The Guide to Florida’s High Tech Corridor
www.floridahightech.com
florida.HIGH.TECH
DISRUPTIVE
INNOVATION:
TECHNOLOGIES LIKE 3-D PRINTING REVOLUTIONIZE HEALTH CARE AND THE WORLD
FACES OF TECHNOLOGY
MEET 12 CORRIDOR PIONEERS
201
4
ADDRESSING THE
TALENT GAP:
More than electricity –
power for your business.
At Duke Energy, we’re more than your utility. We’re your business partner.
As a part of the Florida community and economy, we can help you select
the right site for your new or expanding business. Then, we’ll help keep
your business up and running – with affordable, reliable, increasingly clean
energy and smart, energy-saving programs. It’s a partnership that’s sure to
help your business shine. Learn more at duke-energy.com/ecodev.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
05:
Publisher’s Letter
Randy Berridge06:
Corridor Briefs
Partner News from the 23-County Region
10:
Sector Statistics
Measuring the Region’s High Tech Industry
17:
University Research
Profiles of Research Collaborations Between Corridor Universities and High Tech Companies
38:
Disruptive Innovation
The Breakthrough Technologies Transforming Health Care, Education and Manufacturing
50:
Focus on a Strong Workforce
Corridor Partner Agencies Cultivate High Tech Talent
54:
Annual Report
Summary of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s Yearly Activities
63:
Trade Organizations
Regional Associations that Unite High Tech Industry
Economic Development Organizations
Alachua County Department of Growth Management
352.374.5249 • http://growth-management.alachua.fl.us
Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation
941.748-4842 • www.ThinkBradentonArea.com
Central Florida Development Council Inc.
863.551.4760 • www.cfdc.org
Citrus County Economic Development Council Inc.
352.795.2000 • www.citrusedc.com
City of Cocoa
321.433.8800 • www.cocoafl.org
City of Deltona
386.878.8100 • www.deltonafl.gov
DeSoto County Economic Development
863.993.4800 • www.teamdesoto.com
Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast
800.535.0203 • www.spacecoastedc.org
Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County
941.309.1200 • www.edcsarasotacounty.com
Enterprise Florida
407.956.5600 • www.eflorida.com
Flagler County Department of Economic Opportunity
386.313.4071 • www.flaglercountyedc.com/
Florida Economic Development Council Inc.
813.977.3332 • www.fedc.net
Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce
352.334.7100 • www.gainesvillechamber.com
Gainesville Council for Economic Outreach
352.334.7100 • www.gceo.com
Haines City Economic Development Council
863.422.2525 • www.hainescityedc.com
Hardee County Chamber of Commerce
863.773.6967 • www.hardeecc.com
Hernando County Office of Business Development
352.540.6400 • www.hernandobusiness.com
Highlands County Economic Development Commission
863.453.2818 • www.highlandsedc.com
Hillsborough County Economic Development Department
813.272.7232 • www.hillsboroughcounty.org/econdev/
Lake County Office of Economic Development
352.742.3918 • www.businessinlakefl.com
Lakeland Economic Development Council
863.687.3788 • www.lakelandedc.com
Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission
407.422.7159 • www.orlandoedc.com
Nature Coast Business Development Council of Levy County
352.493.6797 • www.naturecoast.org
Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership
352.629.8051 • www.ocalacep.com
Osceola County Economic Development Department
407.742.4200 • www.chooseosceola.com
Pasco Economic Development Council
888.607.2726 • www.pascoedc.com
Pinellas County Economic Development
888.759.5627 • www.pced.org
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce
386.328.1503 • www.putnamcountychamber.com
Seminole County Department of Economic Development
407.665.7132 • www.businessinseminole.com
City of St. Petersburg Economic Development
727.893.7100 • www.stpeteshines.com
Sumter County Economic Development Council
352.793.3003 • www.sumtertoday.net/scedc.asp
Tampa Bay Partnership
813.878.2208 • www.tampabay.org
Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation
813.218.3300 • www.tampaedc.com
Team Volusia Economic Development Corporation
386.265.6332 • www.teamvolusiaedc.com
Volusia County Division of Economic Development
Faces of Technology
WELCOME
Y
ear after year, this publication has high-lighted the latest and greatest technolo-gies across the 23-county region known as Florida’s High Tech Corridor. Looking back on more than a decade of featured discoveries, it’s difficult to choose just one that stands above the rest. What is clear, however, is that the collective high tech talent and expertise makes this region a force to be reck-oned with.I’m always proud to showcase new products from local innovators that en-hance their industries, but inside this edition is a special focus on new concepts that do more than that. Truly disruptive innovations are revolutionizing indus-tries in the way that personal computers transformed the computing space. I invite you to take a look at the companies and initiatives in our cover story as they seek to disrupt health care, education and manufacturing.
Once again, florida.HIGH.TECH profiles the people who are pioneering new technology through our regular Faces of Technology feature. These 12 “Faces” represent the diverse high tech industry clusters in our Corridor from unmanned aerial systems and simulation to biopharmaceuticals and nanoma-terials. You can hear from all of these profiles—and nearly 100 more—in their own words through video interviews on our YouTube channel at
FacesofTechnology.com.
Each issue of florida.HIGH.TECH gives me the chance to reflect on the sig-nificant contributions that our region’s brilliant minds provide to the scientific landscape of our state, our nation and our world. I’m proud to share them with you also.
Please enjoy florida.HIGH.TECH 2014.
Best regards,
Randy Berridge, President
Florida High Tech Corridor Council
Florida High Tech Corridor Council PRESIDENT
Randy Berridge UNIVERSITY PARTNERS
Dr. M.J. Soileau Vice President for Research &
Commercialization Dr. Tom O’Neal Associate VP for Research &
Commercialization University of Central Florida
Dr. Paul Sanberg
Senior VP for Research & Innovation President, USF Research Foundation
Chris Prinzel USF CONNECT Specialist University of South Florida
Dr. David Norton Vice President for Research
Barry Curtis
Assistant Director for Industrial Outreach University of Florida
STRATEGIC PARTNERS Roger Pynn President, Curley & Pynn
Kerry Martin Communications Strategist,
Curley & Pynn CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Julie Hall, Linda Fullerton Hersey, Kerry
Martin, Vianka McConville, Roger Pynn and Dan Ward
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Charles Hodges, Walter Scriptunas II and
the Tampa Bay Partnership
FROM THE PUBLISHER
florida.HIGH.TECH is produced by Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC, for the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. 3200 Rice Mine Road NE Tuscaloosa, AL 35405; Phone: 866.567.4633. Florida High Tech Corridor Council: 1055 AAA Drive, Suite 140, Heathrow, FL 32746; Phone: 407.708.4630; Fax: 407.708.4635. Advertising information: Curley & Pynn, 407.423.8006. florida.HIGH.TECH assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, negatives or transparencies. Copyright 2014 Florida High Tech Corridor Council. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part without the express written consent of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council is strictly prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A.
06
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014CORRIDOR BRIEFS
stemCONNECT:
Connecting Classrooms
with STEM Experts
In today’s world, teachers need more than textbooks to mo-tivate their students into pursuing the STEM subjects of sci-ence, technology, engineering and math. To compete with the technology gadgets and screens outside of the class-room, teachers are increasingly turning to online tools and interactive experiences to supplement their lessons.
A new program by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council (FHTCC) aims to help teachers share the latest and most interesting tech concepts with their students, through virtual sessions taught by engaging expert speak-ers in STEM fields. stemCONNECT links K-12 classrooms with industry or academic experts from around the region with just the touch of a button.
The sessions are conducted entirely online using video conferencing software and can span a wide range of STEM topics, from the possibility of life on Mars, how various chemical reactions can create alternative forms of energy, the physics of making video games, the math of medicine or nearly anything in between. This free program allows stu-dents to ask questions and interact with the speaker from his or her office, lecture hall or laboratory anywhere in the Florida High Tech Corridor.
FHTCC launched a new website for stemCONNECT (www.flstemconnect.com), which allows teachers to create a classroom profile of their upcoming curriculum and request speakers that fit the subject matter. Volunteers in turn can complete profiles outlining their areas of expertise and avail-abilities for guest lecturing in classrooms virtually.
The stemCONNECT program supports FHTCC’s work with Corridor universities – the University of Central Florida, the University of South Florida and the University of Florida – state and community colleges, and private-sector compa-nies to help prepare the emerging workforce for tomorrow’s high tech jobs.
For more information, visit flstemconnect.com.
Corridor Resources that
Help Entrepreneurs Thrive
The Florida High Tech Corridor Council recognizes entrepre-neurial support as an important element to a thriving inno-vation economy. As such, FHTCC supports entrepreneurs through all stages of creating a company with its entrepre-neurial initiative, the Florida Virtual Entrepreneur Center (FLVEC) and through support of GrowFL.
Starting a business can be difficult, but FLVEC puts ev-erything an entrepreneur needs to start, grow or relocate a business at his or her fingertips – literally. FLVEC is a free online library of local, state and national commercial and governmental resources, including law, accounting, IT and communications, plus business permitting, regulation, tax
incentives and funding sources. Businesses that cater to entrepreneurs can also register to share company ser-vices at no cost. More than 25,000 visitors per month from across the nation and globe find flvec.com an easy-to-use website to make the necessary connections
CORRIDOR BRIEFS
in getting an idea off the ground or growing sales.
As companies move past the startup stage and are poised for continued growth, further technical assistance becomes available through the statewide program GrowFL at the University of Central Florida’s Florida Economic Gardening Institute. The program stems from concepts of eco-nomic gardening which include strate-gies to grow second-stage companies.
GrowFL provides market research, competitive intelligence, external communication strategy and more to assist CEOs into the next level of business. A 2012 study found that the programs have assisted more than 700 companies and helped create more than 4,000 direct and indirect local jobs since 2009, and the program’s continued success indicates even greater impact will be reported in a study currently underway.
The Corridor is rich with entrepreneurs and research talent ready and willing to present their innovative ideas to the marketplace. FLVEC and GrowFL serve as invaluable entrepreneurial tools to help make it happen and FHTCC looks forward to the great accomplishments by thriving entrepreneurs.
For more information, visit flvec.com and growfl.com.
Florida Polytechnic
Partners with Industry
Leaders to Close High
Tech Gap
Florida Polytechnic University has an enterprising solution to the technology skills gap vexing the U.S.: Partner with indus-try leaders to align higher education with real-world demand for high tech workers.
Dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and strategically located along Florida’s high tech corridor, Florida’s newest and only polytechnic univer-sity aims to close the STEM gap by producing job-ready graduates with the talent, in-depth knowledge and skills to compete and lead in high tech fields. Even prior to the start
of its inaugural class in August 2014, Florida Poly has been forming relationships with industry leaders.
Florida Poly’s industry partners will have the opportunity to serve on the university’s advisory boards, inform its curriculum, explore joint research opportunities and engage students in finding innovative solutions to practical problems. Florida Poly sees these industry alliances as critical to the success of students, the University and Florida’s economy. Companies like Microsoft, Stryker and Harris Corporation agree. They are among Florida Poly’s growing network of industry partners. “As our company continues to grow, we know firsthand the need to foster an advanced workforce with expertise in STEM fields of study,” said Bill Brown, president and CEO of Harris Corporation.
From curriculum to infrastructure, Florida Poly is designed to be nimble and responsive to rapidly advancing technology and the needs of high tech firms. Florida Poly will be the first in the state to offer courses in emerging technologies like Motion Intelligence, Big Data Analytics and Cloud Virtualization, new fields that are already chang-ing our world.
08
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014Faces of Technology
Amir Rubin
Paracosm | www.Paracosm.io Chief Parakeet (CEO)
Education:
B.S. in Computer Engineering, University of Florida
Company:
Paracosm’s goal is to create a 3-D model of every place on earth. The company’s software converts depth cameras (i.e., Microsoft Kinect) into photo-realistic, 3-D scanning systems that can generate 3-D models of building interiors.
Why can’t students in
Orlando walk the Great
Wall of China?
Cost would be the obvious reason, but one high tech leader in Gaines-ville is trying to make that obsolete. Paracosm CEO Amir Rubin has a goal to create a 3-D model of every place on earth.
It may seem like a lofty goal, but listening to Rubin makes it sound achievable.
“Until recently, mapping has been primarily for the outdoors,” said Rubin. “Surveyors and government agencies at federal and local levels extensively map outdoor areas, but the trend is shifting from a bird’s eye view to wanting the ability to zoom into a building. The new frontier of the industry will be indoor mapping.”
The company can create a 3-D model of any interior within a few hours. Video footage from depth cameras, such as the Microsoft Kinect, is uploaded to the Paracosm system for a product that can be used for home builders to visualize spaces, retail stores to manage facili-ties or forensics teams to recreate crime scenes. The maps are a true reflection of the real world.
Rubin is not new to the startup scene. He fell in love with 3-D proj-ects in his last year as an undergrad at the University of Florida and went on to help launch Gainesville’s Prioria Robotics and Shadow Health. He knows the value of a strong entrepre-neurial environment and works in the Corridor region for its simulation ties and high tech industry.
“Orlando is the world’s capital for simulation,” Rubin said. “We have these incredible tools for 3-D scan-ning and 3-D modeling and simu-lation locally. Why hasn’t anyone combined the two?”
Paracosm leads the charge. Rubin believes the depth camera technol-ogy could be available to the masses as early as 2015 with recent 3-D sensor acquisitions by tech giants such as Apple. The technology will inevitably be integrated into cellphones and other devices making the quest to map the world that much easier.
The possibilities of new technology stemming from a digital map of the world are endless. For example, computers will have the ability to “under-stand” reality by having a digital blueprint for every building. This could lead to augmented reality glasses that help visually impaired people navigate build-ings by providing audible instructions.
To Rubin, a project is only worth doing if it will positively impact people’s lives and with his latest business venture, he is on his way.
Faces of Technology
Joseph Megy
JDCPhosphate Inc. | www.JDCPhosphate.com Chief Technology Officer
Education:
B.A. in Mathematics and minor in Chemistry, Oregon State University; Ph.D. in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Oregon State
University; Advanced Studies degree in Metallurgy, and Research and Development Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Company:
Located in Fort Meade, JDCPhosphate is a research and development company that commercializes new technology in phosphoric acid production from phosphate ores.
What will it take to feed
the world?
While scientists search for the an-swer, one critical component is the production of phosphoric acid from phosphate ores.
Phosphate, a naturally occurring element, is used in fertilizer to sup-port food growth. Large deposits of phosphate rock located in the Corri-dor region provide about 75 percent of the nation’s phosphate supply and about 25 percent of the world supply.
The industry depends on local phosphate rock to create fertilizer; however, a diminishing supply calls for new technology to satisfy the demand.
Joseph Megy, chief technology officer at JDCPhosphate, is answer-ing the call. The Fort Meade re-search and development company is changing the chemistry process that creates the final product which allows for more pure and environmentally friendly fertilizers. The new process varies the kind of phosphate rock that is used in production and alleviates the depletion of existing deposits. It also nearly eliminates the slightly radioactive emissions from byproduct created by the current process.
Megy began research in 1965, but his love for science started long be-fore. His high school days were spent enjoying rocketry and creating home-made gunpowder to shoot projectiles. Today, Megy builds on almost 50 years of research for transformative technol-ogy in metallurgical processes.
“After serious work on a project, my greatest satisfaction is under-standing technology in a way that has never been understood before,” said Megy. “You have to spend a lot of time thinking very carefully about things in order to have new technol-ogy insight.”
After contributing to an initial breakthrough while working with a private company and continuing research with his own company, Megy moved to Florida to be located within the hub for the phosphate industry. He began the precursor company JDC Inc. in 1995 as a research company, and formed JDC-Phosphate Inc. in 2008, moving to Florida the same year without a clear idea of how he was going to commercialize the research. Upon arrival, he found a community that had deep experience in phosphoric acid production and was willing to work with him to bring his research to the marketplace.
Truly appreciating the commitment and capabilities of those he met, Megy continues to grow his company in the Corridor. JDC opened a new semi-commer-cial demonstration plant with annual production capacity of 12,000 tons per year of high-quality and high-concentration phosphoric acid – a project that attracted millions of dollars in investment and stands to radically change the industry.
Along with industry, the fight against world hunger could change from developments made in the Corridor.
SECTOR STATISTICS
Research
The statistics are based upon Quarterly Census of Employment Wages (QCEW) employer data from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, aggregated at the county-by-county level for the 23-county Florida High Tech Corridor region. The most recent data available are from the third quarter of 2013. The NAICS (North American Industrial Classification System) definition of technology industry clusters is based upon a modification of standard, published definitions from the American Electronics Association (AEA).
Overview
In 2013, the Florida High Tech Corridor region supported an estimated 19,936 technology establishments and 243,772 technology jobs, with an average salary of $68,785. Financial services remains as the largest sector with more than 103,430 jobs, followed by information technology with 43,554 jobs. The highest-paying technology sectors are aerospace and other media, both of which pay more than $84,000 per year in average salaries. The aerospace sector is manufacturing-based and has the largest individual employers, averaging 106 employees per establishment.
Corridor Cluster Employment
Average Average
Sector Subsector Establishments Employment Employment Salary
Aerospace 142 15,033 106 $84,513 Financial Services 9,858 103,430 11 $64,379 IT 4,928 43,554 9 $79,008 Medical Tech 308 10,437 3 $53,927 Microelectronics 244 16,130 66 $69,968 Other Media 65 2,653 41 $84,135
Other Research & Engineering 3,590 28,912 8 $69,440
Other Telecommunications 703 21,455 31 $62,275
Photonics 98 2,168 22 $64,204
TOTAL 19,936 243,772 12 $68,785
SECTOR STATISTICS
Corridor Cluster
Aerospace
Aerospace Financial Services IT
Microelectronics
Other (Research and Engineering, Media and Telecommunications)
Medical Tech
Photonics
Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing
Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing
All Other Industry Categories
Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing 50% 39% 6% 4% 6% 42% 18% 4% 7% 22%
Corridor Cluster Employment
Aerospace Sector Employment
1%12
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014SECTOR STATISTICS
Information Technology
Financial Services
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages Custom Computer Programming Services Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Carriers Computer Systems Design Services
Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers
Real Estate Credit Data Processing, Hosting and Related Services
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
Securities Brokerage All Other Industry Categories Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve and Clearinghouse Activities Software Publishers
Third-Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds All Other Industry Categories
Financial Services Sector Employment
Information Technology Sector Employment
33% 27% 20% 13% 7% 18% 18% 9% 8% 6% 5% 5% 5% 26%
SECTOR STATISTICS
Medical Technology
Microelectronics
Medical Technology Sector Employment
Microelectronics Sector Employment
Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing
Other Electronic Component Manufacturing Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing
Bare Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
Printed Circuit Assembly (Electronic Assembly) Manufacturing All Other Industry Categories
Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing All Other Industry Categories
Electronic Computer Manufacturing Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing
42% 11% 12% 14% 7% 14% 30% 27% 16% 14% 10% 4% RICHARD WHEELER
SECTOR STATISTICS
Other Technology
Photonics
Optical Instrument and Lens Manufacturing Engineering Services
Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing Wired Telecommunications Carriers
Testing Laboratories Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring,
Displaying and Controlling Industrial Process Variables Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing
Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
All Other Industry Categories
Radio and Television Broadcasting, and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
Photonics Sector Employment
Other Technology Sector Employment
40% 38% 10% 4% 4% 4% 40% 25% 24% 10% 1%
14
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014Faces of Technology
Kevan L. Main, Ph.D.
Mote Aquaculture Research Park at Mote Marine Laboratory www.Mote.org
Senior Scientist and Director
Education:
B.A. in Biological Science and M.S. in Biological Science, California State University, Northridge; Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, Florida State University
Company:
Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota develops new technologies to produce fish for food and restoration. Aquaculture systems are zero-discharge, environmentally friendly, recirculating systems with new developments, including integrated systems that produce plants in high-nutrient wastewater from the fish systems.
Dr. Kevan Main is on a
crusade to save the world—
with fish.
As the human population grows, the amount of food harvested on land will eventually reach its peak. What hasn’t been growing, however, is the amount of seafood that is harvested from wild-caught fisheries, especially those in the United States.
“I’ve stood in many congressional offices talking about how we’re import-ing 90 percent of the seafood that is consumed in this country,” said Main. “That makes seafood the second-larg-est contributor to the trade deficit.”
Main’s role with Mote Marine Laboratory doesn’t usually entail petitioning legislators; as the program manager for Mote’s Marine & Freshwa-ter Aquaculture Research, her primary function is to direct the operations at Mote’s 200-acre field station, Mote Aquaculture Park, in eastern Sara-sota County, where researchers and scientists are enhancing techniques to sustainably and cost effectively cultivate marine and freshwater fish and invertebrates.
“Farming fish is not as simple as keeping an aquarium and letting nature run its course,” said Main. The facilities at Mote maintain advanced aquatic systems to monitor water chemistry, reuse waste, filter water, control reproductive stages and much more. With expertise in behavioral ecology, Main manages the efforts to recreate the delicate balance of nature in a laboratory environment. Her team of biologists and aquaculture systems specialists are working together with engineers, chemists, aquatic vet-erinarians and geneticists to conduct research into growing sturgeon and pompano for food production, as well as growing other species for restoring fish populations in the wild.
Mote is making inroads in food production—especially with its high-quality Siberian sturgeon caviar—however, Main believes there is more work to be done. Research is needed to make aquaculture more accessible so that com-munities across the country—not only those with access to large bodies of water—can support farms for local distribution while still conserving water.
“Right now we’re demonstrating water efficiencies of combining aquacul-ture with wastewater treatment facilities,” said Main. “By bringing in wetland crops that remove the nutrients in wastewater, we can then recycle that water back to the fish production.”
These test systems come from years of study and firsthand contact with dif-ferent aquaculture processes that Main has seen as president of the World Aqua-culture Society. “I’ve been able to bring back innovative new ideas and concepts resulting from networking opportunities around the world,” said Main. “And because Mote is a unique organization, one of the few private nonprofit research laboratories in the U.S., we are able to quickly respond to research needs, see what works and what doesn’t, and then expand and test promising results at a com-mercial scale. I love having the flexibility to quickly respond to research needs and move ahead with new projects; it’s the best way that we can make a clear impact in aquaculture.”
16
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014Faces of Technology
Charles Engelke
Info Tech Inc. | www.InfoTechFL.com Chief Technology Officer
Education:
B.S. in Mathematics, M.S. in Computer Science, M.S. in Mathematics and coursework toward Ph.D. in Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Florida
Company:
Info Tech Inc. is located in Gainesville and is a market leader in
software for infrastructure construction management. Products serve consultants, contractors and agencies of all sizes, including hundreds of cities and more than 40 U.S. departments of transportation. The company also provides consulting and IT services.
Working for one company
for a quarter of a century
could get old.
Gainesville’s Info Tech has been a place of innovation for Chief Technology Of-ficer Charles Engelke for more than 26 years. With key insight, he has learned how to guide innovation and create products that sell.
Info Tech provides software and services for public agencies and other clients throughout the U.S. and Canada, including software products that detect price fixing and manage construction proj-ects. Nearly $111 billion in bids were processed through the company’s bidding software in 2013.
In order to foster ongoing in-novation in its products, Info Tech created an in-house incubator to research new technology.
“The incubator sharpens our ability to best serve our clients,” said Engelke. “We keep our eyes open for needs that are not being met or budding technology that may not be mainstream for a few years, but will eventually become integrated in our work.”
Engelke directs the incubator, as well as other technology projects. His days range from tinkering with available technology to solve a client problem to pushing projects at vari-ous stages of production forward. Among other information, he must navigate through what is new with mobile and popular technology, plus industry needs.
Engelke found his way into the industry through a love for math. He studied mathematics in college, but a spark was ignited when he took a computer science class.
“I got hooked hard on comput-ers,” said Engelke. “The field is in-credibly dynamic and I really wanted
to make things that people could use, not just something that would be talked about in a classroom.”
Creating useful products is Engelke’s favorite part of the job. A close sec-ond is Info Tech’s environment of learning that allows its employees to explore any technology that can build on new or existing products. To him, the job never gets old. In fact, he still feels like he did when he was hired after graduate school at the University of Florida.
One thing that has changed is Engelke’s insight after decades of build-ing computer systems. After trybuild-ing to meet every need in one product, he has learned to keep things simple. Employees are used to him asking, “Does this product need to do this function?” Regardless of the answer, he couldn’t imagine a better company to figure it out.
PILLARS OF RESEARCH
University Research:
A HIGH TECH CATALYST
T
he three research universities that make up theFlorida High Tech Corridor Council—the University of Central Florida (UCF), the University of South Florida (USF) and the University of Florida (UF)—are collectively responsible for more than $1 billion worth of research grants every year.
What’s more, the Corridor institutions also garner attention from the strength of their research initiatives, especially incubation programs for starting new com-panies. In 2013, UCF and UF took home the two highest honors from the National Business Incubation Associa-tion as the Incubator Network of the Year and Incubator of the Year, respectively. Also last year, USF doubled the size of its incubator space, opening the doors to emerging startups like KeriCure, a biotech specializing in advanced wound care.
KeriCure is just one of the hundreds of companies helped every year by the Florida High Tech Corridor Coun-cil’s Matching Grants Research Program (MGRP). In its nearly 18-year history, MGRP has leveraged more than $50 million into a $1 billion regional impact—all thanks to the collaborations between university faculty and industry partners working together to solve industry needs through applied research.
In these pages, you’ll read about some of the com-panies that have participated in the Program working in fields as diverse as aerospace, simulation, optics and bio-medicine. These stories of innovation are only a few of the scientific achievements created every day in Florida’s High Tech Corridor.
18
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014FROM THE PRESIDENT
Who knew that turning 50 could be so much fun? Last year in this space, I wrote that UCF would embark on a 50th anniversary celebration in 2013. Little did we know what a momentous occasion it would be, providing our young institution with recog-nition in the laboratory, in the classroom and on the athletic field.
We landed the largest research grant in school history and we graduated our charter class from the UCF College of Medi-cine. The university also set a new Florida record for enrollment in reaching the 60,000-student mark. Our student minority population increased to 40 percent—also a new school record—and our total enrollment of National Merit Scholars reached an all-time high of 247, ranking UCF 12th nationally among public institutions. Interestingly, all universities ranking ahead of UCF were founded in the 18th or 19th centuries.
And, oh yes, our football team won its first-ever BCS bowl game and finished No. 10 in the AP Football Poll. We are equally proud that among those top 10 football schools, UCF ranked first in the graduation rate of our football players.
All this achievement focuses great attention on an institution, and it enables us to attract top-notch faculty members and students who seek world-class academic excellence in such fields as simulation and training, photonics and lasers, digital media, and hospitality management. And, our researchers are working on breakthroughs for diseases, clean energy and nanoparticles. UCF really does stand for opportunity.
Our partnership through the Florida High Tech Corridor Council with the University of South Florida and the University of Florida in attracting, retain-ing and growretain-ing high tech industry and the workforce to support that industry is a unique initiative that continues to pay invaluable dividends to the region. Together, we send one concise message: We are ready to be your partners.
Dr. John C. Hitt
President, University of Central Florida
COLLEGES
Burnett Honors College College of Arts and Humanities College of Business Administration College of Education
College of Engineering and Computer Science
College of Graduate Studies College of Health and Public Affairs College of Medicine
College of Nursing
College of Optics and Photonics College of Sciences
Rosen College of Hospitality Management
ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAMS (Fall 2013) Baccalaureate Programs ... 91 Master’s Programs ... 86 Specialist Programs ...3 Doctoral Programs ... 30 Professional (Medicine) ... 1 NUMBER OF DEGREES AWARDED (as of Summer 2013) Baccalaureate ... 205,531 Master’s ... 41,394 Specialist ... 562
Doctoral ... 3,279 PERSONNEL (Fall 2013) Teaching Faculty and Adjuncts ...1,965 Executive/Administrative/ Managerial ... 332 Other Professionals ...1,612 Support Personnel ... 1,504 FALL 2013 ENROLLMENT: 59,770
UCF AT A GLANCE
The University of Central Florida (UCF), the nation’s second-largest university with an enrollment of nearly 60,000 students, is a dynamic and entrepreneur-ial institution. Offering more than 200 degree programs, UCF is an academic and research leader in optics, modeling and simulation, engineering and com-puter science, education, hospitality management and digital media. It is ranked among the nation’s top up-and-coming institutions by U.S. News & World Report
and among the nation’s best values by Kiplinger and The Princeton Review. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has designated UCF as a university with “very high research activity,” a category that features the nation’s top research institutions, and has recognized UCF’s substantial commit-ments in Curricular Engagement and Outreach & Partnership.
A national study released by the New America Foundation concluded that with UCF’s many partnerships and emphasis on expanding access to a
high-quality education, UCF is a “Next Generation Uni-versity” and a national model.
Students attend classes on UCF’s main campus in East Orlando and at 15 satellite facilities throughout Central Flor-ida. The College of Medicine and our medical city partners at Lake Nona will potentially create 30,000 jobs and more than $7.6 billion in annual economic impact beginning in 2017.
UCF is one of Central Florida’s largest employers, with more than 11,000 staff and faculty members. The university impacts more than 112,000 additional jobs and adds $7.73 billion of value to the economy, a 2009-10 study found.
UCF researchers have earned more than $1 billion in external grants during the past decade. UCF’s internation-ally recognized Institute for Simulation and Training is an anchor of the state’s $5 billion modeling and simulation industry.
UCF awarded more than 15,000 degrees in 2012-13, and UCF produces the second-largest number of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) graduates in the State University System.
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE
As the countdown reaches zero, the huge plume of flame upon liftoff makes every rocket launch a visual marvel. How-ever, the same fuel that gives the rocket its thrust is also responsible for weighing it down.
“The Delta IV rocket is fueled by liquid oxygen and highly flammable liquid hydrogen,” said Si Song, United Launch Alliance (ULA) east coast spacecraft integration and proposal lead. “Because the outside of the rocket must be padded with extra insulation to protect it from the heat of
SCRIPTUNA
20
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014the ignited hydrogen, we reduce the potential payload size.” ULA, the joint venture of Lockheed Martin and The Boeing Company, turned to experts at the University of Cen-tral Florida to better control the plumes of hydrogen and increase the carrying capacity of its Delta IV rocket.
Song and his team theorized a method to mitigate the plume of hydrogen by injecting oxygen into the equation to create a less hazardous and environmentally friendly byproduct: water. But before testing the methods on a real launch, ULA worked with Dr. Alain Kassab, a UCF professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering, to run computer models of the chemical reactions.
“During those three seconds prior to launch, a number of intense chain reactions take place to propel the rocket,” said Kassab, whose expertise is in computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer. “Calculating how those liquids and gases interact through hundreds of numerical meth-ods and algorithms is extremely laborious, but also incred-ibly important.”
Thanks to the funds provided by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, the project brought on four students to Kassab’s team to perform the computer simulations over and over again using different scenarios to demonstrate that the theory “holds water.”
The results of this research project could have far-reaching implications for future United Launch Alliance
missions. “Currently we focus on launching commercial payloads such as research laboratories and weather, tele-communications and national security satellites,” said Song. “In the future we hope to support resupply missions to the International Space Station.”
SMART SPRAY COATINGS
High tech coatings have many uses, ranging from the highly scientific to more surprising consumer applica-tions, such as eyeglasses that tint when exposed to sun-light and beer cans that change color when their contents have reached the perfect temperature. Now one high tech spinoff company from the University of Central Florida is
SCRIPTUNA
looking to expand the applications for these thermochro-mic coatings to have a major impact on the sustainable energy industry.
Melbourne-based Mesdi Systems has developed an innovative spray nozzle that uses electricity to apply very thin coatings to glass and other materials. One day, it could allow for coatings on the windows of skyscrapers, enabling them to tint themselves to provide significant cost and energy sav-ings. The technology was developed by Brandon Lojewski and his thesis advisor Dr. Weiwei Deng while Lojewski was a graduate engineering student at UCF.
“Our innovative spray nozzle can quickly and easily apply a thin, protective coating to everything from glass to microbatteries,” said Lojewski, who after graduating from UCF licensed his technology and went on to establish Mesdi Systems as a university spinoff. “The nozzle applies coatings
with incredible precision under a process that is more afford-able and scalafford-able than previous systems.”
The coating process using Mesdi Systems’ spray nozzle technology is so affordable that researchers are now able to cost-effectively coat larger areas, expanding the applications of the technology.
“In the past, the industry standard has been to create these thin films using a vacuum chamber, but our spray is so fine it doesn’t need the additional pressure provided by a vacuum,” said Deng, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UCF. “This allows us to eliminate the very expensive vacuum equipment, making the process cost-effective and the footprint much smaller.”
Lojewski hopes to eventually partner with a large manu-facturer of glass panels and envisions future applications for his technology that could have a major impact on sustain-able energy. In addition to self-tinting windows, potential applications include improving touch screen displays and developing advanced components for lithium-ion batteries.
“The renewable energy space is a real passion of mine and has been a big focus of my research and now my com-pany,” said Lojewski. “If we can improve solar cells and bat-teries to the extent that they’re more attractive and cost competitive over fossil fuels, it’s a no-brainer for the world to switch over.”
Lojewski credits the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s Matching Grants Research Program for helping his research team further their applied research goals. “The grant we received has just been incredible,” said Lojewski. “There was very low effort in terms of the application process and the ability to expand the research effort through the matching funds was very beneficial.”
IF WE CAN IMPROVE
SOLAR CELLS AND
BATTERIES TO THE EXTENT
THAT THEY’RE MORE
ATTRACTIVE AND COST
COMPETITIVE OVER FOSSIL
FUELS, IT’S A NO-BRAINER
FOR THE WORLD TO
22
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014A NO-NEEDLES SOLUTION
Trypanophobia may seem an innocuous name, but for those with a fear of needles, having blood drawn is no laughing matter. Needle-phobia is one of the most common fears, and drawing blood is one of the most ubiq-uitous medical procedures that nearly everyone faces at some point in their lives.
Altamonte Springs-based NoNeedles Venipuncture is working on addressing this common fear with the research backing of Dr. Rodrigo Amezcua Correa, assistant profes-sor of optics at the University of Central Florida. Thanks to the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s Matching Grants Research Program, they are developing a process that uses laser pulses to draw blood without using a needle, which could have a major impact on the medical field with a par-ticular focus on pediatrics.
The innovative process uses a laser beam that is fired through the skin in one quadrillionth of a second to create a microscopic channel into the vein. The bloodstream is then connected to a port to collect the blood sample before a laser is fired again to seal the channel and stop the bleeding. The result is a quick, accurate and painless procedure for col-lecting blood.
“Our design of this instrument is intended to improve the process of performing a venipuncture – such that the quality will be better and the cost will be lower,” said Calvin Wiese, president of NoNeedles Venipuncture. “We’re fairly confident that if we can get the technology to work the way we expect it to, it will be universally adopted.”
This research is a prime example of the multitude of applications found within the optics and photonics industry. CREOL, the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers at UCF, conducts cutting-edge research using optics and lasers with applications in a variety of industries in addition to the medical field, including defense, energy, aerospace and more.
“What excites me most about this project is to see the vast potential of lasers. Every day you see more applica-tions,” said Amezcua Correa. “If you can use lasers to cure some medical conditions or make common procedures easier, that’s very exciting to me.”
NoNeedles Venipuncture’s process also represents a vast improvement over current laser tissue methods, such as those used in laser tattoo removal, which require a large laser pulse that uses a lot of energy and often burns patients’ skin.
In addition to the obvious benefits of eliminating pain and the “scare factor” many patients experience, a needleless system would also provide a much lower risk of contamina-tion from blood-borne pathogens.
Initial results have been promising and the team hopes to complete additional studies on real human or animal tissue as the next step toward meeting their research goals.
“The money we’ve received from the Florida High Tech Corridor Council has helped us a lot in our research efforts,” said Amezcua Correa. “We’ve been able to build a research group and bring students on board to support our efforts. It’s just a great opportunity for the university and for the company.”
* 2012 Number of U.S. Utility Patents received by U.S. Public Universities, Ranked by National Academy of Inventors and Intellectual Property Owners Association, ** 2013 Final Associated Press Poll
UCF RANKS WITH THE BEST
IN THE LAB & ON THE FIELD
PATENTS BY U.S. PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES*
AP FOOTBALL RANKINGS**
* 2012 Number of U S Utility Patents received by U S Public Universities Ranked by
1. University of California System
2. Wisconsin
3 University of Texas System
4. Michigan
5. Illinois
6. Utah
7.
Georgia Tech
8. USF
9.
U C F
10. UF
1.
Florida
State
2. Auburn
3. Michigan State
4. South Carolina
5. Missouri
6. Oklahoma
7.
Alabama
8. Clemson
9. Oregon
10.
U C F
research.ucf.edu
The best defense may
be a good offense …
But it begins with well-trained forces.
Since the 1940s, when some of the earliest military fl ight simulators were developed in
Central Florida, Metro Orlando has been center stage in the creation of simulation and
training tools. Today the region hosts the largest concentration of industry and military
simulation activity in the country:
■
1,000+ companies
■
More than 27,000 direct jobs
■
Average salary of nearly $70,000
■
Employment impact exceeds 60,000 jobs
■
Navy, Marine & Army Simulation Commands
■
World-renowned Institute for Simulation & Training at UCF
■
Annually home to I/ITSEC … the world’s leading simulation trade show
Metro Orlando … the World’s Epicenter of Modeling & Simulation
w w w . O r l a n d o S i m u l a t i o n . c o m
Faces of Technology
Barb Eppler
Nanotherapeutics Inc. | www.Nanotherapeutics.com Senior Vice President, Preclinical and Quality Assurance
Education:
B.S. in Zoology and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Florida
Company:
Gainesville’s Nanotherapeutics has expertise in pre-clinical and clinical development, formulation optimization, and current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products and medical devices. Over several years, the company has focused efforts on developing safe, effective medical countermeasures against determined biological and radiological threats.
For military troops
exposed to a chemical,
biological, radiological
or nuclear weapon, the
biggest enemy is time.
It takes time to identify the agent and administer the treatment. “Develop-ing fast-act“Develop-ing biodefense medical countermeasures is just one focus of Nanotherapeutics,” said Barb Eppler, senior vice president of preclinical and quality assurance for the Gainesville-area biopharmaceutical company. “We’re known for our formulation work, taking a product and making it easier to absorb into the body.”That proprietary formulation technology applies to other products that are in Nanotherapeutics’ portfolio, including the FDA-cleared injectable biologic, NanoFUSE® DBM, which is
used by orthopedic surgeons as bone graft filler. This and other products in the company’s pipeline generally take years to get to market, and Eppler has overseen numerous projects in her time at Nanotherapeutics.
Originally, Eppler imagined a career in academia, but after graduat-ing from the University of Florida in the same class as Nanotherapeutics’ co-founder and president James Talton, she was convinced to join the company in 2001 to conduct preclini-cal research and formulation work. As the company expanded and readied drugs for FDA submission, she took the reins on the quality side to manage all regulatory compliance systems.
While Eppler misses her work on the research bench, she enjoys having a hand in every stage of a product’s life cycle. “Quality assurance is involved at the very beginning with sourcing the materials used in the R&D process, through how it is processed and all the way to clinical trials,” said Eppler.
Currently, Nanotherapeutics is enjoying major success as a privately held emerging biopharma thanks to last year’s contract from the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish Medical Countermeasures Advanced Development and Manufacturing (MCM ADM) capability. Though the beginning of the grant period will mostly deal with construction of the facilities, Eppler is managing the quality systems that have to be in place when production starts in two years.
“This represents a great opportunity to prepare the country for serious events and be able to rapidly address threats,” said Eppler. “It’s a great privi-lege for Nanotherapeutics to be able to help in this capacity, even though we hope to never be in these kinds of scenarios.”
26
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014FROM THE PRESIDENT
When the University of South Florida (USF) was founded more than a half century ago, our mission was to be a force for positive change not only in the lives and futures of our students, but in the economic future of our region. It’s been wonderful to see that plan come to fruition as USF takes a prominent role in building a knowledge economy.
This year, USF moved up the ranks of both public and private research universities and set a new institutional record for research grants and contracts, and did so in a year that presented serious challenges in research funding. It’s been gratifying as USF’s president to hear so many in Flor-ida say they look to USF as a center of innovation, partnerships and economic development that will provide a broader and more sustainable foundation for our region’s economic health and security.
We know we are succeeding in our mission because we see our economy changing with the recruitment of top companies – such as pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb, which cited USF’s presence as a draw for locating new oper-ations in Tampa – and the expansion of international business, including USF and USF Health as global centers for education and health services.
Our mission is to make a difference and that’s why the name on our capital campaign has been USF: Unstoppable.
We deliver on that promise in a number of ways, not the least of which is a focus on research and innovation. In fact, an organization launched by some of USF’s most prolific researchers in 2010 to recognize and encourage academic inventors has grown to more than 3,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 200 institutions. We are proud that the National Academy of Inventors includes not just members from USF, but from our sister institutions UCF and UF, as well.
The spirit of innovation is unstoppable at USF, and so are we!
Dr. Judy Genshaft
President, University of South Florida
COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS
(USF Tampa only) Arts & Sciences
Behavioral & Community Sciences Business Education Engineering Global Sustainability Graduate Studies Honors College Marine Science Medicine Nursing Pharmacy Public Health The Arts
ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAMS
Baccalaureate ... 90 Master’s ...105 Ed Specialist (EdS) ...2 Research Doctoral... 40 Professional Doctoral ...4
NUMBER OF DEGREES AWARDED
(2013) Baccalaureate ... 9,178 Master’s ... 2,742 Ed Specialist (EdS) ... 295 Research Doctoral... 153 Professional Doctoral ... 13 PERSONNEL (2013) Full-time Faculty ... 2,369 Part-time Faculty ... 155 Adjuncts ...1,384 Graduate Teaching Assistants ... 2,044 Administrative ... 2,202 Other Professionals/
University Support Personnel ... 5,573
FALL 2013 ENROLLMENT: 47,943
USF AT A GLANCE
The University of South Florida System is a young and emerging system formed to bring its member institutions together to collectively serve the Tampa Bay region and beyond, resulting in a stronger presence and a distinc-tiveness that provides an unstoppable competitive differentiation.
The USF System is tasked with finding ways to capitalize on synergies and economies of scales among its institutions that are of benefit to students, fac-ulty, staff, alumni and communities. As a solution for a metropolitan region of multiple major cities, the USF System is comprised of three institutions: USF; USF St. Petersburg; and, USF Sarasota-Manatee. The institutions are separately accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Col-leges and Schools. All institutions have distinct missions and their own detailed strategic plans. USF includes the main Tampa campus, its College of Marine Science in St. Petersburg, and USF Health.
The USF System offers over 230 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. Awarded $411.1 million in research contracts and grants in FY 2012, the USF System has an annual budget of $1.5 billion, an annual economic impact of $4.4 billion, and serves more than 47,000 students. USF is a member of the American Ath-letic Conference.
A BETTER BANDAGE
Dr. Edward Turos has taught chemistry to thousands of students as a tenured professor at the University of South Florida, but one student in particular sticks out.
In 2004, Turos and graduate student, Kerriann Green-halgh, partnered to perfect technology that Turos devel-oped for a nanoparticle drug delivery system. Greenhalgh focused her research on finding a topical system to treat skin infections resulting from burns and chronic wounds through the nanoparticle technology.
Today, Dr. Greenhalgh continues research and devel-opment of the initial technology as CEO of Tampa-based KeriCure, which develops over-the-counter wound care products across medical and consumer markets.
Through the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s (FHTCC) Matching Grants Research Program, teacher and
28
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014student have partnered once more to research commercial uses of the technology. They’re assisted by USF undergrad-uates seeking to improve the nanomaterial that makes up KeriCure’s line of spray-on bandages and a lab director that is supported by FHTCC funding.
“The grant has really helped us reach out to students and get them involved in the research process,” said Green-halgh. “We currently have eight undergraduate interns working on new product development in the lab and we are able to supply them with chemicals and all the equip-ment needed through this grant.”
Greenhalgh looks to add antibiotic properties to prod-ucts that already stop bleeding, treat the wound, seal and prevent infection. She is also working to develop better
technology for products to be used on animals, including her two pit bulls, as pets are prone to hives and skin irritations.
“The KeriCure products have great potential for a number of applications,” said Turos. “Without funding from the Corridor we could not bring in a single person to research these possibilities. We would have to sit around and dream about ‘what if.’”
Greenhalgh saw the need for her products after a loved one’s minor cut almost led to permanent nerve
damage. The cut was on the hand, in a difficult place to adhere a bandage, and bacteria quickly infected the wound as available products failed to shield the cut.
KeriCure products are available over-the-counter in more than 1,100 grocery stores across the United States, but Greenhalgh would also love to get products into the hands of the military. The portable, lightweight spray could be kept in a soldier’s pack and be used to stop bleeding and prevent infection from cuts and scrapes.
“It is gratifying to see the technology and initial research captivated Kerriann and propelled her to start KeriCure to provide a better way to treat skin infections,” said Turos. “Her work has shown me how truly innovative the technology is.”
SEEING SURGERY
FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Since the introduction of laparoscopes, the field of mini-mally invasive surgery (MIS) has made major advancements. Together with a Tampa-based startup called Innovatia Med-ical Systems and surgeons from University of South Florida, Tampa General Hospital and Florida Hospital, one research team at USF is attempting to make such operations even more successful.
Led by Dr. Richard Gitlin, distinguished university profes-sor and the Agere Systems chair of electrical engineering at USF, the multidisciplinary research project funded in part by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council is focused on improv-ing the communications performance and reliability of wire-less medical devices such as sensors and cameras inside the body (“in vivo”). Current minimally invasive procedures involve inserting a laparoscope through a small incision in the abdomen. Such an approach can only show a single view of the operative field and the surgeon’s in vivo access is often hindered because of other devices cluttering the area. To address this challenge, the USF research team has devel-oped what they call Miniature and Anchored Remote Video-scope for Expedited Laparoscopy, or MARVEL.
“The goal of our MARVEL technology is to replace the laparoscope and allow surgeons to insert multiple wirelessly controllable sensing devices into the operative site,” said Gitlin. “This would provide depth perception with a close-up view of the surgical site and simultaneously a wide angle view of the entire abdominal cavity. Our devices are wireless,
controllable by the surgeon and able to communicate with each other and transmit their data and video signals in real time.”
One of the basic engineering challenges in creating a new approach to MIS is providing redundancy in the in vivo network so that if one camera is having a problem, the others can still record the data, while minimizing the lag time between what is filmed and what is wirelessly transmitted to display on screen.
The current prototypes developed by the USF research team have been successfully demonstrated in several experiments on animal subjects, but they are too large to be used in humans. Innova-tia Medical Systems, led by CEO Peter Savage, is working to reduce the size of the devices and to make them commercially available.
“In the future, we envision using the cameras and other devices not only during surgery, but also during the recovery process where the sensors could monitor a patient’s post-op vital signs,” said Gitlin. “Eventually, I hope that this technology could advance to the point that the devices are able to harmlessly dissolve in the body after a period of time like stitches do.”
30
florida.HIGH.TECH 2014TRAINING THE PHARMACISTS
OF TOMORROW
While there is a lot to be learned from textbooks and in class-rooms, nothing beats hands-on experience. That philosophy is the foundation for the University of South Florida College of Pharmacy, as its curriculum incorporates opportunities for students to receive real-world, hands-on experience in the industry prior to graduation.
USF’s Tampa Bay home is a hotbed for life sciences and medical technologies, with nearly 13,000 companies focused on applied medicine in the region. One of those companies, CoreRx, a pharmaceutical development and manufactur-ing firm based in Clearwater, has been a key component of USF’s alliance with the local pharmaceutical industry.
Thanks to funding from CoreRx and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s Matching Grants Research Program, USF students are now learning
about early-stage development of pharmaceuticals; how liquid medicine, tablets and capsules are made; the functionality of ingredients found in modern-day drugs; and, hands-on pro-cesses used to manufacture a wide range of pharmaceutical dosage forms.
As well, the students are being trained to help educate students about biopharmaceu-tical techniques, quality con-trol and assurance, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory standards for pre-scription drugs.
“The concept is really about providing a multi-dis-ciplinary opportunity for stu-dents to work on real-world
projects in pharmaceutical development,” said Dr. Todd Daviau, CoreRx president and CEO. “CoreRx scientists are guiding the students in the development of novel dosage forms including the development of combination prod-ucts in multi-layer tablets, multi-particulate capsules, and also working on several problems involving bioavailability enhancement.”
“Our main goal for this project is to train students as they’re entering the pharmaceutical industry,” said Dr. Srini-vas M. Tipparaju, who serves as principal investigator along with co-investigators Dr. Yash Pathk and Dr. Vijay Sutariya. “We talked to people in the community and found that most companies want to hire employees from out of state. This was surprising to us because Tampa Bay is so rich in train-ing and education. We saw an opportunity to train students from USF and get them actively involved with professionals in the companies with which we collaborate.”
Students not only have the opportunity to learn from industry professionals at CoreRx, but also work on real-world projects related to the development of advanced drug delivery systems. “It’s really a win-win for our students and CoreRx,” explained Tipparaju.
“The thing that we are excited most about is giving the
opportunity to be in a cutting-edge program with USF in training the pharmacists of tomorrow,” said Daviau. “There are very few pharmacy programs around the country that give students an opportunity to work on real-world problems alongside top-notch scientists as part of an academic-indus-try alliance like we have created between the USF College of Pharmacy and CoreRx.”
