Focus

AgroSpheres, a biotechnology company pioneering breakthroughs in sustainable crop protection and crop health, today announced the signing of a major collaboration with FMC Corporation (NYSE:FMC), a global leader in agriculture sciences. The long-term alliance represents a major milestone in launching AgroSpheres’ vertically integrated product pipeline.

The UVA Manning Institute of Biotechnology positions UVA at the very forefront of cutting-edge medicine, such as cellular and gene therapies that revolutionize how diseases are treated and cured. It is also anticipated to attract pharmaceutical and biotech companies to what is expected to become a major hub for research and manufacturing centered around UVA’s new state-of-the-art biotech facility.

Explore 2022's first quarter edition of the Virginia Economic Review featuring a story on UVA and its support for the life sciences industry in Charlottesville (p. 32).

Researchers at UVA are bringing industry partners to the table to create cutting-edge technologies that produce tangible value for society. At the Multifunctional Integrated System Technology Center (MIST) site in Charlottesville, researchers are helping indsutry solve practical problems and enhancing professional development opportunities for students.

ITHRIV includes the University of Virginia, Inova Health System, Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic as partners, with the Center for Open Science and UVA’s Licensing & Ventures Group as affiliates. The focus of iTHRIV is “using data to improve health” and leverages the data science expertise across the state.

University of Virginia School of Medicine professor Lee Ritterband created SHUTi (Sleep Healthy Using the Internet) – a digital therapeutic that uses cutting-edge technology to administer cognitive behavioral therapy for people suffering from insomnia. Ritterband's goal is to increase access to effective and affordable behavioral health care

Local biotechnology industry leader Nikki Hastings, PhD, has been named the first Executive Director of the CvilleBioHub, a non-profit that connects and supports the Charlottesville-area biotechnology sector.  CvilleBioHub will receive strategic planning assistance from Denise Hubbard, program director for UVA’s Office of Economic Development, and Grant Tate, of the Bridge Ltd. consulting firm.

The UVA Licensing & Ventures Group helps discoveries reach their full potential in the marketplace. In 2018 there were 213 invention disclosures filed, 59 U.S. patents issued and 77 transactions with commercial partners. 

PsiKick is utilizing revolutionary ultra-low-power technologies from the Universities of Virginia and Michigan to build completely self-powered sensing systems that do not require batteries, can be deployed nearly anywhere, and unlock new data streams that generate significant value in Virginia and beyond. The company also creates jobs in the Charlottesville region.

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.