Innovation happening in the Midwest

Feb 2021

SHARPhub Stories

Innovative approach to making surgery for back pain

far less invasive

Dr. Lisa Friis currently leads a team of researchers on a quest to use piezoelectric biomaterial in spinal implants to stimulate bone growth using low-level electrical signals. This development entails not only the creation of new material, but also understanding its potential impact on future implants, and creating new designs to incorporate these changes.

Is this a new way to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s?

One of Dr. Kasus-Jacobi’s primary focuses in her research lab is uncovering a molecular mechanism that employs the cationic antimicrobial protein CAP37 to affect neuro inflammation to develop peptide therapeutics that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

2020 Tibbetts Award Winner

BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting (BBCetc) is recognized with the prestigious 2020 Tibbetts Award

SHARPhub is an initiative of BBCetc and we’re proud to announce that they have been recognized — along with SHARPhub partners Tom Waverly and OK Catalyst — for promoting innovation and helping entrepreneurs secure SBIR/STTR funding.

News from the SHARPhub Region

NORTH DAKOTA

Don Warne named one of Explorers Club’s 50 people “changing the world”

Dr. Donald Warne, director of the Indians into Medicine and Master of Public Health Programs at the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences, has been selected as a member of the inaugural Explorers 50 (EC50) class of the Explorers Club based in New York City.

SOUTH DAKOTA

USD and Sanford to Unveil New Graduate Research Program

USD, in collaboration with Sanford Health, launched the Technology Readiness Acceleration Center (TRAC) to train graduate students in entrepreneurship and technology development.

KANSAS

COVID-19 rapid test in development at KU moves closer to commercial readiness

An at-home COVID-19 test developed by researchers at the University of Kansas is moving toward commercial production.

NEBRASKA

Creighton announces CL Werner Center for Health Sciences Education and the new home of the Creighton School of Medicine

A gift from CL and Rachel Werner will change the face of the campus and expand the university's national reputation as a leader in preparing students for inter-professional, team-based health care.

OKLAHOMA

Innovation Hub Prototyping Services

The Tom Love Innovation Hub prototyping services launched in 2020 to support entrepreneurs, researchers and help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the Innovation Hub will expand their prototyping services to include two new offerings, a water jet cutting machine and CNC mill.

Navigating the NIH grant application process

The complexity of assembling a grant application with the National Institutes of Health can be a confusing hurdle, especially for early-career researchers. Read this article to get a step-by-step look at how to submit a competitive grant application.

SHARPhub Training Opportunities

"From the Sources' Mouth"- Free virtual monthly presentation

This series features a different agency Program Manager each month, providing a briefing and Q&A about their SBIR/STTR programs. (See the full schedule here). The February program that will be happening on Feb 25th, features the National Cancer Institute. The following are the details:

"From the Sources' Mouth"- National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Feb 25 @ 10 to 11 am CST

Join this one-hour overview of the NCI SBIR/STTR program and learn, from the source, what’s needed to submit a successful proposal. You must complete the registration at this link https://bit.ly/3atTxZJ to receive the webinar call information.

Identifying SBIR/STTR funding opportunities and

developing Aims page for your project

March 10 @ 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Free Virtual Classroom

After this presentation, attendees will be able to understand how the SBIR/STTR program works at the National Institute of Health (NIH), identify agencies interested in funding your project, find the best institute or center for your innovation, and more.

Find out more

NIA and NHLBI Entrepreneur Workshop Series:

Corporate Governance and Management

March 16 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Free Virtual Presentation

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a series of entrepreneurship workshops for awardees and applicants seeking funding through NIH’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

Find out more

Save the Date!

MidWest Drug Development Conference plans to return in 2021

After the third annual MidWest Drug Development Conference was postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials are planning to bring the popular event back later this year. Planners have circled October 4-5 for the two-day conference.

Learn more

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About SHARPhub — an initiative of BBCetc

SHARPhub is the result of a 2018 FastTrack STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) grant awarded to BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting (BBCetc) by the National Institutes of Health. A significant part of SHARPhub’s focus is helping startups develop competitive SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) and STTR grant applications to provide seed capital to fund Research and Development at startup companies.