MEMPHIS – The UT Research Foundation (UTRF) recognized 25 University of Tennessee Health Science Center researchers for recent discoveries and commercialization successes at the 2016 Innovation Award Ceremony, held on December 5th at the UTHSC Student Alumni Center.
Speakers included UTHSC Chancellor Steve J. Schwab, M.D., UTRF Vice President, Richard Magid, Ph.D., and UTHSC Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine Guy Reed, M.D.. The ceremony serves to recognize and honor noted researchers and the innovations they have made at the university. All inventors that have been awarded a US patent within the past year were presented with a plaque, and all inventors that contributed to a newly-licensed technology received a certificate of recognition. Several researchers received awards in more than one category.
All of the speakers emphasized how translational research and the commercialization of discoveries into new products was an integral part of the mission of modern academic medical centers. In his remarks, Richard Magid noted that 2016 had seen a record number of new inventions disclosed by the campus. Richard also detailed several new drugs and medical devices, based on UTHSC discoveries that had either recently reached the market or are shortly expected to receive FDA approval shortly.
“These new products will directly benefit thousands of patients by helping to prevent blindness, improving postoperative recovery, and treating serious cardiovascular diseases.”
In recognition of his being named of 2016 Innovator of the Year by Inside Memphis Business magazine, Dr. Reed was invited to give the Keynote address at the ceremony. Dr. Reed told the audience about his efforts to translated his academic research studying blood clotting into a startup company. His company, Translational Sciences Inc. is developing a novel therapeutic antibody to treat pulmonary embolism, and recently signed a major partnership with Daiichi Sankyo.
Complete list of December 5, 2016 UT Health Science Center Innovation Award recipients