Conversations featuring researchers, innovators, artists, entrepreneurs, community builders, and thought leaders who are improving the human condition in their own backyard and across the globe.
The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) is recognized as an international leader in translating scientific discovery into clinical therapies. Leading WFIRM is Dr. Tony Atala, whose research, innovation, and thought leadership have shaped the field of regenerative medicine for over two decades.Physicians and scientists at WFIRM were the first in the world to engineer laboratory-grown organs that were successfully implanted into humans. Today, this interdisciplinary team that numbers about 400 is working to engineer more than 40 different replacement tissues and organs, and to develop healing cell therapies – all with the goal to cure, rather than merely treat, disease. Dr. Atala joins Thomas Osha, the host of The Commons, for a conversation highlighting the science, progress, and promise of regenerative medicine. To learn more about WFIRM, please visit: https://school.wakehealth.edu/Research/Institutes-and-Centers/Wake-Forest-Institute-for-Regenerative-Medicine.This is the first in a series of conversations with leading researchers around North America, exploring the breadth of research being conducted at leading Knowledge Communities.
Brian Darmody, CEO of the Association of University Research Parks speaks with host, Tom Osha, about the 35 year history of the organization and the importance and impact of the Communities of Innovation represented by its members.The interview was conducted during Day 3 of the Association of University Research Parks 2021 International Conference held in Salt Lake City Oct 18 - 21.For more information, please visit www.aurp.net.
Laura Frerichs, Executive Director at the University of Illinois Research Park and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Economic Development, speaks with host, Tom Osha, about The University of Illinois' Research Park and the importance of student engagement in corporate innovation activities.The interview was conducted during Day 3 of the Association of University Research Parks 2021 International Conference held in Salt Lake City Oct 18 - 21.For more information, please visit www.researchpark.illinois.edu
Jonathon Bates, Executive Director for Real Estate Administration for the University of Utah, and this year's host for the AURP International Conference, speaks with host, Tom Osha, about The University, of Utah's innovation district strategy and the emerging innovation ecosystem in Salt Lake City.The interview was conducted during Day 3 of the Association of University Research Parks 2021 International Conference held in Salt Lake City Oct 18 - 21.For more information, please visit www.realestate.utah.edu.
Saul Behar, General Counsel and Senior Vice President Strategic Initiatives for the University City Science Center speaks with host, Tom Osha, about the Four C's: Commercialize, Convene, Cultivate, and Capital and the history of the Science Center as the oldest urban research park in the countryThe interview was conducted during Day 3 of the Association of University Research Parks 2021 International Conference held in Salt Lake City Oct 18 - 21.For more information, please visit www.sciencecenter.org and www.uCitySquare.com.
Jim Currie, Operations Director of the University of Cincinnati's 1819 Innovation Hub speaks with host, Tom Osha, about the 1819 Innovation Hub, the Cincinnati Innovation District, and of course, Bearcats Football.The interview was conducted during Day 2 of the Association of University Research Parks 2021 International Conference held in Salt Lake City Oct 18 - 21.For more information, please visit www.uc1819.com and www.cincyid.com.
Leah Burton, Director of Partnerships for NC State University speaks with host, Tom Osha, about the Centennial Campus, corporate partnerships and economic development.The interview was conducted during Day 2 of the Association of University Research Parks 2021 International Conference held in Salt Lake City Oct 18 - 21.For more information, please visit www.ncsu.edu/partnerships
Dr Stephen Farrow, Executive Director National Diabetes & Obesity Research Institute speaks with host, Tom Osha, about the mission of NDORI and the desire to create an innovation district in Biloxi.The interview was conducted during Day 2 of the Association of University Research Parks 2021 International Conference held in Salt Lake City Oct 18 - 21.For more information, please visit www.ndori.org
Keith Marmer, Chief Innovation & Economic Engagement Officer at the University of Utah speaks with host, Tom Osha, about the PIVOT Center, Lassonde Studios and university led economic development initiatives.The interview was conducted during Day 2 of the Association of University Research Parks 2021 International Conference held in Salt Lake City Oct 18 - 21.For more information, please visit www.pivotcenter.utah.edu and www.lassonde.utah.edu
Mark Romney, Chief Industry Alliance Officer at the University of California Davis speaks with host, Tom Osha, about Aggie Square, UC Davis' Innovation District in Sacramento.The interview was conducted during Day 1 of the Association of University Research Parks 2021 International Conference held in Salt Lake City Oct 18 - 21.For more information, please visit www.aggiesquare.ucdavis.edu
David McDonald is a healthcare anthropologist and entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of LIFT a research and design agency focused on patient engagement and empowerment. His firm helps healthcare and life science companies better understand the people they seek to serve by approaching product marketing and patient education & empowerment through a human-centered lens. In June, he published his first book, What's Their Story? Anthropology, Design Thinking, and the Rebirth of Healthcare Marketing. The value of a patient-centered approach to healthcare design and strategy is clear, yet many healthcare professionals lack a fundamental understanding of the principles that foster stakeholder understanding important to better outcomes, clinically and economically. In this book, David McDonald shares insights imperative to illuminating patient realities and designing impactful patient experiences. Without the concepts presented in this book, healthcare professionals genuinely interested in the human condition are flying blind. There has never been a better time to define context around what it means to advocate on behalf of the patient. In this timely book, McDonald illuminates the biopsychosocial model and tackles the value of design and anthropology in patient education and empowerment—bringing an important conversation to the forefront with fresh and compelling perspectives. You'll learn a brief history of the patient-centered concept and begin to understand two important tools that fuel stakeholder understanding: anthropology and design thinking.
The Commons host Tom Osha and Wexford Science & Technology Chief Community Officer, Travis Sheridan, cover a wide range of questions regarding racial equity, social justice, and economic mobility with Kirk Sykes, Managing Director of Accordia Partners, LLC, a Boston based real estate investment and development company. Sykes is also a former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston where he was instrumental in creating the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion. The conversation also explores opportunities and programs for making real estate development a more inclusive industry.
As part of the BIO International Conference taking place this week – as a virtual set of webinars and video meetings – The Commons interviewed several members of the Phoenix bio ecosystem to learn more about the research, resources, and opportunities taking place in this rapidly emerging life science and biotechnology ecosystem.Here is the full interview with Thomas Schumann, Executive Director, Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation, Gateway Community College, and Doug Woodruff, Senior Vice President and Western Region Executive, Wexford Science & Technology.Additional Resources:Center for Entrepreneurial InnovationCEI LabForceWexford Science & Technology850 N. 5th Street Brochure
As part of the BIO International Conference taking place this week – as a virtual set of webinars and video meetings – The Commons interviewed several members of the Phoenix bio ecosystem to learn more about the research, resources, and opportunities taking place in this rapidly emerging life science and biotechnology ecosystem.Here is the full interview with Oncomyx Therapeutics CEO, Steve Potts.Additional Resources:Oncomyx Therapeutics
As part of the BIO International Conference taking place this week – as a virtual set of webinars and video meetings – The Commons interviewed several members of the Phoenix bio ecosystem to learn more about the research, resources, and opportunities taking place in this rapidly emerging life science and biotechnology ecosystem.Here is the full interview with Arizona State University's Rick Naimark, Associate Vice President for Program Development Planning.Additional Resources:Arizona State UniversityASU Biodesign Institute
As part of the BIO International Conference taking place this week – as a virtual set of webinars and video meetings – The Commons interviewed several members of the Phoenix bio ecosystem to learn more about the research, resources, and opportunities taking place in this rapidly emerging life science and biotechnology ecosystem.Here is the full interview with Phoenix Mayor, Kate Gallego, and Community and Economic Development Director, Christine Mackay.Additional Resources:Phoenix BIO OverviewPhoenix: Where newcomers connect and thrive2020 BIO Digital International Convention City of Phoenix Delegates/Companies
As part of the BIO International Conference taking place this week – as a virtual set of webinars and video meetings – The Commons interviewed several members of the Phoenix bio ecosystem to learn more about the research, resources, and opportunities taking place in this rapidly emerging life science and biotechnology ecosystem.Here is the full interview with Tammy McLeod, CEO of the Flinn Foundation.Arizona's Bioscience Roadmap:https://flinn.org/bioscience/arizonas-bioscience-roadmap/progress/current-report/
Tom Osha, senior vice president of innovation and economic development at Wexford Science & Technology speaks with guest, Julie Wagner, president of The Global Institute on Innovation Districts, on the roles of Innovation Districts in restarting the economy in the post-COVID world.What is an Innovation District?Innovation Districts are compact geographies of innovation primarily found in cities or urbanizing areas that are anchored by the immediateness of institutions such as universities and medical institutions, companies, start-ups, community spaces, and intermediaries such as accelerators and incubators. In addition to that, they are strengthened by a range of other kinds of mixed-uses such as housing, retail and an array of programming.Innovation District Research“The Rise of Innovation Districts,” The Brookings Institute: https://www.brookings.edu/essay/rise-of-innovation-districts/“The Evolution of Innovation Districts: The New Geography of Global Innovation,” The Global Institute on Innovation Districts: https://www.giid.org/the-evolution-of-innovation-districts-download/“Positioning Innovation Districts as a Road to Recovery – Five Insights for National and State Governments,” The Global Institute on Innovation Districts: https://www.giid.org/positioning-innovation-districts-as-a-road-to-recovery-five-insights-for-national-and-state-governments/“Take 2: Additional Innovation Districts Advancing Research to Fight COVID-19,” The Global Institute on Innovation Districts: https://www.giid.org/take-2-additional-innovation-districts-advancing-research-to-fight-covid-19/For additional information on the Global Institute on Innovation Districts and Julie Wagner visit www.giid.org.