Center for Translational Innovation

Welcome to the Center for Translational Innovation. We are working hard to make sure that NUCATS investigators can move their work from the bench to the bedside as easily as possible, and helping remove obstacles along the way. Our fundamental goal is to help investigators concentrate on getting the work done, and spend less time focused on money, red tape and struggling to understand the complex process of bringing something to the clinic.

Some of the specific roles we have at the NUCATS institute, include:

• A common portal of entry.  Members of the Research Discovery Program (RDP) provide a concierge function for investigators looking for general assistance in completing translational research, helping them identify appropriate resources within NUCATS and elsewhere.
   
• Spurring collaboration.  We’re in the planning stages of building a research database to make it easier for NUCATS investigators to identify collaborators with specific expertise and experience. In the meantime, we’ve created links to the various web based tools that already exist and will do our best to find someone for you if asked.  We are also building on a partnership between NUCATS and Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management to form the Innovation-to-Commercialization.  The goal of this collaboration is to better understand the potential application of and addressable market for biomedical research projects.
   
• Grant funding.  We operate our own biannual pilot funding initiative and also keep tabs on other funding opportunities at NUCATS affiliates.
   
• Consolidating Information.  Under the "For Investigators" section of the web site we've created a calendar tracking all biomedical research events across both NU campuses, we've gathered links for core facilities at NUCATS affiliates, keep up to date information on pilot grant competitions across affiliates, and more.
   
• Commercialization assistance. NUCATS pilot grant awardees will have access to market analyses of technologies and products by teams of students from the Kellogg School of Management. NUCATS also hosts a regular commercialization seminar series, as well as other lectures related to drug discovery/development and innovation in general. Staff members have connections with both local and national industry and entrepreneurial organizations.  NUCATS also has access to business advice and expertise through the Innovation-to-Commercialization.
  

So please, contact us if you think we could help or if you just want to provide some general feedback. We’re open for business and ready to help.

Best regards, Jack Linehan Director, Center for Translational Innovation