Arkansas Researchers Invited to fastPACE Course April 3-May 1 to Learn Basics of Biomedical Commercialization
| LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas clinicians, researchers and postdoctoral students are invited to attend a free course teaching the fundamentals of biomedical commercialization April 3 – May 1.
The fastPACE course is designed for the busy medical academician with an early-stage project. It blends in-person and online education to help faculty, researchers and clinicians learn the basics of bringing their scientific discoveries to market and prepare a successful business case for funding and developing partnerships.
The deadline for registering is March 15. Applications may be submitted at: https://bioventures.uams.edu/fastpace/.
The course is offered by BioVentures and the UAMS Translational Research Institute. It was developed by FastForward Medical Innovations at the University of Michigan.
As a project-based course, participants must enroll with at least one other team member but may enroll their entire team of collaborators, including students. The course features an expert interdisciplinary team from academia and industry. Project teams are divided into educational tracks and assigned a teaching team member to maximize their mentorship opportunities.
More than 70 project teams have graduated from fastPACE and used their experience to secure additional funding, find collaborators, submit publications and conduct additional research.
UAMS’ Marie Burdine, Ph.D., a graduate of the course, said it taught her the process for commercializing her research team’s idea.
“We didn’t know the channels to take, what the patent process was like or if this was even a good idea,” Burdine said. “We learned how to do market research and got great feedback on how to target more people to generate more revenue.”
“During our first two fastPACE courses, participants learned how to develop a successful business case to secure funding and attract collaborators,” said Nancy Gray, Ph.D., BioVentures director. “They also were able to determine the commercial viability of their innovation and use the course to expand their network of innovation partners. We’re looking forward to building on that success again in 2020.”
For more information, email Nancy Gray at nmgray@uams.edu or submit an application at https://bioventures.uams.edu/fastpace/.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###