MESSAGE FROM MICHAEL DIXON

On behalf of UNMC and UNO leadership and UNeMed staff, we welcome you to
the virtual 2020 Research Innovation Awards ceremony as we celebrate all those who
make our continued existence possible: You, the innovative UNMC and UNO faculty,
staff and students who we honor today.

UNeMed’s mission is simple: Improve healthcare by fostering innovation, ad-

vancing biomedical research and engaging entrepreneurs and industry to com-
mercialize novel technologies.

Innovations all have the same humble beginning—an idea or a hypothesis. The
path for an idea to become a product that improves the lives of millions is a daunting
and perilous journey fraught with many obstacles. That is why UNeMed was created
29 years ago. We are here to help provide the advice, pathways and connections for
your idea to grow and make the world a better place.

The Innovation Awards represent the culmination of Innovation Week as we cele-

brate the creators of novel technologies. Today, we will recognize the inventors who
have submitted new inventions, received issued U.S. patents, and had a technology
successfully licensed. We will also look to the future by recognizing a promising new
invention from Joseph McMordie, MD, and Daniel Surdell, MD, and we’ll honor as
our Innovators of the Year all those who contributed new ideas and better ways to
help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the University’s accelerator program,
UNeTech, will present its Startup of the Year award.

The UNeMed staff is committed to helping you develop your new inventions and
make vital connections with industry. Please draw upon our expertise, and visit us at
4460 Farnam Street (Annex 14 on the campus map). Our goal is to help you create
relationships that will enable your work to benefit the lives of people throughout Ne-
braska and around the world.

Sincerely,

Michael Dixon, Ph.D.

President and CEO, UNeMed
1
INNOVATION AWARDS SCHEDULE

Welcome Michael Dixon, Ph.D.

President and CEO,
UNeMed

Opening Remarks Jeffrey Gold, M.D.

Chancellor,
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Innovation Rewind: Michael Dixon, Ph.D.

The Year in Review President and CEO,
UNeMed

Presentation of Awards: Matt Boehm, Ph.D.

• New Inventions Director of Licensing,
• Issued Patents UNeMed
• Licensed Technology
• UNeTech: Startup of the Year
• Most Promising New Invention
• Innovators of the Year

2
 NEW INVENTION NOTIFICATION CONTRIBUTORS
Chandran Achutan Chittibabu (Babu) Guda
Rizwan Ahmad Vikas Gulati
Cody Anderson Venugopal Gunda
David Anderson Channabasavaiah Gurumurthy
Walker Arce* Hani Haider*
Chandrakanth Are Matthew Halanski
Michael Ash Luke Handke
Christie Barnes Mahmudul Hasan*
Surinder Batra* Jonathan Herskovitz*
Kenneth Bayles Riley Hester*
Gregory Bennett* Steven Hinrichs
Nathan Bills Corey Hopkins
Wilson Blomberg Nathaniel Hunt
Gloria Borgstahl Bader Huwaimel
David Brett-Major Ridwan Islam
Mara Jana Broadhurst* Maneesh Jain
Tatiana Bronich Parker Jensen*
Kyle Brozek Jiang Jiang
Russell Buffum* Xiping Jiang
Christopher Burcal* Jason Johanning*
Siddappa Byrareddy* Perry Johnson
Mark Carlson* Sachin Kedar
Adam Case Ellen Kerns
Meng Chen Deepak Khazanchi
Shixuan Chen* Tammy Kielian
Pi-Wan Cheng Brian Knarr*
Jung Chien Prakash Kshirsagar
Rao Chundury Balawant Kumar
Jesse Cox Mitchell Kuss
Hannah Creager James Lawler*
Christine Cutucache Derek Leas
Kaustubh Datta Cui Li
Punita Dhawan Xiaowei Li
Keristiena Dodge James Linder*
Jayme Dowdall Steven Lisco*
Bin Duan* Xiaoyan Liu
Samikshan Dutta John-Martin Lowe
Alex Dzewaltowski Yuri Lyubchenko
Benson Edagwa Nicholas Markin*
Paul Fey Eric Markvicka
Daniel Firestone Wayne Mathews
Zachary Fowler Michael Mazgaj
Howard Gendelman* Alec McCarthy
Deepta Ghate Russel McCulloh
Neal Grandgenett Joseph McMordie
3
*Multiple
NEW INVENTION NOTIFICATION CONTRIBUTORS
Brad Miller Thomas Schulte
Ellie Miller Parthasarathy Seshacharyulu*
Aaron Mohs Wen Shi
Ahmed Morsy Surendra Shukla
R. Lee Mosley Aleem Siddique
Sakthivel Muniyan Amar Singh
Sara Myers* Ka-Chun Siu
Jayaram Lakshmaiah Narayana Marcus Snow*
Amarnath Natarajan* Benjamin Stobbe
Thang Nguyen* Philipp Streubel
Heather Nichols Kaihong Su
Rebecca Oberley-Deegan Donny Suh
Katherine Olson Daniel Surdell
Madeline Olson Tiffany Tanner
Michel Ouellette Matthew Tao
Chitra Palanivel William Tapprich
Samuel Pate Orly Tauil
Sachin Pawaskar Ian Trent*
Gurudutt Pendyala* Paul Trippier*
James Pierce* Travis Vanderheyden*
Iraklis Pipinos Jonathan Vennerstrom
Scott Poulin Michael Wadman*
Eric Psota Andrew Walski
Rolen Quadros Guangshun Wang*
Satyanarayana Rachagani Elizabeth Wellsandt
Prakash Radhakrishnan Michael Wiley
Eric Rasmussen Eric Wright*
Corbin Rasmussen Jingwei Xie*
Patrick Rault Sowmya Yelamanchili*
Risto Rautiainen Yangsheng Yu
Owen Redwood* Karen Zagorski
St Patrick Reid* Wesley Zeger*
Satish Sagar Siwei Zhao
Stephen Salzbrenner Matthew Zimmerman
Joshua Santarpia

CREATORS OF LICENSED TECHNOLOGY

Walker Arce James Pierce
Jesse Cox Rongguo Ren
Channabasavaiah Gurumurthy Tyler Scherr
Corey Hopkins Donny Suh*
Zhenshan Jia Dong Wang
James Linder Xin Wei
Steven Lisco Jorge Zuniga
Nicholas Markin
4
*Multiple
 INVENTORS WITH ISSUED PATENTS
Daniel Anderson
James Armitage
Kenneth Bayles
Michael Duryee
Marius Florescu*
Kai Fu*
Howard Gendelman
Gregory Gordon
Timothy Greiner*
Zhenshan Jia
Jason Johanning
Tammy Kielian
Rongshi Li
Yan Liu
Thang Nguyen
Sam Sanderson
Geoffrey Thiele
Jonathan Vennerstrom*
Julie Vose
Michael Wadman
Dong Wang

PATENTS ISSUED
1. "Creatine Oral Supplementation Using Creatine Hydrochloride Salt”
U.S. Patent No. 10,342,771 — issued July 9, 2019
n Jonathan Vennerstrom n Donald Miller
n Mark Faulkner

2. "Method and Apparatus for Fibrin Sheath Disruption”

U.S. Patent No. 10,357,601 — issued July 23, 2019
n Marius Florescu n Celso Bagaoisan
n Maurino Flora n Suresh Subraya Pai
n David Black

3. "Analogs of C5A and Methods of Using Same”

U.S. Patent No. 10,363,282 — issued July 30, 2019
n Sam Sanderson n Tamsin Sheen
n Tammy Kielian n Kelly Doran
n Mark Hanke n Joy Phillips
n Edward Morgan n Elizabeth Virts
n Marilyn Thoman

4. "Medical Irrigation System”

U.S. Patent No. 10,398,811 — issued September 3, 2019
n Thang Nguyen n Vincent Morris
n Michael Wadman n Richard Morris

*Multiple
5
 PATENTS ISSUED
5. "Pyrrolomycins and Methods of Using the Same”
U.S. Patent No. 10,414,725 — issued September 17, 2019
n Kenneth Bayles n Yan Liu
n Rongshi Li

6. "Platform Device and Method of Use to Assist in

Anastomosis Formation”
U.S. Patent No. 10,433,847 — issued October 8, 2019
n Marius Florescu

7. "Mixed Lineage Kinase Inhibitors for HIV/AIDS Therapies”

U.S. Patent No. 10,485,800 — issued November 26, 2019
n Howard Gendelman n Stephen Dewhurst
n Harris Gelbard

8. "Polyethylene Glycol-Conjugated Glucocorticoid Prodrugs

and Compositions and Methods Thereof”
U.S. Patent No. 10,485,809 — issued November 26, 2019
n Dong Wang n Xiaobei Wang
n Zhenshan Jia n Fang Yuan

9. "Sheath”
U.S. Patent No. 10,507,305 — issued December 17, 2019
n Gregory Gordon

10. "Creatine Ester Pronutrient Compounds and Formulations”

U.S. Patent No. 10,531,680 — issued January 14, 2020
n Jonathan Vennerstrom n Donald Miller

11. "Multifunctional Assessment System for Assessing Muscle

Strength, Mobility and Frailty”
U.S. Patent No. 10,568,547 — issued February 25, 2020
n Jason Johanning

12. "Circulating Antibodies Against MAA Adducts as Biomarker

for Coronary Artery Disease”
U.S. Patent No. 10,591,468 — issued March 17, 2020
n Daniel Anderson n Geoffrey Thiele
n Michael Duryee

13. "Method for Subtyping Lymphoma Types by Means of

Expression Profiling”
U.S. Patent No. 10,607,717 — issued March 31, 2020
n Kai Fu n Wing Chan
n Timothy Greiner n Dennis Weisenburger

14. "Methods for Identifying, Diagnosing, and Predicting

Survival of Lymphomas”
U.S. Patent No. 10,697,975 — issued June 30, 2020
n James Armitage n Timothy Greiner
n Wing Chan n Julie Vose
6 n Kai Fu n Dennis Weisenburger
INNOVATORS OF THE YEAR

COVID-19 Inventors
University of Nebraska Medical Center & University of Nebraska at Omaha

For just the second time in the Innovation Awards’ 14-year history, UNeMed has
found it necessary to recognize a group as its Innovator of the Year.

In a remarkable show of creativity, ingenuity and collaborative cooperation, UNMC

and UNO clinicians, faculty, staff and students responded to the COVID-19 pandemic
with a breathtaking flurry of innovation. In just a few months, 44 University inventors
combined their expertise and experience to create 28 new inventions related to the
pandemic.

Most innovations focused on helping protect healthcare providers, and a few of those
were fast-tracked to market. For example, UNMC inventors created an intubation
shield that was purchased by several hospitals and care facilities throughout the
United States. Another device, an infectious disease filter adapter for air masks, sold
in bulk quantities to the U.S. Air Force.

Other innovations included mobile applications to help track or screen the pandemic;
new mouse models and assays to help improve the study of the novel coronavirus
responsible for the pandemic; solutions to personal protective equipment shortages;
and solutions to limit the spread of infectious disease. In addition, there were other
innovations that weren’t technically “inventions” but nonetheless helped the nation’s
fight against the pandemic, including a protocol for using ultraviolet light to sanitize
equipment and an early clinical study of Remdesivir.

The combined effort of UNMC & UNO innovators remains one of the few bright spots
during the pandemic, and rightly deserves UNeMed’s highest honor of achievement
and appreciation.

3D Printed Nasopharyngeal
Jesse Cox
Swab (JC Swab)
Ceramic Air Filter James Linder
David Brett-Major, Mara Jana
Cough Collector Broadhurst, James Lawler, John-
Martin Lowe, Joshua Santarpia
Thang Nguyen, Michael Wadman,
COVID19 Screener
Wesley Zeger
Lung Derived Extracelluar Gurudutt Pendyala, Sowmya
Vesicles Yelamanchili
Genetically Engineered
Channabasavaiah Gurumurthy, Rolen
Mouse Models (GEMs)
Quadros
to Help Fight COVID-19
Hand Guard Slit Lamp Shield Rao Chundury
Home Specimen Thang Nguyen, Michael Wadman,
Collection Kit for Viral Panels Wesley Zeger

7
 INNOVATORS OF THE YEAR
Infectious Aerosol Capture Steven Lisco, Nicholas Markin,
Device James Linder
Infectious Aerosol Capture
Steven Lisco, Nicholas Markin
Device Adapter
Infectious Aerosol Capture Steven Lisco, Nicholas Markin,
Device Filter Housing James Linder
Infectious Aerosol Capture Mask
Steven Lisco, Nicholas Markin
(IACM) Single Piece Design
Intubation Box Michael Ash, Thomas Schulte
Intubation Box Vacuum Adaption James Linder
KeepAway Michael Mazgaj

Magnetic Face Shield Thang Nguyen

Method of Fabricating Nanofiber Jingwei Xie, Mark Carlson, Shixuan
Swabs Chen, Alec McCarthy
Modular Electronic
Ellen Kerns, Russel McCulloh
Decision Support Builder
Modular Vaccine Platform Yuri Lyubchenko, Karen Zagorski
Naso/Oropharyngeal Swab Christie Barnes, Jayme Dowdall,
Specimen Trainer Samuel Pate, Benjamin Stobbe
Benson Edagwa, Howard
Prodrug Formulations
Gendelman, St Patrick Reid
PAPR Adapter Nicholas Markin, Jerald Farke
Portable Negative Air Mara Jana Broadhurst,
Pressure Patient Room James Linder
Real-Time Reverse Transcription Mara Jana Broadhurst, Hannah
PCR Assay for 2019-nCoV Creager, Paul Fey, Luke Handke
Ken Bayles, Gloria Borgstahl,
SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Design,
Siddappa Byrareddy, Chittibabu
Production and Testing
Guda, St Patrick Reid
Therapeutic Impact of
Digoxin on COVID-19 Surendra Shukla
Induced Pathophysiology
Transesophageal
Echocardiography Nicholas Markin
Probe Clean Sheath
Thang Nguyen, Heather Nichols,
Z Filter Device
Michael Wadman, Wesley Zeger

8
 MOST PROMISING NEW INVENTION

Joseph McMordie, MD Daniel Surdell, MD

Chief Resident, Department of Associate Professor, Department of
Neurosurgery, College of Medicine Neurosurgery, College of Medicine,
University of Nebraska Medical Center University of Nebraska Medical Center

Anterior Cervical Space Spreader

The most promising new invention of 2020 is an exciting new development in the field
of neurosurgery that Joseph McCordie, MD, and Daniel Surdell, MD, developed at the
University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Drs. McMordie and Surdell reengineered the approach to c-spine retractors, a tool that
enables neurosurgeons to space the vertebra of the neck in order to perform spinal
surgeries.

Their prototype shows great promise in significantly improving the surgical working space
during cervical spine surgeries, allowing superior physician access during complicated
neurosurgical procedures.

Drs. McMordie and Surdell have been evaluating the numerous benefits of this device in
cadaver studies, and they are working toward a clinically approved version in the near
future. This invention is already generating interest among medical device companies
producing similar equipment.

Dr. McMordie is the Chief Resident for the UNMC College of Medicine’s Department
of Neurosurgery. He received his medical degree from Texas Tech University Health
Sciences Center School of Medicine in 2014 where he was a member the Alpha Omega
Alpha Medical Honor Society. He joined UNMC in 2014.

Dr. Surdell is an associate professor of neurosurgey in the College of Medicine. He earned

his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and completed his
residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center. He also completed
fellowships in neuroendovascular and cerebrovascular surgery at Northwestern
University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

9
STARTUP OF THE YEAR
UNeTech is the University of Nebraska’s startup incubator and accelerator in Omaha,
nurturing early-stage companies that have ties to the University.

This year UNeTech honors one of its

incubator companies “in recognition of
outstanding achievement to translate
innovation into vital new products.”

The “Startup of the Year” award goes to

BreezMed.

Founded by Stephen Salzbrenner, MD,

Breezmed is a provider-oriented software
solution that increases the speed at which
patients can get their prescriptions.

BreezMed helps doctors and pharmacists

navigate the red tape of insurance
companies.

BreezMed was also recently awarded

a Phase I STTR grant from the National
Institutes of Health, and could soon
Stephen Salzbrenner, MD revolutionize how doctors manage prior
BreezMed authorizations.

TECHNOLOGIES LICENSED
3D Printed Nasopharyngeal Swabs • Jesse Cox
Ergonomic Surgical Loupes Head
• Donny Suh
Strap
• Channabasavaiah
Genome Editing Technology
Gurumurthy
• Steven Lisco
Infectious Aerosol Capture Device,
• Nicholas Markin
Housing, and Adapters
• James Linder
PDE4B Selective Inhibitors • Corey Hopkins
• Jorge Zuniga
Upper Limb Prosthetics • Walker Arce
• James Pierce
• Donny Suh
Suh Precision Injection Syringe
• Tyler Scherr
• Dong Wang
Thermosensitive Prodrug Formulation • Rongguo Ren
• Zhenshan Jia
• Xin Wei

10
INNOVATION WEEK HISTORY
Innovation Week dates back to 1998 when UNeMed and the Intellectual Property
Office began hosting the Inventor’s Recognition Reception, specifically tailored to
honor UNMC researchers who had applied for or received patents in the previous year.

In 2007, UNMC restructured its technology transfer efforts into one organization,
merging UNeMed with the Intellectual Property Office. UNeMed—under the leadership
of then-CEO, James Linder, MD—transformed the Inventor’s Recognition Reception
into the Research Innovation Awards.

The awards ceremony was the final event in a week of activities that celebrated the
research and innovation at UNMC. In addition to recognizing researchers who secured
intellectual property rights, UNeMed also added emerging
inventor and lifetime achievement awards. In 2008 it also
added the “Most Promising New Invention” as an annual
award. In 2013, UNeMed presented for the first time ever, an
“Innovator of the Year” Award. In 2018, another distinction
was added when UNeTech—the University’s new incubator
and accelerator program—presented its first Startup of the
Year award.

Innovation Week is now about far more than recognizing

a handful of UNMC scientists with issued patents. It’s
a celebration that recognizes, rewards and encourages
innovative thoughts and ideas, whether they come from
the most seasoned and esteemed researcher or a first-year Dr. Hopkins

student who might know a better way. The program has

grown into the Research Innovation Awards Banquet, an
exclusive, invitation-only event that brings together innovators
and leadership from two different campuses.

Last year, the Most Promising New Invention was a novel series
of inihibitors from the lab of Corey Hopkins, PhD. The inhibitors
target phosphodiesterase 4 and show great promise as
treatments for several inflammatory diseases. An undisclosed
industrial partner has already licensed the technology for further
development.

The 2019 UNeTech Startup of the Year award went to Jason

Johanning, MD, and his startup FutureAssure. Dr. Johanning Dr. Johanning
is developing a device that will help measure a patient’s risk
before surgery.

Finally, UNMC researcher Benson Edagwa, PhD, was UNeMed’s

2019 Emerging Inventor in recognition of his contributions
to innovation in the development of long-acting antiretroviral
therapies.

Most of his work centers on improvements to treating HIV

and Hepatitis B, and is a key inventor of LASER ART (long
acting slow effective antiretroviral therapy). LASER ART
shows great promise as a treatment that could be given
to HIV patients once every six months or even just once a
year. LASER ART was also a key component in a study that Dr. Edagwa
appeared to eradicate HIV from mice—a scientific first.

11
 INNOVATION WEEK HISTORY: AWARDEES

Most Promising New Inventions

• Joseph McMordie, MD
2020 Anterior Cervicial Space Spreader
• Daniel Surdell, MD
2019 PDE4B Selective Inhibitors • Corey Hopkins, PhD

Multiplex Assay for Rapid Detection of • Catherine Gebhart, PhD

2018
HSV1, HSV2, EBV and CMV by qPCR • Varun Kesharwani, PhD
• Jingwei Xie, PhD
2017 Nanofiber Sponges for Hemostasis • Shixuan Chen, PhD
• Mark Carlson, MD
Compositions for Modulated Release • Joyce Solheim, PhD
2016
of Proteins and Methods of Use Thereof • Tatiana Bronich, PhD
• Michael Wadman, MD,
Emergency Medicine Care
FASEP
2015 Portfolio: Wound Irrigation
• Thang Nguyen, MSN,
System & Oral Airway Management
APRN, FNP-C
2014 Orthagonal AquaBlade • Jason MacTaggart, MD
Targeted Glyoxalase-1 Gene Transfer
2013 to Prevent Cardiovascular and • Keshore Bidasee, PhD
End-Organ Complications in Diabetes
Small Molecule in Vivo
2012 Inhibitors of the N-Terminal • Gregory Oakley, PhD
Protein Interacting Domain of RPA1
Novel Target for the
2011 • Babu Padanilam, PhD
Treatment of Renal Fibrosis
Noninvasive Monitoring of
• Stephen Bonasera, MD,
2010 Functional Behaviors in
PhD
Ambulatory Human Populations
2009 Novel Antibiotic Compounds • Paul Dunman, PhD
Anti-HIV Peptides and • Guangshun (Gus) Wang,
2008*
Methods of Use Thereof PhD
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin: • Janina Baranowska-
2008*
New Target for Cancer Therapy Kortylewicz, PhD

*In 2008 the Most Promising New Invention award was shared.

12
INNOVATION WEEK HISTORY: AWARDEES
Special Awards
2020 COVID-19 Inventors....................Innovators of the Year
2020 BreezMed....................................UNeTech Startup of the Year
2019 Benson Edagwa, PhD.................Emerging Inventor
2019 FutureAssure...............................UNeTech Startup of the Year
2018 Biomechanics Dept., UNO..........Innovator of the Year
2018 Centese, Inc................................UNeTech Startup of the Year
2017 Donny Suh, MD...........................Emerging Inventor
2016 Irving Zucker, PhD.......................Innovator of the Year
2015 Tammy Kielian, PhD....................Innovator of the Year
2014 Marius Florescu, MD...................Emerging Inventor
2013 Howard Gendelman, MD............Innovator of the Year
2012 Tammy Kielian, PhD....................Emerging Inventor
2011 Jonathan Vennerstrom, PhD.......Lifetime Achievement
2010 Amarnath Natarajan, PhD...........Emerging Inventor
2009 Rodney Markin, MD, PhD...........Lifetime Achievement
2008 Dong Wang, PhD.........................Emerging Inventor
2007 Robert LeVeen, MD.....................Lifetime Achievement

13
UNEMED STAFF

Jeff Andersen
Contracts Manager
n JD, Creighton University School of Law
n Joined UNeMed: 2015
Catherine Murari-Kanti
Licensing Specialist
n PhD, Cancer Biology,
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Matthew Boehm n Joined UNeMed: 2016
Director of Licensing
n PhD, Cancer Biology,
University of Nebraska Medical Center
n Joined UNeMed: 2009 Jason T. Nickla
Vice President & Director of Intellectual Property
n JD, Creighton University School of Law
n LLM, International Intellectual Property
Law, Chicago-Kent College of Law
Michael Dixon n Joined UNeMed: 2009
President & CEO
n PhD, Molecular Genetics,
University of Nebraska Medical Center
n Joined UNeMed: 2003
Joe Runge
Business Development Manager
n MS, Molecular Biology, University of Iowa
n JD, University of Iowa
n Joined UNeMed: 2005
Valerie Gunderson
Office Manager
n Joined UNeMed: 2007

Tyler Scherr
Licensing Associate
n PhD, Biomedical Research,
University of Nebraska Medical Center
n Joined UNeMed: 2016
Cori Harsh
Accountant
n Joined UNeMed: 2009

Mindy Ware
Paralegal
n Joined UNeMed: 2010
Charlie Litton
Marketing & Communications Manager
n MA, Journalism,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
n Joined UNeMed: 2013

BACK COVER: Illustration created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that
adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the
14 virion, when viewed electron microscopically.