Request for Proposals: Technology & Business Development Services

The Center for Biotechnology (CFB) at Stony Brook University is a New York State Center for Advanced Technology and the lead institution of the Long Island Bioscience Hub. The CFB provides the cross-institutional infrastructure for technology development, technology transfer, strategic industry partnerships, new company formation, attraction of investment capital, and other commercialization activities.

The CFB seeks ongoing technology and business development consulting services for its faculty and small business clients. The CFB works primarily with faculty and emerging small businesses to help them develop their technology and business strategy to prepare them for strategic partnerships and/or investment.

Consulting services anticipated, but not limited to:

  • Conduct thorough due diligence on select technologies under consideration for investment by the CFB. Develop written assessments.
  • Participate in in-person meetings on a weekly basis with faculty innovators and emerging companies to provide strategic guidance in intellectual property, competitive analysis, regulatory strategy, manufacturing, company formation and other issues related to commercialization strategies.
  • Actively manage a project portfolio of funded technologies ensuring milestones are met and will add commercial value.
  • Assist faculty in the development of applications for funding.
  • Assist clients to develop effective fundraising strategies and materials.
  • Participate in CFB technology and business development initiatives including the Boot Camp, Strategy Sessions, Long Island BioMentor Service and Life Sciences Summit.
  • Help source and conduct due diligence on emerging company candidates for the Life Sciences Summit.
  • Consult with CFB on specific technologies regarding commercialization and viability for moving forward.
  • Consult with CFB clients on milestones required for licensing, strategic partnerships, investment, and/or manufacturing.
  • Consult with CFB staff on client work, intellectual property, as well as patent, regulatory, commercialization strategies as needed.
  • Consult on course content for CFB programs such as the Innovation Boot Camp and Fundamentals course. Serve as instructor or guest lecturer as needed.
  • Review, interpretation, and advice of patents, websites, articles related to specific technology.
    Required Qualifications:
  • Direct experience in the management of business and technical issues associated with advanced bio-based technology commercialization, including:
    •  Due Diligence
    •  IP Strategy
    •  Fundraising
    • Product development
    •  Regulatory
    • Manufacturing (preferred)
    • Sales and Marketing (preferred)
    •  Licensing
  • Technology development experience in working with faculty-members and entrepreneurs seeking to commercialize early-stage technologies.
  • Experience in technology development and initial IP landscape review and strategy development.
  • Experience in the grant application review and the management of approved grants, including the identification and achievement of milestones that have material commercial value.

Progress Reports

Progress reports detailing meetings held/attended, project development issues, priorities, and other issues of importance are required on a monthly basis.

Time Commitment

  • No less than one full day per week.
  • Must be available to meet onsite and in-person with CFB staff and clients as needed and required by the CFB.
  • Ability to respond to urgent requests and to fill in as needed is desirable.

Proposal Deadline
The CFB seeks proposals from qualified providers who have the expertise and desire to support the technology and business development objectives of the CFB. Interested parties should submit a proposal of no more than one page to Kristina Duryea at Kristina.Duryea@stonybrook.edu by 5p, May 26, 2017.

CFB Director Testifies Before Joint Congressional Hearing

On Thursday May 4, 2017 Center for Biotechnology Director Dr. Clinton Rubin was fortunate to testify at a joint congressional hearing on “Improving the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs”. Dr. Rubin was present to discuss the NIH-REACH Program – which is the program that supported the creation of the Long Island Bioscience Hub.

Dr. Rubin spoke about the importance of initiatives like REACH which promote the development of “Phase 0” proof-of concept centers embedded within university communities. The activities of these centers are critical in promoting under-realized innovations out of academic labs and into the hands of patients as Universities often face significant challenges when it comes to commercializing translational research. He talk about the fact that in a very short amount of time, the three hubs created by the REACH program have already seen major impacts at our institution, fostering new intellectual property, increasing credibility with the investor community, promoting a shift in the academic culture, attracting new licensing opportunities, and most importantly, catalyzing the formation of new companies – some of which have successfully secured SBIR funding.

Programs like REACH fuel the growth of the small business community around university centers, and drives science towards successful new treatments for disease.

The committee hearing is available to view at this link. Dr. Rubin’s comments begin at 2:53:06

CFB Director Clint Rubin and Director of Operations Diane Fabel at a joint congressional hearing on May 4, 2017.

CFB Operations Director Inducted into SBU Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors

CFB Director of Operations, Diane Fabel, has been inducted into the Stony Brook University Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI-SBU) as an honorary member. At the chapter’s Annual Meeting on May 1, 2017, 16 new members and 2 honorary members were inducted into the Academy. Ms. Fabel and her fellow inductees join 30 stony brook faculty members, including CFB Director Clinton Rubin, who were inducted as inaugural members to the SBU-NAI in 2016.

Read more on the chapter and this year’s inductees here.

Commercialization Fellowship for High School Students & Undergrads

The Center for Biotechnology is seeking one or more qualified and motivated high school /undergrad students interested in learning about and supporting technology development and commercialization of new biomedical innovations on behalf of the Long Island Bioscience Hub (LIBH). The LIBH is a National Institutes of Health-designated Research, Evaluation, and Commercialization Hub (REACH), one of only three such centers in the country. The LIBH supports the development and commercialization activities of its partner institutions including Stony Brook University, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Candidates for the Fellowship will have completed their sophomore year in high school through junior year in undergraduate studies. Candidates should have a GPA of no less than a 3.0, and have an interest in exploring careers in a biomedical field. Interested candidates should send a one-page statement of interest detailing their academic accomplishments and describing what they would like to gain from the Fellowship experience, along with a transcript to: Kristina Duryea kristina.duryea@stonybrook.edu.

Selection Process:
Deadline for application materials is May 1 – June 2, 2017.
Additional admissions procedures (including interviews, by telephone or in person) may be required.

Notification:
Applicants will generally be notified by June 9, 2017. One-two applicants are expected to be selected.

NIH-REACH: Lowering the Barriers that Slow Translation Research

The Center for Biotechnology’s Clint Rubin and Diane Fabel recently co-authored a STAT article on the NIH-REACH proof-of-concept program. In 2015, The Center for Biotechnology received one of three national NIH-REACH designations, through which the Long Island Bioscience Hub was established.

The article, co-authored by all of the REACH center directors, discusses the importance of REACH-type programs and the impact REACH has been able have in a relatively short amount of time. In just over two years, the three REACH institutions have evaluated over 400 promising product development projects, funding more than 60 experimental treatments and tests that target a wide range of health issues.

Read the full text here: https://www.statnews.com/2017/04/17/nih-reach-biomedicine-treatments/