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UCI Applied Innovation

UCI Applied Innovation

A UCI Applied Innovation Publication

JUL2017

PAST TIDES 1 • 2nd Annual UCI Blackstone LaunchPad ANTrepreneur Awards• Connecting Things Event• Brews and Brains One Year Anniversary Event• BioENGINE Device Design Symposium• Medical Technology and Enterprise Consortium• Startup Weekend Orange County• Face to Face with Investors• AMP SoCal

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT 12Dr. Reginald Penner

EIR SPOTLIGHT 18David FriedmanKathleen McGrorty

ITG FEATURE 14Meet the Invention Transfer Group - Life Sciences

STARTUP SPOTLIGHT 9

Modulated Imaging

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Founders Letter

Founders Letter

Founders Letter

Strong ties between innovators and the capital resources that can bring their ideas to life are crucial to a thriving innovation ecosystem. I am proud to be involved with the work that UCI Applied Innovation and the Cove Fund are doing to strengthen those ties for our community. On a personal level, I enjoy the intellectual exposure to diverse innovation, young and dynamic entrepreneurs, and seasoned venture capital investors that work to bring these ideas to market. Beginning with brilliant leadership from Don and Ken Beall, Richard Sudek and his team, and the Founders Advisory Board, this organization is a winning formula for UCI, the excellent UCI faculty, and the Orange County business community. With the introduction of the Cove, UCI and OC entrepreneurs now have a fabulous creative work space that encourages collaboration and a culture of mentorship and support. Combine that with access to capital through the Cove Fund and other VC partners, and meaningful engagement with the local corporate community, it is clear to me that we are well positioned to further develop our local innovation ecosystem.

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Jim SlavikFounders Advisory Board

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The ceremony culminated with the 2016 ANTrepreneur of the Year award which was presented to Mark Deppe for eSports. Inspired by the ever-growing competitive video gaming industry, eSports is a UCI initiative that will be launched in the fall and will help UCI become a larger player in the world of gaming and organized multiplayer video game competitions. The eSports program will center around competition, academics, community and entertainment. The initiative will bring scholarships and teamwork to support UCI’s video gaming research and community. “We’re the first public school to go into competitive video games,” said Deppe.

Connecting Things Event

June 1

To kick off a month full of events, Connecting Things held a panel discussion at the Cove on June 1st about Creatives in Tech. The packed house came to hear panelist thoughts on creativity and innovation, as well as mingle and network before and after the event.

Amy Hood of design studio Hoodzpah was the moderator of the panel of local tech creatives which included Joel Beukelman, a designer of Android at Google, Josh Hemsley, the Head of Creative at Payroll, and Aubrey Johnson, a freelance designer and developer, who all have a great deal of experience in technology design and development in Orange County and Silicon Valley.

2nd Annual UCI Blackstone LaunchPad ANTrepreneur Awards

May 31

The 2nd Annual UCI Blackstone LaunchPad ANTrepreneur Awards honored dedicated UCI entrepreneurs for their hard work throughout the year.

The night began with opening remarks from David Ochi, Executive Director of Blackstone LaunchPad, who welcomed the audience and the described the format of the ceremony. “We have structured this event like an Oscars; in other words, there is not one ANTrepreneur of the Year Award that we just honor one person for being the best ANTrepreneur of the Year,” Ochi explained. “There’s a Best Movie but there’s also a lot of other awards, and that’s really designed to help you guys to see what other ANTrepreneurs are doing that really are outstanding efforts in areas of entrepreneurship.”

With over twenty-five award categories, Ochi and Blackstone LaunchPad Assistant Director Breanna Bremer alternated in introducing the different awards. Bremer and the Blackstone LaunchPad interns presented awards to the winners. In lieu of an acceptance speech, each winner gave a thirty second pitch describing their business to the audience of ANTrepreneurs, mentors, friends, and families. The event also recognized five ANTrepreneur advocates for their continued support of the Blackstone LaunchPad program and their pivotal roles in fostering entrepreneurship at UCI.

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The panelists discussed their backgrounds with risk-taking, moving to new jobs when opportunities presented themselves, and how experiences can shape employment paths while working in fulfilling roles, all with a focus on the growing community of creatives and tech enthusiasts in Orange County. With his experiences in different areas of California, Aubrey Johnson shared his belief that the continued growth of entrepreneurship in Orange County depends largely on entrepreneurs developing products or businesses focused on exiting into larger companies with a local presence such as Oracle or The Walt Disney Company, so that money can then be used to fund new startup

endeavors. “I think that some of the advantages to being here is that there are different types of creative… not everybody is a product designer and that’s kind of how it is in San Francisco and the Bay Area,” a point fellow panelist Hemsley agreed with enthusiastically.

The discussions continued on topics such as product design, hiring creative, growing innovation in technology, and the significance of tangible technology, and concluded with a long Q&A session where the panel answered questions ranging from website and app designs and interfaces to branding and companies being aware of their audience.

Jessica Quiki Foxi Best Female Owned Business

Joseph Cachapero Free Clinic Project Best Non-Profit Startup

Tyler Schiller Shark Fin Best Original Idea

Brett Weir Lamestation Best Marketing Technique

Fulya Ozcan Beatpool Best App

Brian Leung BottleRocket Best Growth Strategy

Maslow Construction Robots Best Environmental and Corporate Sustainability

Yasemin Sarigul-Klijn Red Lion Robotics Best Female Innovator

Ramin Rajaii Mindfull Best Male Innovator

Cyrus Taghehchian Flyt Visionary of the Year Natalie Sweis FailSafe Most Improved

Esosa Agbonwaneten Bulletin, LLC Most Dedicated

Eric Casavant Newport Flips Best Bootstrapping

Nathaniel Dalerio Serious Side Projects Best Prototype

Evan Schein Memorlane Best Pivot

Manisha Priyadarshini Xchange Best Problem

Students Social Sciences 189 Best Crowdfunding Campaign

Karan Kanwar Pippy Best Intellectual Property

Michaela Holland Anteater TV Most Impactful for the UCI Campus

Crystal Sanchez Guardian Locket Most Potential for Societal Impact

Carol Choi, Michael Dennin, Bill Maurer, Kristie Lin, and Annette Buckley ANTrepreneur Advocate

Alton Chisom Versafit Best Alumni ANTrepreneur

Gina Heitkamp Middle School Moguls Best Fund Raiser

Bart Greenberg Mentor of the Year

Tom Schultz Ideator Supporter of the Year

Mark Deppe UCI eSports ANTrepreneur of the Year

ANTrepreneur winners:

Blackstone LaunchPad Directors and Interns

ANTrepreneur

of the Year, Mark Deppe

Blackstone LaunchPad

Directors and Interns

Left to right: Moderator Amy Hood, and panelists Joel Beukelman, Josh Hemsley, and Aubrey Johnson.

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BioENGINE Device Design Symposium

June 9

On June 9th, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, and material science students presented their senior designs at the BioENGINE Device Design Symposium, the culmination of several months of hard work and collaboration with UCI Applied Innovation. The event recognized the hard work of the seniors by providing them opportunity to display their work and win the Capstone Design Awards and BioENGINE fellowships.

The engineering undergraduates proposed and crafted their designs as part of the capstone course. The course was year-long for the biomedical students and a two-quarter class for the material science students. The classes were conducted under the direction of Dr. Michelle Khine, Dr. Ron King, Dr. Christopher Hoo, and their graduate teaching assistants.

The Cove was a crucial part of the course experience for the students. Many utilized the Cove’s Maker Lab and conference rooms throughout the school year to complete projects. The students also received extensive mentorship from the Cove Experts in Residence.

The night started with opening remarks from Dr. Gregory Washington, Dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, and Dr. Ron King, Chief Scientific and Investment Officer of nonprofit BioAccel. Dean Washington thanked all of those involved in the BioENGINE process, from students to judges, and emphasized that he “got to see all of the projects… they are outstanding.” Next, Dr. Sophia Lin introduced the twenty student teams, each of which pitched their projects to the audience. After the pitches, the twenty teams went to their respective tables where they exhibited their projects and demoed prototypes for judges and guests.

The audience returned back to their seats after the demonstrations for a panel on healthcare innovation & technology that was moderated by Dr. Jay Lee, Associate Medical Director of Practice Transformation at MemorialCare Medical Foundation and Director of Health Policy at the Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program. The panelists included Dr. Bryce Johnson, Saddleback Hospital’s Chief of Surgery; Dr. Bobby Massoudian, Medical Director of the Miller Children’s Hospital Emergency Department of the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center; and Dr. Gregory Thomas, Medical Director of the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute. The panel gave advice to the biomedical students

Brews and Brains One Year Anniversary Event

June 7

Brews & Brains celebrated its One Year Anniversary at the Cove with talks from UCI Professors, drinks, and science trivia. The night began with opening remarks from co-founder and Mechanical Science graduate student researcher Mike Bryant. Bryant discussed the group’s origins and presented a video from Sandra Tsing Loh, the

host of science radio program “The Loh Down on Science”. Loh and her science communications class inspired Bryant and Pharmacology graduate student researcher, Nayna Sanathara, to create Brews & Brains. Since March 2015, the organization brings together UCI graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to help them augment their communication and public speaking skills. Every other Tuesday, they discuss their innovative research and practice presenting it in TED style talks in front of a supportive audience. “[To get better at communicating], you need to practice in a close knit group to bounce ideas”, says Bryant.

The event featured two UCI Professors who spoke about their research in ten minute TED- style talks. Dr. Stephen Mahler of the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior spoke about mind control, optogenetics, artificial mind control through viruses, and its ethical concerns. “I believe virus- based clinical neuroscience [will be used] by 2065”, says Mahler. Dr. Tom Boellstorff gave a presentation on virtual worlds and human journeys. Boellstorff studies culture in virtual worlds and individuals’ experiences in them. In particular, he focuses especially on individuals with disabilities. On the Cove’s Hiperwall screen, he displayed the online virtual world Second Life where an audience gathered to listen to Boellstorff’s presentation and comment on certain aspects through the chat bar. In between speakers, Activate to Captivate founder Bri McWhorter conducted a friendly science trivia competition. The trivia rounds challenged teams created from guests at each table to answer questions in areas such as biology, physics, and earth science.

For the closing remarks, the members reflected on the past year by describing their favorite aspects of the organization. “It’s great to have scholars of different fields together to enjoy a brew and talk about some brainy stuff”, says Brews & Brains co-founder Sanathara.

Amused participants listen to trivia clues.

Student team Anavasi.

Teams work together in pitching their ideas.

and highlighted some of biggest challenges in the medical space that need solving. As Dr. Thomas explained, “We’re excited about inventions. A lot don’t make it, but the ones that do make it can be home runs and change the lives of millions of people around the world.”

Afterward, BioAccel CEO MaryAnn Guerra presented the Capstone Design Awards and the three BioENGINE fellowships. The BioENGINE fellowship gave a $1,000 stipend to each team and the opportunity to continue working on their products in an incubator. Of the twenty teams, nine competed for the BioENGINE fellowships. The BioENGINE fellowships were awarded to Syntr Health Tech, K9 BioWalk, and Opticom. “We got a lot of experience especially in 3D printing, pitching, and teamwork,” says Monique Wonderly of K9 BioWalk. “It was great being able to apply the skills [we] learned in the classroom to industry.”

CeleriBio Patented technology to identify bacteria and determine which antibiotic will be effective

Embrylux Imaging device that screens for intrinsic markers that indicate a healthy embryo

K9 BioWalk A 3-D printed prosthetic device made from PLA (polylactide) for dogs

Ohana A cost effective device to improve detection of children who are forgotten in a vehicle

Osteoforge Biomimetic bone fixture screws made of material based off of the human bone’s mechanical and biological properties

Design Capstone Winners:

Syntr Health Tech Product: Aplyex: A device that uses centrifugal and Lab-on-Chip microfluidics to collect stem cells from bone marrow

K9 BioWalk Product: Model P: A 3-D printed prosthetic device made from PLA (polylactide) for dogs

Opticom Product: OncoSpect: A portable monitoring device that tracks breast tumors for cancer patients

To learn more about the student teams, visit: http://www.projects.uci.design

BioENGINE Fellowship Winners:

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Medical Technology and Enterprise Consortium

June 21

The Medical Technology and Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) brought UCI Applied Innovation, the UCI Office of Research, and interested entrepreneurs together to learn about MTEC and opportunities to pursue consortium project funding.

The day began with a network lunch, where guests were able to meet and connect with others interested in the medical technology field, and then everyone gathered in the Beach to hear Executive Director for Federal Research Relations in the UCI Office of Research, Kristen Pugh, introduce the guests to MTEC and the presenters. Of the three presenters who work for the U.S. Army Medical

Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC), two gave their talks using the teleconferencing capabilities in the Beach. The audience was able to listen to MTEC Program Managers, Dr. James Phillips and Polly Graham, while viewing their presentations on the Hiperwall. They touched upon topics such as MTEC’s public-private partnership, project solicitation process, and benefits of being an MTEC member. Between Dr. Phillip and Graham’s presentations, Executive Director Stacey Lindbergh discussed how to optimize the health and performance of our nation’s army members and showed a brief video clip about former U.S. Army Sergeant Brendan Marrocco, a quadruple amputee who received a double arm transplant, and his recovery process.

After the presentations, Dr. Phillips and Graham stayed on the teleconferencing line and were able to take turns answering the guests’ questions and elaborating on answers the other gave.

Startup Weekend Orange County

June 24

Aspiring entrepreneurs from all over Orange County came together at the Cove on June 24th for Startup Weekend Orange County. The event is a competition that puts creative energy and entrepreneurial spirit to the test as teams compete to develop a business model over the span of a weekend. Startup Weekend is a fairly well-known competition, and regularly holds events in a number of different cities and counties in countries all over the world.

On Friday night, participants pitched pre-existing business ideas. The most popular ideas were chosen by competitors, and then they were broken up into fifteen teams to begin development of their startups. Judges warned – half in jest and truth –

that the ideas pitched would change completely by the end of the weekend.

Come Sunday, the models pitched by teams were much more developed, including some that were indeed completely different from what they started out as. All fifteen teams pitched their businesses and then answered questions from the four judges, who proceeded to deliberate on winner selection.

We Groove – a Cove Share team – came out on top as the judges’ first choice. We Groove is an app that utilizes a user’s music streaming history to compile playlists for specific situations, such as driving to work or going to the gym. According to We Groove, their use of algorithms and technology from the iPhone to make playlists extremely customized gives it a competitive edge against Spotify’s well-known Discover feature. The team at We Groove is excited about the win and looks forward to growing their business further with help from the Cove.

Face to Face with Investors

June 27

A mixer at the Cove hosted by Tech Coast Angels and K5 Ventures, both Cove ecosystem residents, gave entrepreneurs the chance to network with investors on June 27th. The event focused on relationship-building, meeting and pitching investors.

The night started off with a panel of investors moderated by Mei Tsang, managing partner of intellectual property law firm Fish & Tsang LLP. The panelists featured Grant Van Cleve, President of Tech Coast Angels OC, Robin Pimentel, Partner at K5 Ventures, Hans Imhof, Managing Director of the Cove Fund, Kim Kovacs, Managing Director at Golden Seeds, and Sergio Gurrieri, Partner at ACE Fund (and President Tech Coast Angels SD). The panel discussed some key things they personally look for in startup companies. “[I mostly look at] the entrepreneur, I want them to have a great team that covers every direction and they are passionate about their company,” explained Imhof. The panel explained that while a business plan is important,

it is constantly changing as the market changes. Good entrepreneurs will be able to find ways to adapt with change.

Afterwards, entrepreneurs had the opportunity to pitch to investors. Each entrepreneur had 90 seconds to deliver their pitch and then received valuable feedback and insights from the investors as well as from a speech coach.

The final part of the night was a roundtable where guests were able to sit down with investors for feedback and suggestions about their ventures. Three roundtables were set-up in conference rooms throughout the Cove. Guests had the opportunity to discuss their startups with groups of 2 to 3 investors.

“The whole idea for this event is for [entrepreneurs] to meet face-to-face with investors, ask questions and receive feedback,” said host Ray Chan of K5 Ventures, who is also an active Tech Coast Angels investor.

Kristen Pugh, Executive Director for Federal Research Relations in the UCI Office of Research

UCI Applied Innovation Director of Collaborative Venturing Matt Bailey speaks to Startup Weekend Orange County Attendees

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Startup Spotlight

AMP SoCal

June 30

The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California (AMP SoCal) hosted an Innovation Forum on June 30th which focused on technology transfers through local universities and how to apply them to commercial use.

The morning began with a presentation and an introduction of the AMP SoCal program from the moderator, Libby Williams, the Project Manager for AMP SoCal, located at the USC Center for Economic Development. The event featured presentations from 5 universities in the Southern California region: USC, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UCLA, and UCI. Along with the universities, Sandia National Laboratories also provided information of their services. Each speaker spoke about the current research technology available to small businesses around the Southern California region to further the advancement and growth in the industry of Aerospace and Defense.

“...Being able to see some of the people who are in charge of the actual transfer of technology and shake their hands and sit face to face can

never be replicated in the virtual world.”, said Steven Bledsoe, an audience member from Pasadena, California. This event was an opportunity for small businesses to expand their network with the help of local universities and organizations in their region.

...Being able to see some of the people who are in charge of the

actual transfer of technology and shake their hands and sit face to

face can never be replicated in the virtual world.

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David Cuccia is the CEO and CTO of Modulated Imaging, a start-up based in Irvine, CA that uses spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI), an alternate method of viewing tissue, to make medical diagnoses.

As an undergraduate at UCI, Mr. Cuccia developed spatial frequency domain imaging, and decided to make this new technology the subject of his doctoral dissertation, which he published in 2006. He chose to pursue his graduate studies at UCI because of what he had begun researching at the Beckman Laser Institute.

NEW MEDICAL TECH HAS UCI JUST UNDER THE SURFACE

He credits UCI for much of the success of Modulated Imaging; through UCI’s Small Business Innovative Research Program, Mr. Cuccia applied for and merited grants totalling over $7 million that helped fund his research. “UCI has been instrumental in helping us receive seed funding for the company’s corporate development and assisted with its conversion into a real medical device company.” Mr. Cuccia said.

Post-graduation, Mr. Cuccia started Modulated Imaging and developed his technology into a

machine called the Ox-Imager, which can be found in numerous research, medical, and academic institutions around the country. Using off-the-shelf, consumer-grade components, the Ox-Imager uses light to look beneath the surface of the skin and make diagnostics regarding the health of tissue. He specifically hopes to use the technology for breakthroughs in studying diabetes, by looking into the blood flow of patients legs and tissue health of their feet. His ultimate goal is preventing the ulcers and amputations that often occur in diabetes patients.

Modulated Imaging has worked with UCI through the research grants to validate technology and to make it available in clinical settings. As a student at UCI, Mr. Cuccia was able to build the first model of the Ox-Imager at the incubator, and then wheel it next door to the Beckman Laser Institute to test it.

Although the Cove was not in existence at the time Mr. Cuccia was a student, the various resources he used to develop the foundations of Modulated Imaging are now all housed at the Cove under UCI Applied Innovation. He sees the Cove’s inception as an incredible opportunity for current students and researchers to take advantage of all the resources UCI offers students under one roof, particularly the Invention Transfer Group and entrepreneurship training.

“As a small company, when we were getting started, it was very difficult to find the different resources.” Mr. Cuccia said. “The fact that this is now under one roof is a really fantastic for startups.”

As for Orange County’s growth as an innovation district, Mr. Cuccia is very excited. “There’s a really unique combination of medical device companies, technological innovation and university resources,” he said. “It’s really fantastic place to be and I can only see it growing from here.

To learn more about David Cuccia and Modulated Imaging, visit the website at: http://modulatedimaging.com/

UCI Graduate David Cuccia, CEO and CTO, Modulated Imaging

The Ox-Imager exposes what’s beneath the surface of a hand.

DAVID CUCCIA WORKED THROUGH UCI RESEARCH GRANTS TO VALIDATE AND PLACE HIS TECHNOLOGY IN THE HANDS OF CLINICS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

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Faculty Spotlight

Imagine an iPhone that never dies—no more having to look at the battery percentage slowly decrease until that fatal 1%. That dream is on the horizon thanks to Penner Research Group team member and UCI doctoral candidate Mya Le Thai who recently discovered a crucial technology that could create a battery that lasts up to 400 times longer than the batteries currently in use.

Coming from a nanotechnology lab in her undergrad years, Le Thai joined Dr. Penner’s team excited by the opportunity to continue researching and explore her curiosities in the physical chemistry field. One such curiosity that she approached Dr. Penner about was attempting to create a solid-state battery to move away from traditional lithium ion batteries.

“...Just give it a try. Maybe it will work out,” Dr. Penner told Le Thai – and work out it did. The combination that she tried – gold nanowires, a manganese dioxide coating, and a polymer-based gel – ended up creating a circuit that could last 200,000 charges and discharges.

“The big problem with batteries is they’re too bulky and they don’t last long enough,” explains Dr. Penner. “This is why phones, laptops, and even electric cars need to be recharged so often and hold so little.” Teams all over the world have

WE VISITED DR. PENNER’S RESEARCH GROUP TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO THEIR RECENT BATTERY DISCOVERY AND ITS COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL.

PENNER RESEARCH GROUP

Penner Research Group team member and UCI Doctoral candidate Mya Le Thai displays a test circuit.

been hoping to create batteries with increased efficiency. According to Dr. Penner, the obvious choice for this is not nanowires. While potentially quite powerful, “[Nanowires] don’t last very long. They corrode every time you charge and discharge the battery, which means that these batteries die faster than the ones we have now. What makes this discovery different is the polymer gel that acts as a stabilizer, so the wire can withstand more strain. The gel holds the nanowires together and prevents them from fragmenting.”

This discovery could be instrumental in moving us closer to smaller and lighter batteries that can last a lifetime. This technology can change the way cars are made, phones are handled, and life is lived. Dr. Penner said that vehicles are an area that could benefit tremendously from the breakthrough. “Cars need high power to generate, and that’s where nanowires have a big impact – in generating more power.” Even cell phones can be lighter, perhaps decreasing their width and adding space to have a higher computing power with longer battery life. Le Thai jokes that the research actually began out of personal cell phone frustration. “I just hate that my phone keeps dying so much!” But her passion for innovation reaches much deeper. When asked what inspires her in life, Le Thai said “I want to create something useful, I like to help people”

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ITG Feature

Ronnie Hanecak, Ph.D., Assistant Vice Chancellor, Technology Alliances

1. What is your educational and professional background? How did you come to work for the Invention Transfer Group?

I graduated from UC San Diego with a BA in Biology before receiving my Ph.D. in Microbiology from the State University of New York where I studied RNA viruses called picornaviruses (examples include those viruses that cause the common cold and poliovirus). Prior to working for more than a decade in the biotechnology industry, I carried out cancer research here at UC Irvine with Professor Hung Fan, first as a Leukemia Society Postdoctoral Fellow and later as Co-Principal Investigator and Project Manager of a government funded consortia grant on carcinogenesis. I subsequently joined Ionis Pharmaceuticals (previously Isis Pharmaceuticals) where I focused on the discovery of drug candidates for infectious diseases. I also managed and expanded multimillion dollar research and development projects between Ionis and Japanese pharmaceutical companies. I joined UCI following the acquisition of a biotechnology startup I was working for in San Diego. Thanks to a contact at UCI that I had befriended while a post-doctoral researcher (we ran together in 5K races held in Orange County), I was made aware of an available licensing officer position, applied for the job, and became an Anteater.

2. What is your specific role in ITG?

I have the good fortune to oversee a group of 11 highly-educated, experienced, and extraordinarily competent professionals working within ITG. My role is to continue navigating the office toward greater success in licensing and startups, including engaging UCI’s researchers and the local business community in translating UCI’s brilliant discoveries into products that benefit society. Specifically this includes supporting the licensing activities of the staff, the final review and execution of diverse technology license agreements along with

other campus engagements that encompass a variety of interactions between UCI and industry. I can connect well with faculty because I have experience both in academic research and in industry having worked for two startups. In addition, I manage UCI inventions and represent the ITG to internal (UC system-wide and UCI) and external groups.

3. What has been your favorite memory of working with ITG or UCI Applied Innovation so far?

Most of my focus has necessarily been on the ITG operation, but I have had opportunities to discuss business planning and technology development with several of the student entrepreneurs working here at UCI Applied Innovation. The students are bright and I find their enthusiasm motivating. The teams participating in the most recent business plan competition were amazing. The daily flow of interesting professionals and entrepreneurs through UCI Applied Innovation is another huge advantage to being located here.

4. What is one piece of advice you’d like to give to student innovators?

Take full advantage of all of the incredible resources and expertise available at UCI Applied Innovation….there are mentors and advisors that have walked in these shoes before you.

5. What is an interesting fact about yourself that not many people know about?

Many years ago, I thought that I wanted to pursue taxidermy as a career. So, when I was fifteen years old, I worked in a taxidermy office for one summer in the Philippine Islands. One time during that summer my parents received multiple calls that I was riding around on my motorcycle with a live crow on my shoulder. It was NOT alive, but I appreciated their compliments on my work. Based on that summer’s taxidermy experience, I decided that I greatly preferred interacting with the various reptiles (mainly huge pythons), birds and other organisms when they are alive rather than as preserved and stuffed specimens.

Meet the Invention Transfer Group - Life Sciences

Ronnie Hanecak, Ph.D., Assistant Vice Chancellor, Technology Alliances

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Casie Kelly, Ph.D., Senior Licensing Officer

1. What is your educational and professional background? How did you come to work for the Invention Transfer Group?

I was a dual major at UCLA, earning bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and in Microbiology & Molecular Genetics. From there I went to Harvard to complete a PhD in Microbiology. While at Harvard, part of my PhD thesis was to develop a panel of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of Staphylococcus infections. During this process I was exposed to the patenting and licensing activities at Harvard and worked with the tech transfer office and patent attorneys as an inventor. This peaked my interest in the technology transfer field and after graduation, I took a position at UCLA’s technology transfer office where I was mentored by the licensing

officer responsible for UCLA’s blockbuster Xandi deal. I also became a patent agent while employed at UCLA. After six years in UCLA’s tech transfer office, I was offered a Senior Licensing Officer position at UCI, which afforded me the opportunity for additional responsibilities and to return to my hometown in Orange County.

2. What is your specific role in ITG?

I am the Assistant Director of Life Sciences and I manage our patent prosecution group, our internship program, and one ITG licensing officer. In addition to those responsibilities, I manage a portfolio of life science inventions where I work with faculty, staff and students to identify aspects of their research with commercial potential. I evaluate new inventions, manage the patent prosecution process, and license the university’s patent rights to both established companies and startups.

3. What has been your favorite memory of working with ITG or UCI Applied Innovation so far?

It has been nearly four years since I joined the office here at UCI and I’ve seen such an amazing transformation take place with the development of the Cove. It allows our office to have more visibility on campus and provide programs and resources that we’ve never been able to provide before. There are not a lot of universities that could have successfully created a place like the Cove and it demonstrates UCI’s desire to engage with the community and create support for entrepreneurial activity in Orange County.

4. What is one piece of advice you’d like to give to student innovators?

Embrace failure and don’t be too hard on yourself when it happens, because it will happen.

5. What is an interesting fact about yourself that not many people know about?

During my younger years, I spent a lot of time competing at the national level as a majorette (a.k.a. Baton twirling). I think the experience helps me to juggle all my responsibilities here at ITG!

Holger Roehl, Ph.D., MBA, Assistant Director, Alliance Dev., Senior Licensing Officer

1. What is your educational and professional background? How did you come to work for the Invention Transfer Group?

I have a PhD in microbiology, an MBA, and I came here out of the biotech industry when I was exploring different opportunities.

2. What is your specific role in ITG?

I do three things. The first is alliance management support for the university’s medical and life sciences research initiatives. Second, I help and advise UCI technology based startup ventures, and third, is the standard licensing activities.

3. What has been your favorite memory of working with ITG or UCI Applied Innovation so far?

What I enjoy most is helping out startup companies and folks who are interested in starting new ventures.

4. What is one piece of advice you’d like to give to student innovators?

I’m not sure that I would necessarily distinguish between student innovators and innovators in general. The first advice I would give is to not consider yourself a student innovator, consider yourself an innovator, and then do your homework, start setting-up and pitching your company, be prepared for a lot of rejection, and don’t take no for an answer.

5. What is an interesting fact about yourself that not many people know about?

I enjoy bicycling – road and mountain bikes.

Holger Roehl, Ph.D., MBA, Assistant Director, Alliance Dev., Senior Licensing Officer

Casie Kelly, Ph.D., Senior Licensing Officer

Maria Tkachuk, Ph.D., Licensing Officer

1. What is your educational and professional background? How did you come to work for the Invention Transfer Group?

I earned my Ph.D. in Biology from Basel University in Switzerland. Later, I began work as a PostDoc at Stanford University with a focus on stem cell research. I then took a position as Technology Specialist at Wilson Sonsini Law Firm in Silicon Valley. As my work moved out of the laboratory and towards the business of science, I became a registered Patent Agent. For the last ten years, I have been working for the Invention Transfer Group at UC Irvine.

2. What is your specific role in ITG?

I am a Licensing Officer focused on Life Sciences for ITG.

3. What has been your favorite memory of working with ITG or UCI Applied Innovation so far?

Currently, I am witnessing the spectacular expansion of a small team of licensing professionals into a broad network that facilitates

technological innovation in Orange County. While at ITG, I have enjoyed working alongside bright and forward-thinking scientists. I have witnessed firsthand how an idea germinates and grows into a viable company, and then how that company evolves and develops products that eventually come to the market. It is a powerful feeling to have a real product in your hands, to see how it helps and impacts real people, and know that you played a part in this process from its beginning when you received the Record of Invention, the very first document that described the idea.

4. What is one piece of advice you’d like to give to student innovators?

The best advice that I can give to student innovators is to remain focused on your new ideas and technologies. It is important to collaborate and build a strong team around your inventions and innovations.

5. What is an interesting fact about yourself that not many people know about?

I love skiing. I love the speed and adrenaline of it.

Maria Tkachuk, Ph.D., Licensing Officer

18 | EiR Spotlight

18 | EiR Spotlight

EiR Spotlight | 19

EiR Spotlight | 19

UCI

UCI

THE COVE

THE COVE

EiR Spotlight

David Friedman

David Friedman is a tech-savvy marketing and operations executive with an expertise in bringing to market new technology particularly in wireless, software and the internet. He is currently a member of the TechCoastAngels He writes a blog on business issues and has been a guest speaker at entrepreneurial meetings. He is a co-founder of C-Level Partners, a consultancy focused on startups and small to mid-cap companies who are experiencing turbulence in their markets and changes in their product life cycle. Prior to this he was a senior executive at Connexion by Boeing, ATX Group (now Sirius Connected Car), and Narus.

Who or what has been your greatest inspiration in life?

My grandmother was my greatest inspiration. She was an immigrant from Russia, coming over as a young girl in the late 1880s. She never learned to read the English language, but she spent time with me, talking to me and making sure that I read to her and learned the alphabet. She taught me and encouraged me from an early age that I can be successful in anything I want to do. Given the struggles she faced growing up, working as a young girl, and supporting a family, I believe I can endure the little things that I face versus the huge challenges she faced. A second inspiration was a mentor when I worked for the Federal Government. His name was Whit Dodson, a former Marine colonel who was tough as nails and a great negotiator, but taught me how a leader should act and build a team.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a new entrepreneur?

Focus! Make sure you stay on the one track that leads to success. Make sure nothing detracts you from the end goal. But, make sure you do it with respect for others and with integrity. I have seen too many entrepreneurs lose their integrity and discipline when their business became too difficult.

Why did you decide to become a Cove Expert-In-Residence?

I like to teach and want to give back to budding entrepreneurs. I believe mentorship is important and wish I had a mentor very early in my career. Eventually, I want to again be an operational executive of a funded startup and perhaps helping as an EiR will provide a path to that end goal.

If you could pick a superpower what would it be and why?

It would be ideal to have the power to see and affect the future, in essence being a time traveler. It’s similar to the character Scott Bakula (NCIS New Orleans star) played in Quantum Leap. He had the power to change the future by his actions in the past, but was judicious in using this power. But wouldn’t it be nice to see what would happen in your business and make the best decisions because you know the future results?

Kathleen McGrorty

Kathleen McGrorty is CEO of NewView, which provides individual and group coaching, facilitation services and strategic advisory services to businesses and individuals. For over 30 years Kathleen has worked and consulted in a variety of business environments, including financial services, manufacturing, technology, retail, and global supply chain. She has had the privilege to facilitate CEOs and business executive teams as they align their business plans with many of today’s business risk issues. She is involved in community and philanthropic organizations such as Girl Scouts of America and The Salvation Army. She has an BA in American Studies from Rutgers University.

Who or what has been your greatest inspiration in life?

I’ll give you a concrete answer first. The concrete answer to that happens to be my great-grandmother...she pulled herself up by her own bootstraps and became a woman who was quite successful in the dress-making trade... She’s been an inspiration for me because she is a woman who lived a life as a single mother well before her time. She made choices to live her life the way she wanted to in a time when very few women were able to do that, so she’s inspired me quite a bit. The other thing that inspires me is the commitment to self-knowledge. I try to understand who I am and how that affects the rest of the people around me, and the more I can understand myself, I can get inspiration from how I learn to adjust what I know about myself to help other people be the best that they can be… I can’t control anything except me… That’s the greatest thing that I can offer another person, is my own self-awareness and my own self-confidence.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a new entrepreneur?

Seek discomfort. If you’re given two paths and one of them is the easy path, take the hard path. And I’m sure a lot of people already know this, but you learn more when you struggle.

Why did you decide to become a Cove Expert-In-Residence?

I was introduced to the EIR program by a friend of mine who I was coaching. I’m a business coach… Through connections with the right people, I became an expert in residence, and it’s been really just a short time that I’ve been here, but I’ve already been able to, I think, contribute to some ideas and directions that people want to go in.

If you could pick a superpower what would it be and why?

The power of the individual. The thing that nobody really sees is that when you stand in front of somebody, you have immense power just as you. A lot of people don’t expect to have someone who is powerful in a very quiet way because they are in the moment. They’re in the moment because they are aware of everything that is going on around them. That is one of the most difficult things to do, but that is one of the most powerful things to be.

20 | Making Waves

20 | Making Waves

Making Waves | 21

Making Waves | 21

UCI

UCI

THE COVE

THE COVE

Nanomedical Diagnostics Demos New Product at the Cove, Revisiting UCI Roots

Brett Goldsmith, a UCI alumnus, and his partner, Ross Bundy, have revolutionized the medical field with their company, Nanomedical Diagnostics, or Nanomed. Based out of San Diego, Nanomed created a graphene-based biosensor called AGILE technology that provides medical professionals with increased diagnostic accuracy and speed at a fraction of the current cost. Graphene, the invention that won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics, is a single atom thick layer of bonded carbon.

Although AGILE technology officially launches in August, Nanomed hosted a demonstration at the Cove to promote their product, answering questions about their product’s uses, origins, and capabilities. They chose the Cove because of its role as one of the premier places for innovation in Southern California, as well as for its personal ties to UCI. The company of 12 employs 3 UCI alumni, and Goldsmith earned his PhD in Physics here in 2008.

“A lot of what I do can be traced back to UCI,” Goldsmith said. “UCI takes a truly progressive, entrepreneur-friendly approach to students and affiliates who are trying to start companies. Having a large university help drive that forward in a way that is IP-friendly, facilities-friendly is really valuable and I expect great things out of Orange County because of it.”

For more information about Nanomed and AGILE technology, visit http://www.nanomedicaldiagnostics.com/

Cove Share Startups Visit the White House

UCI alumni Esosa Agbonwaneten, founder of Bulletin LLC, Kimberly Veliz and Nicole Mendoza, co-founders of Slapband Vitals, and Kathy Eiler, Director of Federal Relations for UCI, all were invited to the White House to participate in and explore the National Maker Faire. Agbonwaneten graduated with a B.S. in Public Health Science and a double Minor in Digital Information Systems & Anthropology in 2014, Veliz graduated with a Bachelor’s in both Biomedical Engineering and Material Science Engineering in 2016, and Mendoza completed both a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering in 2013 and a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering in 2016.

Slapband Vitals uses wearable wristbands to monitor vitals associated with blood pressure. The sensors inside the wristbands were designed in a biomedical engineering lab at UCI, and featured prominently at the National Maker Faire. Bulletin is an app designed to keep students on track, from helping a student managing her busy schedule to offering wide-view university statistics that can help identify at-risk students for early intervention.

Agbonwaneten, Mendoza, and Veliz spent time captivating the attention of many people during this event, including high-ranking officials from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the National Science Foundation. As UCI alumni, these young women show the strong entrepreneurial spirit that keeps growing in Orange County.

For more information about Slapband Vitals, visit http://www.slapbandvitals.com

For more information about Bulletin LLC, visit http://bulletinapp.org/

Making Waves

Making Waves

5141 CALIFORNIA AVENUEIRVINE, CA 92697-7700949-824-COVE (2683)COVE@UCI.EDUinnovation.uci.edu

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JULY TIDES

7.01.16 Friday 8:00 am Yoga at the Beach

7.01.16 Friday 12:00 pm Lunch & Learn with Sue Duris

7.06.16 Wednesday 8:00am One Million Cups

7.08.16 Friday 12:00 pm Lunch & Learn with Mercedes Bankston

7.08.16 Friday 7:00 pm Inventors Forum: Speaker Series

7.09.16 Saturday 8:00 am Word Camp OC

7.10.16 Sunday 9:45 am Word Camp OC

7.13.16 Wednesday 8:00 am One Million Cups

7.13.16 Wednesday 6:30 pm The Past, Present & Future of Virtual & Augmented Reality

7.15.16 Friday 8:00 am Yoga at the Beach

7.15.16 Friday 12:00 pm Lunch & Learn with Scott Lopez

7.19.16 Tuesday 5:30 pm TriTech SBDC: Business Entities - Choosing your Company Structure

7.20.16 Wednesday 8:00 am One Million Cups

7.20.16 Wednesday 6:00 pm Tech Panel: Data Science - Trusted Relationships & Scientific Innovations

7.22.16 Friday 12:00 pm Lunch & Learn with Andrew Bertolina

7.27.16 Wednesday 8:00 am One Million Cups

7.27.16 Wednesday 6:00pm OC Tech Happy Hour

7.29.16 Friday 12:00 pm Lunch & Learn with Kevin Daly