Saif Islam Appointed New Director of the Davis Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) – Office of Research

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Saif Islam
February 10, 2022 The University of California, Davis, Office of Research is pleased to announce the appointment of Saif Islam, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as the new director of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) at UC Davis, effective January 3, 2022, for a five year term.

CITRIS is a four-campus institute comprising the Berkeley, Davis, Merced and Santa Cruz campuses of the University of California. CITRIS at UC Davis leverages the strength and expertise of the research community in engineering, nanoscience, law and medicine to address complex challenges related to food, health, the environment and society.

Islam will take over the leadership of CITRIS Davis from Bahram Ravani, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who has served as center director since January 1, 2016.

“Professor Islam’s robust background in academia, research and industry, combined with his passion for advancing new ideas and solutions through collaboration offers tremendous opportunity to extend the impact of CITRIS,” said Prasant Mohapatra, vice chancellor for research at UC Davis.

Islam Hopes to Solve Complex Societal Challenges By Strengthening Stakeholder Collaborations

Islam arrives in his new role with considerable experience in technology translation, research and academic leadership, team building and collaborations with university, industry and national labs.

“I see CITRIS as an incredibly effective platform to promote closer interactions and dialog between technologists of different disciplines at UC Davis and societal stakeholders, policymakers, alumni community and our industry partners to find solutions to the pressing challenges of society,” said Islam.

Islam will draw on the wealth of people and resources available at UC Davis and CITRIS to expand collaborative networks that will facilitate faculty involvement, government and industry engagement. As a successful innovator with a vision to drive impactful change, Islam hopes to catalyze student-enabled innovation while enhancing entrepreneurship and maximizing economic and societal impact.

“I will coordinate with CITRIS leadership to reinvigorate our outreach to industry partners and the alumni community by organizing student design competitions, technology roadshows, and the hosting of recognized experts in different areas of technology at the UC Davis campus.”

Research, Academic and Industry Leadership

Islam’s research focuses on ultra-fast optoelectronics, fiber optical and RF photonic communication links, and materials and devices for harsh environments. His nanotechnology research involves synthesizing and incorporating low-dimensional and nanostructured materials and devices with conventional integrated circuit elements and systems.

Islam received his Bachelor of Science in Physics from Middle East Technical University in 1994 and his first Master of Science in Physics from Bilkent University in 1996.

Islam then went on to pursue his M.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1999, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from UCLA in 2001 before joining the UC Davis Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2004. He served as the vice chair of the department during 2011-13 and as the chair during 2017–20. Islam has also been awarded the University of California – Davis Academic Senate Distinguished Teaching Award- the highest teaching honor the university bestows on its faculties.

Islam has authored and co-authored more than 250 scientific papers, organized 33 scientific conferences and symposiums as a chair/co-chair; and holds 42 U.S. and international patents as an inventor/co-inventor. His inventions led to the founding of two startup companies, and he received the Sacramento Region Innovation Award in 2018.

Islam has been serving as a Senior Editor of IEEE Access and as Associate Editors for IEEE Photonics Journal and IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology. He is an elected fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Optical Society of America, International Society for Optics and Photonics, and the National Academy of Inventors.

Media Contact

AJ Cheline, UC Davis Office of Research, 530-752-1101, [email protected]

 

Team Research Forum: UCD/LBNL Partnership and Opportunities – Office of Research

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Join the UC Davis Office of Research in a discussion with Carol Burns, Deputy Director for Research and Chief Research Officer at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.  Dr. Burns will discuss her new role with the lab, deep history in research and opportunities for UC Davis researchers to work with the lab.

 

Register for this event

 

Carol J. Burns Deputy Director for Research Chief Research Officer Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Carol Burns was recently appointed Deputy Director for Research and Chief Research Officer at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Burns joins the Berkeley Lab with deep experience in the DOE national laboratory system.  In this role, she is responsible for the development, implementation, and stewardship of Berkeley Lab’s research enterprise, and serves as the Lab’s chief research liaison with the Office of Science, the University, the other national labs, and other key partners.

Carol brings more than 25 years of scientific leadership experience in a national laboratory setting, most recently serving as executive officer to the Deputy Director for Science, Technology, and Engineering at Los Alamos National Laboratory, assisting in oversight of line and DOE program organizations, as well as coordinating the integration of science and technology strategy, as well as associated investments and stewardship mechanisms.

Burns is a recognized expert in f-element and radiochemistry with more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and invited book chapters, and has served on a number of editorial boards, review boards, and advisory panels.  She pioneered the development of an entirely new class of high-valent uranium compounds containing metal-ligand multiple bonds, contributing substantially to the understanding of the electronic structure of the early actinides.  She is the recipient of a number of awards for scientific achievement and leadership, most recently the American Chemical Society’s Francis P. Garvan-John M. Olin Medal, recognizing distinguished service in chemistry by women chemists.  She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

She has extensive experience in the systems enabling the research enterprise in the national laboratories, including a deep commitment to workforce development and diversity in STEM.  She has experience in science policy at the national level, having served as a senior policy analyst in the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

Burns received her B.A. in Chemistry from Rice University, and her Ph,D, in Chemistry as a Hertz Foundation Fellow at the University of California at Berkeley.

 

2022 UC Davis Chancellor’s Innovation Awards – Office of Research

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The UC Davis Chancellor’s Innovation Awards are designed to recognize faculty, community partners, and industry leaders for their success in developing new technologies, social platforms or other innovations based on university research or academic endeavors. These innovators play an essential role in translating university research to improve the lives of others and address the needs of our global society.

Awards Categories

The Innovator of the Year award recognizes up to two individual UC Davis faculty or staff members, or teams (that may include UC Davis faculty, students, and staff) whose inventive, innovative or entrepreneurial activities have had a measurable societal impact in the last year, or those whose activities or achievements in the last year have a very strong potential to make a significant impact in the future. This award is open to all academic disciplines, including social sciences, humanities, law, business, life sciences, physical sciences, medicine, computational sciences, and other areas of research and academic study. Up to two awards will be presented and recipients will receive a cash award of up to $10,000, which can be applied to further their research or innovative activities.. Anyone at UC Davis can nominate an individual or team for the Innovator of the Year award. Self-nominations will not be accepted for these awards.

The Innovative Community Partner award recognizes a leader or organization in the UC Davis community that has contributed significantly to driving regional economic impact through innovation, entrepreneurship or support for growing a startup ecosystem in collaboration with UC Davis. Nominations for this award will be provided by the Awards Selection Committee.

The Lifetime Achievement in Innovation award recognizes an acknowledged innovator whose career accomplishments include innovations that have led to a long-term positive impact on the lives of others and is an inspiring influence for UC Davis innovators. This award is open to anyone who has made significant accomplishments consistent with the mission of the university. Nominations for this award will be provided by the Awards Selection Committee.

Submission Process and Deadline

Innovator of the Year Award

To nominate an individual for the Innovator of the Year award, please complete and submit this online form by Monday, March 14, 2022.

Once nominations are received, Venture Catalyst staff will contact the nominees to request any additional information about their innovation(s).

Awards Selection Committee

An Awards Selection Committee will be assembled from the following campus units. The number in parenthesis indicates the number of individuals from each unit/department.

  • Past cycle Innovator of the Year recipients (2)
  • Office of Research representatives (2)
  • External partner representative (1)
  • Representatives from the following schools/colleges identified by the respective Deans (8)
    • College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences
    • College of Biological Sciences
    • College of Engineering
    • Graduate School of Management
    • College of Letters and Sciences (2)
    • School of Medicine
    • School of Veterinary Medicine

 

Review Process

Committee members will review and provide a rating for each nomination based on a predetermined protocol that evaluates the uniqueness of the innovation(s) and their potential societal impact.

The Awards Selection Committee will make recommendations for winners in each category. Awardees will be selected by the Chancellor, Provost, and/or Vice Chancellor for Research.

For more Information contact Spencer Hamilton ([email protected]) in Venture Catalyst.

View last year’s recipients.

UC Davis Professor Kent Lloyd Appointed to National Institute of Health (NIH) Council of Councils – Office of Research

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UC Davis is pleased to announce that Kent Lloyd, professor in the Department of Surgery, associate director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the director of the UC Davis Mouse Biology Program has been appointed to serve as a member on the National Institute of Health Council of Councils effective January 2022.

“It’s a great honor to be nominated by the NIH Office of the Director and invited by HHS Secretary Becerra to serve on this Council for the next six years,” said Lloyd.

Appointees to the NIH Council of Councils provide professional and expert advice to NIH leadership on numerous areas of activities and policies in the Director’s Office. The Council is made up of 27 members, selected from NIH Institutes and Centers Advisory Councils, representatives nominated by the Office of the Director program offices, and broad lay representation.

Speaking about his role, Lloyd said, “I look forward to providing input on issues related to my area of expertise, including animal modeling of human disease, rigor and reproducibility in science, mouse genetics, preclinical and translational medical research, veterinary medicine and academic teaching and training.”

This will be Lloyd’s second time serving as a Council member since his last appointment spanning from 2011 to 2014.

Vice Chancellor for Research Prasant Mohapatra commented, “This appointment is an apt reflection of the impact achieved by Kent Lloyd over his career and his broad expertise in health focused research.”

Lloyd brings to the Council over two decades of experience as an innovator in mouse models and genomic sciences that advance human and animal health through education, research and discovery. As the director of the UC Davis Mouse Biology Program, he oversees the development, manipulation, and study of transgenic and genetically-altered mutant mice as models of human disease and genetic variation.

Lloyd’s research focuses on understanding the in vivo function of genes and genetic elements and translating discoveries to improvements in human and animal health. He uses gene targeting and editing (CRISPR/Cas9) technologies to create and analyze genetic variants in mouse models. This work is essential for the evolution of precision medicine as a new paradigm in clinical decision-making and health care.

As a Council member, Lloyd would advise on matters related to the policies and activities of Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, including making recommendations for the conduct and support of research that represents important areas of emerging scientific opportunities, rising public health challenges or knowledge gaps that deserve special emphasis. Additionally, as a strategic coordinator and planner, he would support additional research that involves collaboration between two or more national research institutes or national centers.

Lloyd has authored more than 180 scientific publications and serves as the Principal Investigator and Project Director of the Knockout Mouse Project, the Mutant Mouse Regional Resource Center, the Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center, and the Mouse Biology Shared Resource for the NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center at UC Davis.

Media Contact

AJ Cheline, UC Davis Office of Research, 530-752-1101, [email protected]

UC Davis Researchers Developing Novel Cancer Drug That Mimics Viral Mechanisms – Office of Research

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By Neelanjana Gautam

Yoshihiro Izumiya, professor and cheerleader of the Viral and Pathogens Associated Malignancies Initiative at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and Michiko Shimoda, assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology along with their research group are studying how viruses hijack host cells for replication. They are utilizing a mechanism, which a virus uses for taking a host RNA synthesis, as a drug development strategy.

“Since the dawn of life, viruses have made their way into human bodies, constantly adapting to the host to live together, just as the coronavirus is actively doing now,” said Izumiya. The lineage of viruses dates back more than 450 million years, and their strength lies in the fact they have to utilize host cell apparatus to replicate while managing host defense. They, therefore, naturally developed a very clever mechanism to take over multiple host cell functions at once and carry such information in a small genomic space. Izumiya said that such genomic information forms a condensed resource to decode host protein function, which scientists have yet to understand completely. “In that sense, scientists are still learning from the molecular wizard,” said Izumiya.

As proof of concept of their understanding of this underlying mechanism, the researchers have identified a drug candidate from a viral protein sequence that can block MYC-dependent cell activities. MYC is a multifunctional host cell factor that controls a variety of cellular functions, including cell cycle, cell growth and cellular metabolism. MYC is also overexpressed in many cancers, due to the high demand for metabolism for continuous cancer cell replication. They were able to demonstrate that the drug candidate reduces cancer cell growth, and selectively kills cancer cell lines in both tissue culture and a xenograft tumor mouse model. They named the drug VGN50 (Virus de Gann wo Naosu), a Japanese name that translates to “curing cancers with viral’s wisdom.”

In June 2020, the researchers received support from the UC Davis Venture Catalyst Science Translation and Innovative Research (STAIRTM) grant program, providing translational research funding and mentor guidance to move the technology toward commercialization. “The STAIR grant gave us a chance to explore such an opportunity and at the same time helped us to engage with people who are outside of science communities,” said Izumiya.

In the recently published paper, Izumiya and his team provide a unique tool to control MYC activation, which may be used as a therapeutic payload to treat MYC-dependent diseases such as cancers and autoimmune diseases. The researchers also collaborated with Joseph Tuscano MD, co-author and professor in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at UC Davis Health, and also received funding from the National Institute of Health.

Media Contact(s)

AJ Cheline, UC Davis Office of Research, 530-752-1101, [email protected]

1/6/2022 Campus Operations Update – Office of Research

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On January 6, 2022, UC Davis issued updated winter-quarter guidance for employees and students to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant among our campus community. Please review the guidance summary below.*

  • Researchers can continue to pursue their research activities according to Phase-4 of our Ramp-up Plan  while following the COVID safety and testing protocols.
  • The first four weeks of winter quarter will be virtual, wherever possible.
  • Everyone is required to have a negative COVID-19 test prior to accessing campus the first time, with the exception of using the testing facilities.
  • If you are eligible for a booster, you are required to get it by Jan. 31.
  • Fully vaccinated employees or students are required to get tested every 14 days.

For more information, including answers to frequently asked questions, please visit the Winter Quarter Guidance Update.

*Please note that these requirements for winter quarter do not apply to those people working for UC Davis Health, as they must comply with healthcare worker mandates. For UC Davis Health employees, please refer to the COVID-19 employee resources for updates.

UC Davis Proof-of-Concept Grants Advance Innovations Towards Commercialization

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Dr. Diana Farmer and Dr. Aijun Wang collaborate to develop a stem cell treatment for spina bifida

Dr. Diana Farmer and Dr. Aijun Wang talk in the research laboratory on Thursday April 23, 2015 at UC Medical Center in Sacramento, Ca. The stem cell on spina bifida has found ways to help those with the congenital disorder.

The University of California, Davis, is awarding $435,000 to help eight scientists advance their research and innovations toward commercial applications through three proof-of-concept grant programs. The recipients are targeting solutions in a range of applications including food, animal health, medical technology, energy, sustainable manufacturing and transportation.

Now in its eighth year, the Science Translation and Innovative Research (STAIR™) grant program provides awards of up to $50,000 to campus innovators to enable demonstration of early proof-of-concept for technologies being developed at the university. A second program, Data Informatics and Application Launch (DIAL™), provides awards of up to $20,000 for innovations specifically geared toward data, information science or software. The Food Systems Innovation (FSI) grant, a newly launched collaboration between Venture Catalyst and the Innovation Institute for Food and Health (IIFH), awards $50,000 to fund innovative technology advancements aimed at addressing global nutritional challenges.

In addition to receiving grants, recipients participate in a structured entrepreneurial training program, such as the Entrepreneurship Academy hosted by the UC Davis Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Awardees are also paired with experienced business mentors to provide guidance on commercial translation.

“University research often yields exciting potential solutions, but access to funding and resources to evaluate and advance them is often a limiting factor in further development,” said Prasant Mohapatra, vice chancellor for Research. “These proof-of-concept grants and associated support provide a path forward for bold ideas with strong potential for success.”

The STAIR and DIAL grant programs are funded by the UC Davis Office of Research and managed by Venture Catalyst. The UC Davis School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biological Sciences and College of Letters and Science also committed supplemental funding to awardees from their respective academic units. In addition, industry partners joined this cycle to explore projects aligned with their areas of interest, including Bayer Crop Science, Bayer Healthcare and Elanco Animal Health.

External review committees consisting of industry professionals, investors and experienced entrepreneurs, assembled by Venture Catalyst, reviewed the proposals and recommended the recipients of the awards.

The new FSI grant program was funded by the IIFH and Venture Catalyst. Applicants were evaluated by a review committee consisting of industry leaders and investors that have partnered with IIFH on various programs.

STAIR Grant Recipients

Professor Michele Barbato
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Improvement of Abrasion Resistance of Eco-friendly Fluorogypsum-based Concrete

Barbato and his team developed an economically competitive and eco-friendly substitute for ordinary Portland concrete used for sidewalks and parking lots. The team plans to extend the application to allow for use in paving roads by improving the ability to resist wearing that is required for those applications.

 

Professor Louise Berben
Department of Chemistry
Synthesis of Organo-aluminum Flow Battery Analytes with Enhanced Stability

Flow batteries, which store power in large tanks of liquid electrolytes, offer an attractive solution to help sustain electric grids by storing electricity from wind and solar generators. Current commercial versions rely on vanadium-based electrolytes in aqueous media. Berben is developing a version with higher energy density and wider operating temperature range using inexpensive aluminum compounds in a non-aqueous media.

 

Professor Allen Gao
Department of Urologic Surgery
Development of novel dual androgen receptor-AKR1C3 inhibitors

Increasing evidence shows androgen receptors (AR/ARv7) and AKR1C3 play important roles in the progression of prostate cancer and resistance to therapeutic treatments. Gao is developing a number of novel small molecules that inhibit the expression and activity of AR/ARv7 and AKR1C3, as well as the growth of drug-resistant prostate cancer cells.

 

Professor Aijun Wang
Department of Surgery
Engineered Placental Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Extracellular Vesicles for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury

Wang and his colleagues have developed a stem cell treatment for spina bifida, a congenital form of spinal cord injury, that has been shown to be effective in a fetal lamb model and is now in a first-in-human clinical study. The team plans to expand this technology to treat adult-onset spinal cord injuries, currently for which there is no available medical treatment.

 

Professor Ruihong Zhang
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
A Novel Technology for Converting Food Waste into Biodegradable Plastics

The adoption of current methods to produce biodegradable plastics have been constrained since the cost to produce them using polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) exceeds the cost of conventional plastics. Zhang is developing a novel integrated system for producing PHA from food and other organic waste that has the potential for higher production yield with lower production costs. The system uses halophilic microorganisms to synthesis PHA efficiently.

 

DIAL Grant Recipients

Professor Sharif Aly
Department of Population Health and Reproduction
Commercialization of the Bovine Respiratory Disease Risk Assessment for Prevention of Pneumonia in Dairy Calves

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), the leading cause of death in weaned and growing cattle, is often identified too late for treatment to be effective because of its complex web of risk factors and lack of clinical signs. Aly is developing a risk-assessment tool that can rapidly provide risk scores and aid in actionable interventions for each herd. His team intends to launch a demonstration study enrolling 6,000 calves.

 

Associate Professor Misty Humphries
Department of Surgery
Diagnosis of arterial insufficiency in patient with peripheral artery disease and diabetes

Humphries and team are utilizing a machine learning algorithm that combines pulse oximetry measurements of oxygenation and perfusion to detect critical congenital heart disease in newborns to target chronic limb-threatening ischemia. Current diagnostic tools require specially trained personnel to perform the test, resulting in limited availability and delayed diagnosis. The proposed technology aims to improve access by introducing a user-friendly diagnostic tool to evaluate limb perfusion using pulse oximeters.

 

Food Systems Innovation Award Recipient

Professor Daniela Barile
Department of Food Science and Technology
Developing activated probiotics for enhanced persistence and colonization in the gut

Probiotics are increasingly used to improve gut health. One current challenge is the lack of persistence of probiotics in gut ecosystems which lowers their efficacy. Co-principal investigator David Mills have demonstrated that complexing probiotic bacteria with milk glycoproteins increases persistence in the gut. Barile’s team seeks to examine whey phospholipid concentrate, a waste stream from cheese production rich in milk glycoproteins, as a generalized substrate to complex probiotic strains to enhance probiotic efficacy.

Updates from Previous Grant Recipients

Over the past seven award cycles, over $2.2M has been awarded to 42 recipients. These recipients, along with the 120 finalists, have made significant progress in advancing their technologies toward commercialization, with the licensing of 22 technologies, launch of 16 startups and formation of two research collaborations. The awardees and finalists have been successful in raising $33M in follow on funding, out of which $20M has been in the form of startup investment and $13M in additional research funding leveraging data and results from awarded project.

Of the notable accomplishments over this year, Delix Therapeutics raised $15M in seed series funding to develop a class of non-hallucinogenic versions of psychedelic compounds treating central nervous system disorders and Sierra Biopharma is working on a transformative non-immunosuppressive therapeutic for the autoimmune disease, myasthenia gravis. Sierra Biopharma was selected to participate in the 2020 Science2Startup showcase event — a forum for top scientists from around the world to present their ideas and interact with leading investors and executives in the Boston biotechnology hub.

Past Announcements

Recipients of 2021 UC Davis Chancellor’s Innovation Awards Announced

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Innovation Awards

The University of California, Davis, today (June 24) named the recipients of the 2021 Chancellor’s Innovation Awards. The awards recognize faculty, project teams and community partners for their work, dedication and success in improving the lives of others and addressing the needs of our global society through innovative solutions.

“UC Davis research not only unlocks key insights to understand the world’s most critical challenges, it generates innovative solutions with tremendous benefits to our society through new products, services, education and art,” Chancellor Gary S. May said. “I would like to congratulate the recipients of our innovation awards for their success in reaching beyond what is expected — even beyond what is imagined by others — to provide solutions addressing important needs.”

The awards comprise Innovator of the Year, Innovative Community Partner and Lifetime Achievement in Innovation. The program is managed by the Office of Research.

“Researchers across the campus work tirelessly throughout their careers to develop solutions that advance quality of life and drive economic growth,” said Prasant Mohapatra, vice chancellor for Research at UC Davis. “These awards honor the significance of their work and the valuable contribution to our society.”

Read more…

UC Davis Affiliated Startup Developing Ecommerce Fraud Prevention Solutions Acquired by Stripe

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Sam King, UC Davis associate professor of Computer Science and co-founder of Bouncer Technologies.

Sam King, UC Davis associate professor of Computer Science and co-founder of Bouncer Technologies.

Bouncer Technologies, a startup founded on technology developed at the University of California, Davis, has been acquired by Stripe, a global technology company that builds economic infrastructure for the internet.

Bouncer was founded in 2019 by UC Davis Associate Professor of Computer Science Sam King along with fellow ex-Lyft employees Will Megson and Steven Liu. The company developed a new, secure app called Bouncer Scan that uses machine learning to read credit cards in seconds and reject fraudulent cards, transactions and phones.

Bouncer Scan is an app that can be integrated into a business’ ecommerce platform. It allows the user to scan an image of the card and captures the necessary information for secure payment while rejecting fraudulent schemes like images of cards, fake cards and phones used to scan thousands of cards. The company states that the analysis is performed locally on the user’s mobile phone and that a subset of the data is transmitted without the image.

Stripe plans to integrate Bouncer’s technology into Stripe Radar, a fraud prevention tool whose machine learning models are trained on purchases made at millions of companies around the world every day.

“Bouncer has developed a great tool for modern internet businesses, providing a way to quickly identify stolen cards, while also ensuring legitimate customers can transact without being blocked,” said Simon Arscott, Business Lead for Stripe’s Radar fraud prevention product. “We’re thrilled to welcome the Bouncer team, and their years of experience building payment authentication software for businesses.”

Leveraging the Intersections of Industry and Research

Bouncer’s foundational technology was developed in King’s lab at UC Davis and licensed through the university’s technology transfer office — InnovationAccess.

Having made a round-trip from academic research to industry and then back to academic research, King developed an appreciation for how the two benefited each other.

King previously held positions at Lyft and Twitter during his stint in industry. He had also launched a startup that was acquired by Twitter.

“The most important lesson I learned from my time in industry was how the software you build impacts real people who are trying to use the apps that we protect,” said King. “We took this perspective — one of putting the end-users first — and applied it to everything we did.” This guided his team’s research and development towards the idea of scanning cards instead of blocking suspicious transactions and applying machine learning and systems to ensure that everyone has equal access to apps.

King leveraged the technology commercialization resources at UC Davis.

“I view the technology transfer process as one that empowers faculty to do more with their research as opposed to an endpoint,” said King. “We are fortunate to have resources like Venture Catalyst and InnovationAccess at UC Davis to facilitate success at that intersection.”

UC Davis Venture Catalyst helped Bouncer secure its first working space at Davis Coworking, one of several incubator facilities participating in the university’s Distributed Research Incubation & Venture Engine (DRIVETM) network.

“The progress that the Bouncer team has made has been remarkable and we would like to congratulate them and the team at Stripe on the acquisition,” said Bill Tucker, interim associate vice chancellor for Innovation and Technology Commercialization. “It is very fulfilling to see innovations translated from university research enter the market and deliver value to society.”

King says another key enabler for Bouncer was being accepted to the prestigious and highly-competitive Y-Combinator program in 2019. This program, located in Silicon Valley, provides funding, training and connections to help secure investments.

“Research asks long-term questions and works on harder problems, and the company takes these ideas and builds real software for real people,” he said. “Combining the two together gives you the best of both worlds and in my opinion, you have to have both if you want to solve problems.”

UC Davis Venture Catalyst Expands Program to Accelerate Technology Commercialization with STAIR-Plus Grants — Announces Recipients

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John Voss STAIR Grant Recipient

To support campus innovators in advancing their cutting-edge technologies towards commercialization, Venture Catalyst – within the Technology Management and Corporate Relations division of the UC Davis Office of Research – has offered Science Translation and Innovative Research (STAIRTM) Grants for the last four years. The unique STAIR Grant program provides funding and support to help innovators demonstrate proof-of-concept and commercial feasibility for their technologies. To date, a total of $897,000 has been awarded to 19 faculty members as part of this program.

This year, Venture Catalyst announced the addition of the STAIR-Plus™ Grant program, intended to offer additional support to STAIR Grant recipients who have successfully achieved their projected commercialization milestones and are poised for commercial impact pending completion of specific targeted activities. Each recipient receives up to $20,000 in funding to be deployed over a one-year period. Funding for the STAIR-Plus program was made possible by the State of California’s Assembly Bill 2664, which was passed in 2016.

2017 STAIR-Plus Grant Recipients

Cortopassi

Gino Cortopassi, professor, Department of Molecular Biosciences

Transition to Patentable New Chemical Entity Shc inhibitors for Fatty Liver Disease

Cortopassi and his team have identified several compounds that inhibit Shc, a signaling protein that regulates the body’s response to insulin and resistance to pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. With assistance from the STAIR Grant, the team conducted medicinal chemistry optimization to narrow dozens of functional parent molecules down to several of the most productive candidates. The STAIR-Plus Grant will allow the team to conduct additional screening and test the two most potent inhibitors in-vivo in an animal model.

Simon

Tony Simon, professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Translation of Neurotherapeutic Video Games to Virtual Reality

Simon has invented a “neurotherapeutic” video game designed to help improve the cognitive abilities of children with one of several genetic disorders, the healthy aging and patients with many forms of traumatic brain injury or stroke. The STAIR Grant enabled Simon and his team to build prototypes utilizing desktop computers and game consoles which were used to conduct tests to provide evidence of clinical benefit. Simon plans to use funding from the STAIR-Plus Grant to develop, with his game design partner, a second generation prototype utilizing a virtual reality platform and to conduct preliminary tests for usability and efficacy potential.

John Voss, professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

A Novel Nitroxide-based Agent to Produce Contrast Enhancement for Amyloid Beta Peptide Detection by MRI

Voss’s team is developing technology based on a small molecule with potential for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. The compound is innovative for its paramagnetic properties, which affect MRI intensities correlating to an early and prominent marker for Alzheimer’s. Unlike available imaging methods, this approach would be less expensive, enable greater patient access and eliminate radiation exposure for the patient. Voss utilized the STAIR Grant to conduct in vivo tests to demonstrate effectiveness and to synthesize nine novel small molecules. Voss plans to use the STAIR-Plus Grant to conduct additional optimization leading to the selection of a lead candidate. He also plans to use high resolution imaging to better correlate the contrast signal with identifiable brain structures.

Each application was reviewed by the STAIR-Plus Grant review committee, which included Office of Research staff and external industry reviewers with specific domain expertise. The review committee considered the technical merit, commercial potential, outcomes from previous STAIR Grant milestones and alignment of budget with projected activities for each project.

“I’m thrilled that the California Legislature’s investment in innovation and entrepreneurship at the university is enabling us to extend the bridge between cutting-edge research and its potential for transformative human impact,” said Dushyant Pathak, associate vice chancellor of Research and executive director of Venture Catalyst. “These funds, in addition to the prior investment by the university through our STAIR Grants, are accelerating the commercialization of new technologies from UC Davis.”

An important component of the STAIR-Plus program is the engagement of award recipients with additional entrepreneurial and technology commercialization support and resources through a unique collaboration between Venture Catalyst and the UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Each award recipient will participate in a cohort-based series of innovation and commercialization clinics focused on helping awardees develop the skills and networks needed to develop the commercial potential and resulting societal impact of their ideas.

These highly customized business clinics will include engagement with industry experts and mentors to supplement the workshops, which will be focused on commercialization elements including market and business model validation and coaching for effective business communication.

AB 2664 Spurs Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Assembly Bill 2664, also referred to as the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Expansion bill, was authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, and signed last fall by Governor Jerry Brown. AB 2664 is designed to propel new innovation and entrepreneurship efforts across the University of California through investments in infrastructure, incubators and entrepreneurship education programs. The $22 million investment was dispersed equally to each of the ten UC campuses at the beginning of 2017. Venture Catalyst is the program lead at UC Davis and is implementing a variety of innovation and entrepreneurship expansion activities in conjunction with partners on campus, including the Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Engineering Student Startup Center, the Office of the Provost, Graduate Studies and the Internship and Career Center, as well as external community partners.