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PHOTO COURTESY OF AUSTEN BIOINNOVATION INSTITUTE IN AKRON COVER FEATURE Together with The University of Akron Research Foundation (UARF), the ABIA was recently recognized as one of only six winners of the National i6 Innovation Challenge, an effort by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration to identify and support the best ideas for technology commercialization and entrepreneurship. The initiative awarded $1 million to ABIA and UARF. Shown here (L-R) with U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce John Fernandez (center) are (L-R) Dr. Brian L. Davis and Dr. Frank. L. Douglas from ABIA, U.S. Secretary Fernandez, and Dr. Luis M. Proenza and Dr. George R. Newkome from The University of Akron. addition, the ABIA is responsible for the establishment of the Akron Functional Materials Center in collaboration with The University of Akron, which attracted the attention of such major players as Lubrizol and Exxon Mobil. "Akron is reinventing itself from a rubber city to a biomaterials city and we have been able to create this environment locally in which companies are becoming interested in the things we are doing," says Dr. Douglas. "I think we have demon- strated what we can do for the community when we operate in this collaborative manner. And the com- munity helps ensure its own survival by supporting the work of the institute." As part of its goal to be nationally recog- nized for the use of simulation technologies in improving healthcare, the ABIA will open this spring a large simulation training center for medical students, physicians and first responders, in ABIA's new headquar- ters at 47 N. Main Street in downtown Akron. Here, healthcare professionals will be offered training opportunities as well as a chance to observe surgeries at area hos- pitals via remote access. Also in April, the ABIA will host a national conference on Value Driven Engineering. Now in its second year, the conference brings in experts from major biotech innovators such as MIT, Medtronics, The University of Akron and Johns Hopkins. The first conference led the ABIA to create a nationally recognized white paper on the concept ("Value Driven Engineering and U.S. Global Compet it iveness") which Dr. Douglas presented in a congressio- nal briefing in November. This year will also mark the second year for the ABIA's Women's Entrepreneurship Program. Targeted to graduate and medical students, this program aims to increase the number of female entrepreneurs in bur- geoning technology fields and to aid facility commercialization of novel bio- 8 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton MD NEWS MDNEWS.COM JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2012 medical and alternative energy technologies in Akron. Although Dr. Douglas is enjoying the challenge of building the ABIA and is committed to the effort through 2013, he recognizes that he is laying the groundwork for a successor to lead the institute and continue its philosophy of innovation into the coming decades. "Any time you have an opportunity to contribute to the wellbeing of patients and to be part of a serious and forward-thinking effort like this, it is rewarding," says Dr. Douglas. "But on another level, this effort is also very personal. I frequently wrap up a presentation by reminding the audience that 'the patients are waiting'. One day, almost all of us will be patients, and we may benefit from the kinds of innovations that we are developing today." For more information about Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron, visit www.abiakron.org. ■