lightning Round, new for 2018 and is best described as a 5-minute quick pitch followed by audience Q/A.

Call for Presentations and Lightning Round proposals will not be vetted by OVPPSO and Office of Research prior to submission to UEDA. However, OVPPSO and Office of Research appreciate being copied on your submission to UEDA – PS&O proposals to Dr. Steve Dempsey (dempsey@uga.edu) and research proposals to Dr. Derek Eberhart (dereke@uga.edu).

Categories
Technology Commercialization

The University of Georgia now offers companies sponsoring research three additional ways to license intellectual property developed in the course of their research collaborations. The new program, Industry Express, makes negotiating research agreements a faster and more transparent process that also eliminates uncertainty about licensing costs.

The three Industry Express agreements offer companies an exclusive license in each case, with flexibility for the duration of the license and the payment terms. Each alternative includes a defined-upfront license fee set at a percentage of the total sponsored project budget, which means companies know exactly how much it will cost.

Many industry collaborators are familiar with the traditional option, which is still available. With the traditional agreement, there is no upfront fee, and sponsors have exclusive access to negotiate patent rights for up to six months after project completion.

More information

Categories
Announcements Technology Commercialization

Crystal Leach joined UGA as the founding director of Discovery and Innovation Partnerships, a new initiative jointly supported by the Office of the Vice President for Research and the College of Engineering. Her role is to facilitate partnerships between industry and research at the University of Georgia.

The Ohio native earned her master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Akron and her doctorate in textiles and polymer science at Clemson University. For the majority of her career, she worked at Kimberly-Clark, a Fortune 500 global health and hygiene company, in positions ranging from materials research to leading a global innovation and product development team.

“Because industry often moves faster than academia, we need to be efficient and responsive when negotiating terms,” said Vice President for Research Davie Lee. “We need to be as flexible as possible with our intellectual property policies and terms. And we need a point person who gets up every morning thinking about how to connect industry with relevant UGA researchers.”

“We are excited to now have Crystal Leach in this role. Her extensive background in industry research means that she’ll have instant credibility with her peers in industry as well as with our faculty.”

In this interview, Leach answers a few questions about why industry collaborations are a priority for the university, how faculty start collaborations with industry, and what kinds of assistance she offers.

Connect with Crystal.

 

 

Categories
Announcements Technology Commercialization

Georgia BIO invites submission of abstracts from Georgia-based scientists for the poster session at this year’s Innovation Summit to be held November 2, 2015, in Atlanta.

The Innovation Summit provides a forum for Georgia’s bioscience community from industry, academia and government to discuss major trends and issues, including topics related to scientific research, product development, financing, business development and public policy. UGA and other Georgia universities are among the sponsors.

The Poster Session is open to representatives from Georgia-based academia, research institutes and industry. Students and post-doctoral fellows are encouraged to participate. Abstracts will be subject to the same scientific review as for any national or regional meeting.

Categories are: Agricultural Biotechnology, Bioenergy, Cell Therapy & Tissue Engineering, Drug Discovery and Development, Food and Nutrition, Healthcare IT, Industrial Production, Medical Technology and Devices, Molecular and Biological Research, and Nanotechnology

For student, post-doctoral or non-profit organization abstracts selected, the corresponding author of each poster will receive complimentary registration to the Summit. In addition, posters submitted by students will be eligible for a limited number of poster awards.

UPDATE: Deadline for poster abstracts has been extended to midnight, Friday, Sept. 11.

More information.

Categories
Announcements Technology Commercialization

Master licensing agreements between UGA and Kerafast,  a company that sells rare and unique academic research tools to life science laboratories worldwide, is allowing UGA investigators to efficiently move research tools, from chemicals to biologic materials, from their labs to other universities, as well as non-profit and for-profit research institutions and organizations.

More than 50 products developed by UGA researchers have been made available to the scientific community through Kerafast, while many other materials are being considered for licensing by the company. Five UGA principal investigators are currently using Kerafast’s program:  Michelle Momany,  plant genetics; Michael W.W. Adams, biochemistry and molecular biology; Richard B. Meager, genetics; Duncan C. Ferguson, physiology, pharmacology and small-animal medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine; and  Michael P. Doyle, Department of Food Science & Technology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

These agreements considerably reduce the need for transfer of materials to be preceded by Material Transfer Agreements. As part of these agreements, the company cites publications by UGA researchers that are pertinent to each UGA material the company distributes and also links those products to the researchers’ web pages, enhancing the visibility of UGA research programs.

Kerafast generates an additional funding source for laboratories and research programs by utilizing an online platform to license research materials and tools originating from research institutions. Proceeds from the sales of these materials are then shared between the investigators and the University of Georgia Research Foundation. Kerafast’s interests range from unique chemicals to complex biologic materials (including cells), including hard-to-make organic molecules, metal complexes with unusual properties and structures, antibodies, and GM cells, to name a few.

Nearly 30 UGA faculty, researchers, and scientists, and representatives of UGA’s BioBusiness Center resident companies, recently attended a presentation and luncheon hosted by the UGA Technology Commercialization Office and Kerafast. Access the presentation and learn more: Contact Gene Gama, Senior Licensing Manager, at GJG@uga.edu or 706-583-8088.