In November 2017, the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for Technology Transfer Mid-Atlantic Region (MAR) honored NCI with three awards at its annual meeting. The FLC is a formally chartered organization mandated by Congress to promote, educate and facilitate technology transfer among more than 300 federal laboratories, research centers and agencies. “These awards honor the individuals who work hard to move forward life-saving innovations into products, supporting world health,” commented Dr. Thomas Stackhouse, TTC associate director.
Congratulations to the following awardees, recognized Nov. 15, 2017:
1. Rookie of the Year Award: "Establishment of the First Federal Technology Transfer Ambassadors Program”
Drs. Alan Alfano, Laura Prestia, and Robert Sons, technology transfer rookies at the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Technology Transfer Center (TTC), established the first federal Technology Transfer Ambassadors Program (TTAP). The TTAP is a year-long, hybrid training/mentoring program for NCI post-doctoral scientists seeking professional and career development about invention development, commercialization, and entrepreneurship.
Awardees:
- Alan Alfano, Ph.D., NCI, TTC
- Laura Prestia, Ph.D., NCI, TTC, Invention Development and Marketing Unit (IDMU)
- Robert Sons, Ph.D., NCI, TTC, IDMU
2. Excellence in Technology Transfer Award: “Avelumab, New Therapy for Metastatic Merkel Cell and Urothelial Carcinomas”
Through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with EMD Serono, NCI played an instrumental role in developing and expediting regulatory approval of EMD Serono’s checkpoint inhibitor, avelumab. Avelumab received FDA approval in 2017, only four years after EMD Serono and NCI added the study of avelumab to their CRADA. This a remarkably fast developmental and regulatory approval timeline.
Awardees:
- Andrea B. Apolo, M.D., Investigator and Head of the Bladder Cancer Section, NCI, CCR, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch (GMB)
- Kevin Brand, J.D., Technology Transfer Manager (TTM), CDC, formerly NCI, TTC
- Isaac Brownell, MD, Ph.D., Investigator, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), formerly Investigator, Dermatology Branch, NCI, CCR
- Renee N. Donahue, Ph.D., Staff Scientist, NCI, CCR, LTIB
- John Greiner, Ph.D., Staff Scientist and Head of Cytokine Group, NCI, CCR, LTIB
- James Gulley, M.D., Ph.D., NCI, CCR, GMB
- Ravi A. Madan, M.D., Associate Research Physician and Clinical Director, NCI, CCR, GMB
- Michael Pollack, Ph.D., Supervisory TTM, NCI, TTC
- Jeffrey Schlom, Ph.D., Chief, NCI, CCR, LTIB
- Julius Strauss, M.D., Staff Clinician, NCI, CCR, LTIB
3. Excellence in Technology Transfer Award: “Development of Large Scale Production, Anti-HIV Microbicide in Soya Beans"
HIV microbicides are not currently sold commercially, and many other HIV prevention techniques remain unavailable or unfeasible in developing countries where the disease is most prevalent. The technology transfer effort of developing large scale production methods of CV-N in soy beans helps to address this issue. The ability to produce CV-N in large quantities at low cost affords researchers the potential to develop effective HIV prevention methods worldwide.
Awardees:
- Michael R. Boyd, Ph.D., M.D., formerly NCI Chief, Laboratory of Drug Discovery, Research and Development (LDDRD) (retired)
- Rachel Chikwamba, Ph.D., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR Biosciences)
- Mike Currens, Ph.D., NCI Developmental Therapeutics Program, formerly NCI TTC
- Bjarne (BJ) Gabrielsen, Ph.D., formerly NCI TTC (retired)
- Melissa Maderia, Ph.D., MSM, formerly NCI TTC
- James B. McMahon, Ph.D., formerly Chief, Molecular Targets Laboratory (MTL), NCI, CCR (retired)
- Barry R. O’Keefe, Ph.D., Deputy Chief, Molecular Targets Laboratory, NCI, CCR, and Chief, Natural Products Branch, NCI, DCTD, DTP
- Elíbio Rech, Ph.D., E Genetic Resources department of EMBRAPA