Category: Uncategorized

Southern Research launches project offering free genetic testing, expanding access to precision medicine to patients in communities across Alabama

Posted on October 11, 2024

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Birmingham, Ala. – State leaders joined Southern Research today in Montgomery at the State House to launch a new initiative that will provide patients across Alabama with access to free genetic tests and clinical insights about medications and risks for certain chronic diseases.

“The goal is to offer all Alabamians access to the cutting-edge technologies that can hopefully improve their health and their medical outcomes,” said Josh Carpenter, D.Phil., CEO of Southern Research.  “We want to make sure that the latest health innovations are available not just in urban medical centers but also in rural, underserved communities across our state.”

Catalyst will launch statewide for patients to receive testing ordered through their primary care providers and will host kickoff events in Selma, Tuskegee, Demopolis and Jasper as well as Florence, Dothan and Mobile. The kickoff events in these communities will be an opportunity to share details with patients, healthcare providers and community leaders.

Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth said that by promoting biomedical research, Catalyst will have economic development implications as well as potential healthcare benefits in communities across the state.

“The clinical trials industry is expected to reach $80 billion by 2030, and Catalyst can help Alabama attract a sizable portion of that investment,” Ainsworth said. “Equally important is the prospect of creating high-paying, long-lasting, 21st Century jobs in a sector that is already ripe for explosive growth.”

Dr. Khalilah Brown, vice president of Medical Affairs and Patient Advocacy for Southern Research, said Catalyst will seek to ensure access for Alabamians to advance medical research that can lead to new treatments and can offer hope to patients living with a wide range of diseases.

“In addition to getting access to genetic risk information that can be used to inform their own care, patients participating in Catalyst can contribute to the important work of drug discovery that will benefit patients everywhere,” Dr. Brown said. “Catalyst is a bridge between the great work that is already happening at Southern Research and the patients who ultimately benefit from our research.”

Southern Research received $20 million in state American Rescue Plan Act funds to support the development and launch of Catalyst as well as $5 million in ARPA funds from the City of Birmingham.

Southern Research currently has an annual statewide impact of $300 million, and the organization also has $120 million in active construction projects.

“Catalyst gives us the opportunity the improve the health of our friends and neighbors throughout Alabama, making sure our research is directly connected to every corner of the state,” Carpenter said. “We are fortunate to have state leaders like Lt. Gov. Ainsworth who saw this potential and were willing to make this investment to benefit people across our state.”

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About Southern Research: Founded in Birmingham in 1941, Southern Research is a non-profit scientific research organization that employs 250 scientists and professional staff. In its 80-year legacy of moving science, the organization has helped shape modern cancer treatment practices, including developing seven FDA-approved cancer drugs and testing more than half of active chemotherapies in the United States. The organization is the highest NIH-funded non-academic research center in Alabama and has a $300 million annual economic impact. Visit southernresearch.org for more information.

Vice President of Scientific Platforms part of inaugural cohort of New Invention Ambassador Program

Posted on October 3, 2024

In celebration of Intellectual Property (IP) Month, the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) is proud to announce the launch of its newest program, Invention Ambassadors, created in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The NAI Invention Ambassadors program is composed of accomplished inventors, innovators, entrepreneurs, and commercialization experts who will take part in speaking engagements across the nation. Through these engagements, the NAI Invention Ambassadors aim to celebrate and showcase the importance of academic invention, share best practices for the innovation ecosystem, and inspire the creation of a culture of inclusive innovation.

The inaugural cohort of Invention Ambassadors are from a cross-sector of innovation fields and offer a range of perspectives, cultures, genders, and expertise. They also include NAI Fellows, Honorary Members, and champions from NAI Member Institutions who will be able to share their unique insights. The Ambassadors will speak to diverse audiences across the country, including students, education leaders, STEM professionals, and other stakeholders within the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

“As part of our mission, it is imperative to us that academic innovation and the inventors that make it possible are being recognized and celebrated for their contributions. This program not only recognizes impactful inventors by inviting them to join as NAI Invention Ambassadors, but aims to empower current and future inventors, leaders, and stakeholders by giving them the insights and guidance necessary to flourish in the innovation ecosystem.” said Paul Sanberg, FNAI, President of NAI. “Through this program, we are fulfilling the need to get inventors and innovation champions in front of audiences that will greatly benefit from their experience and expertise.”

“This program epitomizes the partnership and shared missions of the USPTO and NAI: to foster inclusive innovation, and expand access to invention for underserved communities,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal. “This is a national imperative that will lift communities and promote economic security and prosperity.  Through their outreach, these passionate ambassadors will share valuable resources and information with future innovators and inspire them to participate in the innovation ecosystem.”

The inaugural cohort of Invention Ambassadors includes speakers with expertise in fields such as AI, sustainability and green technologies, and biomedicine and engineering, as well as subjects such as leadership, research, intellectual property, and technology licensing.

NAI Invention Ambassadors are selected on a yearly basis by NAI’s Selection Committee. The inaugural cohort includes:

  • Corinne Augelli-Szafran – Southern Research Institute, NAIMem
  • Issa Batarseh, FNAI – University of Central Florida, NAIMem
  • Karen Burg, FNAI – University of Georgia, NAIMem
  • Almesha Campbell, HonNAI – Jackson State University, NAIMem
  • Dedric Carter – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NAIMem
  • Shigao Chen, FNAI – Mayo Clinic, NAIMem
  • Rory Cooper, FNAI – University of Pittsburgh, NAIMem
  • Atam Dhawan, FNAI – New Jersey Institute of Technology, NAIMem
  • Anne DiSante – MIchigan State University, NAIMem
  • Rob Duncan, FNAI – Texas Tech University, NAIMem
  • Anna Leese de Escobar, FNAI – Technology Vector, Inc.
  • Kenneth Ford, FNAI – Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), NAIMem
  • Erick Jones – Tompkins Ventures
  • Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, HonNAI – Georgetown University, NAIMem
  • Mihri Ozkan, FNAI – University of California, Riverside, NAIMem
  • Jamie Renee, HonNAI – National Academy of Inventors
  • Dana Vouglitois, HonNAI – Florida Atlantic University, NAIMem

 

 

“We are excited to launch this program with such an impressive cohort of speakers. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience that will be invaluable to our Member Institutions and audiences across the nation who are interested in gleaning insights from the perspectives of these experts,” said Sanberg.” We encourage every institution, company, and organization wanting to elucidate their audiences on the importance of invention and best practices surrounding creating a culture of innovation to invite an Invention Ambassador to speak at their event.”

NAI Invention Ambassadors will be available for virtual and in-person speaking opportunities beginning October 1st in recognition of IP Month. IP Month is currently celebrated in several US states and highlights the vital role IP plays in innovation and economic development. The Academy aims to showcase the importance of IP as part of Invention Ambassadors and increase IP awareness with the hope that every state will celebrate IP Month.

To learn more about NAI Invention Ambassadors and to request them for speaking opportunities, click here.

 

Birmingham receives federal Tech Hub designation and opportunity to apply for millions in federal funding

Posted on October 23, 2023

Birmingham’s metro area is among 31 regions across the country named today as a federal Tech Hub, competing successfully under a new program that could ultimately inject $75 million into the local economy.

The designation followed a highly competitive process with nearly 200 applications nationwide, and it recognizes the innovation happening in the Birmingham region. It paves the way for the creation of thousands of new jobs for a broad range of Alabamians.

Birmingham’s consortium of partners now advances to a second round of selections. Five to 10 Hubs will ultimately be chosen by the U.S. Economic Development Administration to receive significant investment to bolster innovation and create jobs.

“Just to make it to this stage is a huge honor,” said Josh Carpenter, CEO of Southern Research, which led the effort on the Tech Hubs application. “It’s a recognition of the great work that is already being done in Birmingham and the strength of our public-private partners that are working together to expand our biotech footprint and maximize our economic impact for the state as a whole.”

In total, 23 national, state and local entities were a part of the Birmingham Tech Hub application, including the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tuskegee University, Miles College, Lawson State Community College, Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham and AIDT.

Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin said the Tech Hub designation is another example of how the city is leveraging its strengths to attract new investment, create economic growth and expand opportunity for all.

“This designation is a recognition of what Birmingham has become and what it has the chance to become in the years and decades ahead,” Mayor Woodfin said. “We live in a great city, and we are fortunate to have great leaders who have the foresight to see opportunities and the determination to make the most of them.”

The EDA’s Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs Program is designed to strengthen regional innovation, catalyze job creation and help cities build capacity to manufacture, commercialize and deploy new technologies. The program was part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which authorized $10 billion over five years.

“UAB is the state’s largest employer, one of the nation’s largest hospitals and an international driver of cutting-edge biomedical research,” said Ray Watts, MD, President of UAB and Chair of Southern Research’s board of directors. “We are proud of this opportunity to position Birmingham as an emerging biotech hub.“

Regions were selected based on their current assets as well as their potential to become globally competitive innovation centers over the course of a decade. EDA leadership expects successful Hubs to see increased business creation, expansion and investment.

Birmingham’s application focused on the technology areas of artificial intelligence and biotechnology, arguing that the region’s institutions of higher learning and Historically Black Colleges and Universities, research institutes, and public and private stakeholders create an ecosystem positioned for global leadership in the development and delivery of equitable personalized medicine.

“We are sitting at the crux of some of the biggest healthcare challenges and some of the most promising biotech advances,” Carpenter said. “We are in a better position than anyone to bridge those gaps and become a world leader in innovative solutions that will improve healthcare for all.”

Full List of Partners (Alphabetical):

AIDT (Alabama Industrial Development Training)

Acclinate

Alabama State University

Avanti Polar Lipids

Bio Alabama

Birmingham Promise

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

Central Six Alabama Works!

City of Birmingham

Corporate Realty

Economic Development Partnership of Alabama

Evonik

In8bio

Innovate Alabama

Innovation Depot

Lawson State Community College

Miles College

Patient Square Capital

Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham

Southern Research

TechBirmingham

Tuskegee University

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Moving Science in the next 80 years

Posted on September 29, 2022

Since our founding in Birmingham more than 80 years ago, Southern Research has played a pivotal role in Birmingham’s economy and in the scientific advances that have transformed our world.

In the past year, we’ve updated our logo and refreshed our website, but we are still doing today what we’ve always done: We are “moving science.”

We worked with the great team at Telegraph Creative to develop simple but emotive words as our tagline. “Moving Science” is the essence of where we have been, and it is also the north star that guides where we are going.

In celebration of our new look and vision, we recently released our Moving Science Report that showcases the organization’s legacy of scientific breakthroughs alongside the team’s modern achievements.

We are moving science to discover new treatments for the diseases that threaten our families and friends, to identify innovative solutions for the challenges that confront our world, and to create jobs for our community.

While our goals have not changed, our team has developed a new, more focused strategy that allows us to double down on our strengths in life sciences.

We have systematically corralled our assets to pave the way for a strategic expansion of our core operations in Birmingham, where 250 scientists and support staff currently work, mostly in biomedical research.

We have laid the foundation for a $108 million investment to expand and upgrade our facilities, doubling our lab space, creating room to add 150 scientists to our team, and multiplying our efforts to address devastating diseases like cancer, cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer’s, COVID-19 and Monkey Pox.

Alongside with UAB, we are actively working to develop a corridor that not only will foster jobs and economic growth on Birmingham’s Southside but will also become the premier biotech commercialization hub in the Southeast as a whole.

If our ambitions seem big, it may be helpful to remember our track record of accomplishments, which is anything but small.

Southern Research is responsible for nearly 700 patents in 59 countries or regions. Many of these patents resulted in products that have shifted industry perspectives and revolutionized medicine.

Years ago, Howard Skipper’s experiments with chemotherapy at Southern Research essentially ended the practice of radical mastectomies. Since then, we have developed, tested or refined more than 50% of active chemotherapies in the world. We developed seven FDA-approved cancer drugs, two of which are on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines.

These numbers rival any research institute in the country.

As we work to move science, what moves us are the real people who desperately need the new treatments and cures we are looking to find.

For every discovery and breakthrough, there are real people whose lives are changed. In just one example, our scientists invented the drug Clolar® to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children like Frances Grace Hirs and 3,000 other children in the U.S. who are diagnosed with this disease every year.

COVID-19 also called newfound attention to the work we do, and we played a role on every level of our nation’s pandemic response, from testing, to developing new treatments and developing vaccines.

The Southern Research team carries this part of our mission with energy and resolve. We know our community has serious health needs and suffers disproportionately poor health outcomes. It is an honor to be the bridge between science and society, taking a new treatment from the point of being discovered in a test tube to the moment it enters an individual’s body through a shot or a pill that alleviates suffering, improves quality of life, and prevents unnecessary deaths.

We are also proudly carrying the mission we were assigned at our founding – to create jobs for our region. In an area often overlooked by venture capitalists and lagging the nation in job creation, Southern Research continues to create jobs that bolster our city and state economy.

Our new brand doesn’t change the core of who we are. It just guides us to where we want to go. Building on a long history of accomplishments, we are moving science to an even brighter future, for Southern Research and for Birmingham.

Josh Carpenter, Ph.D., is president and CEO of Southern Research

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