Thanks to all who attended the CU Anschutz Innovation Forum

CU Innovations, Startup Toolbox and Academia Industry Alliance (AIA) hosted a 3-day event on June 10-12th that highlighted the diversity of innovation at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

 

Engaging presentations and panel discussions demystified the innovation journey. Key sessions covered company formation, building inclusive teams and career opportunities. CU researchers, start-ups and industry partners participated and networked at this successful event!

 

Congratulations to the winners of the Venture Showcase: NowVitals, pitched by Robin Deterding, MD, and Vināśa Oncology, pitched by Sujatha Venkataraman, PhD!

 


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Agenda

Day 1 | Fostering Diversity in Innovation

Hosted by CU Innovations


Building upon the success of last year's Stories of Women-Led Innovation Event, this forum continued highlighting the achievements and challenges faced by our women innovators and demystifying the innovation pathway through presentations and panel discussions. Sessions covered intellectual property protection, building inclusive teams and addressing bias in the context of academic innovation.

Attendees were excited to hear from our keynote speaker, Gitanjali Rao, aspiring scientist, inventor and author!

Tom Flaig, MD

Vice Chancellor for Research, CU Anschutz
Doreen Molk

Doreen Molk MS

(Providing Speaker Introduction)
Senior Licensing Manager

Virginia Borges, MD, MMSc

Professor of Medical Oncology, CU Anschutz

Tyra Fainstad MD

Associate Professor of Medicine, CU Anschutz Co-Director, Better Together Physician Coaching

Adrienne Mann, MD

Assistant Professor of Hospital Medicine, CU Anschutz & Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Associate Program Director, CU Internal Medicine Residency Program, Co-Director, Better Together Physician Coaching

Judy Regensteiner, PhD

(Moderator)
Director, Ludeman Family Center for Women's Health Research, Distinguished Professor of Internal Medicine & Cardiology, CU Anschutz

Heather Underwood PhD

Entrepreneur, Innovator

Barbara Bauer MS

(Moderator)
President, Global Sight Partners

Curtis Henry, PhD

Deputy Associate Director of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Access, Associate Professor of Immunology and Microbiology, The Margaret Turley Grohne Chair in Translational Cancer Research, CU Anschutz

Melanie Joy, PharmD, PhD, FCCP, FASN

Professor, Director of Innovation and Commercialization, CU Anschutz, Director of Entrepreneurship Education, SPARK/REACH Program Scientific Consultant, Katharos Inc

Anne Libby, PhD

Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vice Chair for Academic Affairs, CU Anschutz

Gitanjali Rao

(Keynote)
Inventor, Author & Speaker

Michael McMurray PhD

(Keynote Introduction)
Associate Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, CU Anschutz

Brooke Fritz, JD, MA

(Moderator)
Special Counsel, Cooley LLP

Nick Pfeifer, JD, BS

Partner, Smith & Hopen, PA

Sharon Lake MS

Entrepreneur, Founder & Board Chair, Coruna Medical LLC, Founder, Preview Medical, Founder, Cutagenesis

Stan Lapidus BSEE

Chairman Board of Directors, Mercy BioAnalytics, Binx Health, Mirvie, Board Member, Lucid Dx, Droplet Biosciences, Sunbird Bio & PathAI

David Perez BA

Non-Executive Chairman, Advanced Instruments & Laborie, Board Member, NeoGenomics & Molnlycke, Advisor, Volunteer, Mentor
Clay Smith

Clay Smith MD

Medical Director & Data Science Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer, OncoVerity, Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, RefinedScience

Steve VanNurden, MBA

Associate Vice Chancellor of Biotechnology, CU Anschutz, President and CEO, Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority
Doreen Molk

Doreen Molk MS

(Providing Speaker Introduction)
Senior Licensing Manager

Day 2 | Igniting Impact with Academic Innovation

Hosted by CU Innovations Startup Toolbox


This event aimed to educate and inspire entrepreneurs at all stages. Featuring panels on company formation, funding biomedical discoveries and creating strategic alliances, each session included interactive elements and the chance to network with potential partners from the Anschutz campus and beyond. 

Attendees got to know Jodie Morrison, CEO of Q32 Bio, and Kimberly Muller, Executive Director of CU Innovations, through their Fireside Chat Keynote.

Terri Carrothers

Terri Carrothers

Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, Chief Financial Officer, CU Anschutz

Lily Elizabeth Feldman, BS, PhD Candidate

(Providing Speaker Introduction)
Senior Startup Toolbox Fellow

Demetria M. Bolden PhD, MBA

Assistant Professor of Medicine, CU Anschutz, Associate Director, I-Corps
Robin Deterding MD

Robin Deterding, MD

Chief Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, CU Anschutz, Medical Director, Breathing Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, CEO, CMO & Co-Founder, Now Vitals

Sharon Lake MS

(Moderator)
Entrepreneur, Founder & Board Chair, Coruna Medical LLC, Founder, Preview Medical, Founder, Cutagenesis

Jim Lambert PhD

Associate Research Professor of Pathology, CU Anschutz, President & Founder, Vona Oncology
Gali Baler

Gali Baler PhD

Managing Director of Strategy & Operations

Elyse Blazevich MS, BA

(Moderator)
President & CEO, Colorado BioScience Association

Rama Haris, MBA, BS

Advanced Industries Senior Manager, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

Kevin Noble, MS, BA

Director, Life Sciences Incubator, Client Director, Innosphere Ventures

Praful Shah PhD, MBA

Board of Directors, PharmaJet, Board of Directors, Alliance for Collective Action

Jodie Morrison, BS

Chief Executive Officer & Board of Directors, Q32 Bio, Inc.
Kimberly Muller

Kimberly Muller Esq

(Keynote Introduction)
Executive Director
CU Innovations
dna cell lines

Anne Adema MD

(Moderator)
Assistant Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, CU Anschutz

Zach Conrad, BA

Principal Designer & Partner, K1C Consulting LLC

Heather Gilmartin PhD, NP

Associate Director, Dissemination & Implementation Research Core, CCTSI, Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz

Lori Jones

President & CEO, Avocet Communications, Member, Forbes Agency Council

Kevin Noble, MS, BA

Director, Life Sciences Incubator, Client Director, Innosphere Ventures

Amy Wedeking Shannon MBA, BA

Founder, CaliberOne Solutions, LLC

Day 2 | Venture Showcase

Hosted by CU Innovations Startup Toolbox


Congratulations to the judge vote winner, NowVitals pitched by Robin Deterding, MD, and the audience vote winner, Vināśa Oncology pitched by Sujatha Venkataraman, PhD!

Robin Deterding MD

Robin Deterding, MD

CEO/CMO & Co-Founder, NowVitals

Jim Lambert, PhD

Founder & President, Vona Oncology
Traci Lyons

Traci Lyons, PhD

CSO & Co-Founder, Pearl Scientific, LLC

Devatha Nair PhD

Materials Scientist, Azodent

Mike Schurr PhD

Microbiologist Associate, Azodent

David Westerly, PhD

Co-Founder & CEO, OncoPatch
Gali Baler

Gali Baler PhD

Managing Director of Strategy & Operations

Sharon Lake MS

Entrepreneur, Founder & Board Chair, Coruna Medical LLC, Founder, Preview Medical, Founder, Cutagenesis

Jodie Morrison, BS

Chief Executive Officer & Board of Directors, Q32 Bio, Inc.

Praful Shah PhD, MBA

Board of Directors, PharmaJet, Board of Directors, Alliance for Collective Action

Day 3 | Rocky Mountain Biotech Symposium

Hosted by Academia Industry Alliance


With sessions featuring scientific talks, career panels, and a 2-hour networking lunch, RMBTS offered a prime platform to highlight scientific advancements and career opportunities, and foster collaboration within Colorado's scientific community.

Ivy Brown MSc

Senior Life Science Specialist II, Avantor

Rebecca Hartsough MS, BA

Director Strategic Accounts, Vaccines, PPD

Yevgeniy Izrayelit PhD

Director of Biology, OnKure Therapeutics

John Kelley BA

Chair and Executive Director, CereHealth
Katherine Lee

Katherine Lee PhD, MS

Senior Medical Science Liaison, Epilepsy, Takeda Pharmaceuticals

Kim Thomas, PhD

Assistant Investigator, Vitalant Research Institute

Joel Basken PhD

Director of Operations, Platform, Enveda Biosciences

Aaron Krueger PhD

Senior Scientist, Drug Product Development, Umoja Biopharma

Tyler McCann PhD

Principal Medical Science Liaison, Daiichi Sankyo

Sascha Strait PhD

Research Scientist, Pharmacology, OnKure Therapeutics

Maximo de Achaval MS

Senior Product & Market Development Manager, CONMED Corporation

Tyler Matheny PhD

Subject Matter Expert, SOPHiA GENETICS

Maria Navas-Moreno PhD

Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, illumifyDx

Kimberly Casalvieri PhD

Senior Scientist II, Process Chemistry, Cambrex

Marissa McKercher PhD

Senior Scientist Group Lead, KBI Biopharma

Joseph Mikulin PhD

Laboratory Director, HemoGenix

Event Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors for making this forum possible! We are greatly appreciative of your continued support.

PLATINUM SPONSORS:

Cooley Sponsor Logo
CO Office of Economic Development Logo Horizontal

SPONSORS:

CU Innovations

CU Anschutz

Anschutz Health Sciences Building

1890 N Revere Ct

Suite 6202

Mail Stop F411

Aurora, CO 80045


303-724-3720

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