Last week, over 120 of the brightest minds in New York’s bio/med industry came together at the Saunders Research Building on the University of Rochester campus for learning and networking. We were lucky enough to go, so we’re passing that luck along to you by sharing the cool things we learned.
The afternoon began with research posters, giving us a sense of what medical technology discoveries are on their way. After a quick peek, featured speakers quickly dove into a variety of informative sessions.
- First up was Peter Robinson, the Vice President & COO of the University of Rochester Medical Center. Peter described the Empire Discovery Institute (EDI), a new joint initiative by the University of Rochester, the University at Buffalo, and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. EDI will be a drug discovery partnership that strives to transform scientific breakthroughs into viable pharmaceuticals that can be commercialized. You can learn more about EDI in Governor Cuomo’s press release.
- Next up was Luminate’s top winner, Leslie Kimerling, CEO of Double Helix Optics . Leslie spoke about her experience in the Luminate Accelerator and what her highly innovative company is working on. Double Helix allows scientists to see 3D images at the nano level; its SPINDLE integrates seamlessly with most microscopes. Double Helix Optics is establishing an office in Rochester with the intention of extending its current manufacturing and design operations locally. The company is also partnering with Rochester-based firms to integrate its technology into their product lines to enable advanced 3D imaging and object capture. Worth noting: Luminate is now accepting applications for the second cohort. You can apply here, or learn more in our upcoming webinar.
- Luisa Davies presented next, covering all things about the Upstate Stem Cell cGMP Facility. What’s cGMP? It’s current good manufacturing practice. Take a look at this state-of-the-art facility by visiting their website.
- After a brief break, we regrouped. Greg Gdowski, PhD, was up next. He talked all about the Center for Medical Technology & Innovation. It has a unique program where they place engineers in operating rooms so they can find ways to improve efficiencies through innovation. This unusual program resides within Biomedical Engineering and is a joint effort of the Hajim School of Engineering and the School of Medicine & Dentistry.
- David Mitten, MD, then talked about Health Labs at UR. These are an intersection between data science and medicine. They’re creating breakthrough systems that use AI, machine learning, and so much more. It’s pretty neat!
- Telehealth was the penultimate topic of the day, presented by Clinical Project Director Brenda Bartock. Increasingly, tech is being used to bring care to people in disparate locations. University departments, local health IT venders, insurers, and community groups have come together to improve access to quality healthcare for all.
- The afternoon wrapped up with some words from Paul Ballentine of the Center for Emerging & Innovative Sciences at the U of R. Economic development through collaboration is the name of the game now. They’ve created 200+ jobs in 10 years through their leadership in the region.
What a day! So much information and so many cool initiatives going on in our area. We also enjoyed networking with all the biomed folks assembled for this great event. Want to stay up to date on MedTech’s offerings? Visit their website.
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