March 30, 2009

SIU Med School Sponsors Research and Technology Transfer Conference

Research commercialization will be the topic of an educational conference for health care innovators, researchers and investors offered by the Office of Technology Transfer at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and Q5 Medical Industry Initiative of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.  The conference is 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, at the Capital City Training Center, 130 West Mason St., Springfield.

“The goal of this program is to provide information to prospective entrepreneurs, scientists, investors and health care providers about how medical technologies can be developed into local commercial ventures.  We hope this information can translate into economic development possibilities throughout the central Illinois region,” said Robert Patino, J.D., director of the SIU Office of Technology Transfer and course director.

The conference begins with “The Incubation Factory: Bridging the Gap to Commercialization” by Bill Rowe, principal partner at The Incubation Factory in St. Louis.  “Mobius Therapeutics: An Overview” will be presented by Ed Timm, chief executive officer of Mobius Therapeutics in St. Louis, which highlights a start-up company success story.

Afternoon sessions are “Technology Transfer Workshop” and “Next Steps” presented by Patino.

This is the third meeting of a new technology coalition that has begun meeting in central Illinois.  The coalition members are Blackburn College, Bradley University, Illinois College, Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Knox College, Lewis and Clark Community College, Millikin University, Quincy University, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, University of Illinois at Springfield, and Western Illinois University.

There is no charge for the conference, which is open to the public, but pre-registration is required.  Contact SIU’s Office of Technology Transfer at 217-545-6397 weekdays.

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