This edition of Innovation Insights, a quarterly update from the Office of Technology Management, highlights the latest news in technology transfer from Washington University in St. Louis.

We want to hear from you! Please direct your input to otm@wustl.edu.

Shorts by OTM

WashU Innovators! Are you new to working with OTM? Or just want to know more about tech transfer here at WashU? Introducing here a new video series, Shorts by OTM, a series of quick videos to help you learn more about OTM's resources and services. Look for more videos to come!

Featured News

Celebrating WashU innovation at the 8th annual Celebration of Inventors

What a night! Thank you to everyone who joined OTM for an evening of recognition, connection, and celebration as we honored the WashU 2024 USPTO patent awardees, recently elected National Academy of Inventors Fellow and Senior Members, and the recipient of the 2025 Chancellor's Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

For a list of all WashU 2024 USPTO patents and awardees—plus photos from Celebration of Inventors—read more here.

WashU IP Startups in the News

Varro Life Sciences expands in St. Louis

WashU IP startup Varro Life Sciences cut the ribbon on their new lab and R&D facility in the Cortex Innovation District on August 21st.

(Pictured here (l to r) are John Cirrito, PhD and Tom Cirrito, PhD, Co-founders of Varro and Greg Markiewicz, OTM New Ventures Principal.)

Learn more about the sibling scientists behind Varro Life Sciences

Two brothers combine their talents for science and innovation to save people from airborne threats.

AI-based breast cancer risk technology receives FDA Breakthrough Device designation

A new technology that harnesses AI to analyze mammograms and improve the accuracy of predicting a woman’s personalized five-year risk of developing breast cancer has received Breakthrough Device designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Developed by researchers at WashU Medicine, the software has been licensed to Prognosia Inc., a WashU startup company.

Innovative immunotherapy shows promise against aggressive T cell cancers

WashU startup’s “off-the-shelf” CAR-T cell therapy evaluated in international clinical trial.

AI-based brain-mapping software receives FDA market authorization

The FDA has authorized an AI-based brain-mapping software program developed by Eric Leuthardt, MD, the Shi H. Huang Professor of Neurological Surgery at WashU Medicine, to be marketed by Sora Neuroscience, a WashU startup company he founded with other faculty members.

OTM attends BIO International Conference 2025

OTM attended the BIO International Convention in Boston, June 16-19, to market WashU technologies and startups at the largest annual event for biotechnology.

Check out upcoming conferences OTM will be attending here.

OTM Programs

Venture Fellow shares experience

Jae Morris, postdoc in the Jez Lab, shares her experience as a 2024- 2025 Venture Fellow.

The Venture Fellows Program is currently available to Washington University postdoctoral researchers and offers an intensive 6-month curriculum that provides experiential learning in venture capital investing and company creation, as participating Fellows work alongside entrepreneurs, investors, and faculty in the St. Louis ecosystem. The 2025-2026 Venture Fellows cohort will kick off on Sept. 2nd.

Featured Technologies

Now available for licensing:

GDF-15: A Diagnostic Biomarker for Glaucoma

Gene-Specific Therapy Treatment for Predicting Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy

Hypervesiculating Gut Microbes for the Treatment of Chronic Gut Conditions

Ventricular Support Device that Reduces Left Ventricle Workload

Steerable Thermoablation Probe for Improved Access to Brain Lesions

Check out OTM's Innovation Catalog for a look at more technologies based on WashU intellectual property.

And, look for WashU technologies now being marketed on LinkedIn.

Upcoming Events

OTM Office Hours

Office Hours is an in-person educational series hosted by the Office of Technology Management that features current topics in tech transfer and innovation.

Check out upcoming Office Hours events here.

WashU Hosts Global Drug

Discovery Summit

Join us in welcoming the global drug discovery community at this year's ADDC Colloquium, right on our own WashU Medicine campus. It's the first time this event is being held in the Midwest and an opportunity for us to show 250+ scientists, investors and industry experts WashU's impact on drug discovery and human health.

Your OTM Team

Welcome to OTM

We welcome new team members: Eilyn Coil-Silver, Business Analyst IV, Tyler Howell, Accountant II, Angel Mitchell, Technology Commercialization Intern and Jackie Garcia Castorena, PhD, Technology Transfer Intern.

Learn more about our team of experts

OTM has a dedicated team of tech transfer professionals who are cross-functional subject matter experts, with extensive experience in the process of advancing WashU’s groundbreaking research into real-world innovations. Read more about the minds supporting innovation through OTM here.

As Seen on Social

Follow OTM on LinkedIn, X and YouTube for more news and timely updates on events!

Above: Members of OTM's Business Development & Licensing team kicked off the virtual Innovation Round Table — Oncology.

Read the post here

Above: OTM’s Jennifer Richards, PhD, presented “Intro to OTM” at the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics weekly Research Round-up.

Read the post here

About OTM

Our mission: OTM pairs cutting-edge research from Washington University in St. Louis with expertise to create a pipeline of opportunities that benefit society.

File a Disclo sure

Transfer Material

License WashU Innovation