Focus

A WMRA podcast alludes to UVA's role in the biotechnology industry in Central Virginia. Grounded in UVA research and support from UVA's Licensing and Ventures Group (LVG), companies like Contraline and TearSolutions are making exciting advances and nurturing the biotechnology ecosystem in the region.

Insulin delivery technology developed at UVA and commercialized by TypeZero Technologies, Inc. received initial support from UVA's Licensing and Ventures Group (LVG). Now, LVG has exited from TypeZero following acquisition by DexCom, the leader in continuous glucose monitoring for diabetes. The news highlights UVA's cultivation of research and entrepreneurship that ultimately improves lives and stimulates our economy.

The UVA Licensing & Ventures Group (LVG) has invested in three Charlottesville-based ventures that grew out of University research. TypeZero Technologies Inc., TearSolutions Inc., and Mission Secure Inc. all have the potential to make an impact and to drive the local and regional economy. The LVG Seed Fund offers UVA-affiliated startups capital to advance opportunities often considered too early for investment by traditional sources.

UVA's Center for Applied Biomechanics is taking a leadership role in analyzing populations with heightened vulnerability to traffic-related injury or death, specifically women and obese passengers. Increased understanding of injury tolerance and prediction will allow automotive manufacturers, policymakers, and researchers to make vehicles safer for the entire population.

A new UVA Cancer Center Without Walls initiative will empower Southwest Virginia residents to lead projects to better detect and prevent cancer in the region. The initiative grew out of a community advisory board formed in 2013 and will address cancer disparities in the Appalachian counties of Southwest Virginia.

NSF funding will allow UVA Engineering’s Link Lab to develop a new program that will train graduate students to make discoveries and then translate that knowledge into new technologies, products and services. The program will help train the next generation of scientific leaders to develop the skills necessary to tackle complex societal problems.

EdPolicyWorks, a joint collaboration between the Curry and Batten Schools, brings together researchers from across UVA and the state to focus on important questions of educational policy and implications for the workforce. Researchers presented their work in over 25 key presentations across this year's fall conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.

Professor Gregory B. Fairchild is the first director of Northern Virginia operations for the University of Virginia. He will oversee programs and facilities currently offered by Darden, the McIntire School of Commerce, and the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, among others. His appointment is indicative of UVA's growing presence in the Washington region.

An app designed by researchers at the University of Virginia is proving that 'warm technology' - personalized and personal - can have an impact on patient engagement and care management. A second iteration of the app will engage healthcare providers, further refining a concept that will positively impact patients throughout Virginia and beyond.

Albemarle County, Perrone Robotics, Inc., and Jaunt, Inc. announced a partnership that will develop, test, and operate an autonomous transit shuttle service pilot beginning in March of 2019. UVA will bring expertise to the project, drawing on research capabilities related to autonomous systems and their societal impact as well as technologies for safety and efficiency.

Plans are underway to create ease of connection between UVA's Research Park, CHO, and the Hollymead Town Center to benefit Virginia visitors and businesses. A new vision for the park enhances efforts to draw people together for smoother business collaborations.

UVA Professor Ben Castleman is kickstarting a new, five-year strategic initiative to increase the number of students completing college and landing better-paying jobs in Virginia and beyond.