Steve Fening, PhD, Associate Vice President for Research
A lack of adequate understanding of the requirements for commercialization and funding create major impediments to translation of bench research to the bedside. In support of CTSC efforts on innovation and education, the CTSC participates as an NCATS for drug development that includes CTSC partners across Cleveland and Ohio. The CWRU i-Corps@NCATS program provides biomedical scientists and clinicians with the tools to accelerate translation of discoveries from the lab to clinical practice. The curriculum provides a real-world, hands-on, immersive learning experience, and supports members’ efforts to transform technologies and discoveries into successful products and services. This program coordinates with other skills programs through the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
For more information 鶹ӳ the upcoming recruitment period, please refer to the 2025 I-Corps Program RFA.
CWRU Venture Mentor Program
The CVMP provides CWRU biomedical researchers with unbiased, confidential team mentoring in order to develop, inspire and empower their pursuit of commercial opportunities in the biomedical space. Our mentoring program originated from the successful MIT Venture Mentor Service, with customizations to fit the needs of the researchers here at CWRU. Team mentoring offers a wide range of expertise and advice from a pool of local industry experts, providing a wide range of experiences and disciplines essential to product development and commercialization. Mentors are volunteers drawn from local businesses all over the Greater Cleveland area including lawyers, consultants, translational officers, CEOs/CSOs, company founders and venture capitalists.
Eligible entrepreneurs include post-docs, graduate students, staff scientists, and junior faculty drawn from CWRU translational research programs in health, medicine and biotechnology across campus and affiliate hospitals.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor or entrepreneur or know of someone that might be interested, please contact us at cvmp@case.edu. To read more 鶹ӳ the CWRU Venture Mentor Program.
Translational Fellows Program
The CWRU Translational Fellows Program (TFP) seeks to train individuals in entrepreneurship and the translation of innovation into commercial ventures by connecting them to programs and workshops around campus while protecting time for their entrepreneurial activities. We are seeking applications from individuals who are employed or are students at CTSC organizations who are interested in entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. Applications are especially encouraged from later-stage doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows. Applicants will commit to working through the process of evaluating and preparing a technology for commercialization. This fellowship will run from 9/1/2025 through 5/31/2025, with an option to continue to 8/31/2026 with an entrepreneurial experiential learning opportunity.
Benefits
● 20% effort protected for 9-12 months (with salary coverage when needed)
● Training and support for commercialization skill development
● Entrepreneurship/
● Travel funds for those traveling from outside of local region to CWRU campus:>100 miles from
CWRU’s campus (University of Toledo) - $2500 budget for day/overnight travel
● 25-99 miles from CWRU’s campus (NEOMED) - $500 budget for day travel
For more information 鶹ӳ the upcoming recruitment period, please refer to the 2025-2026 TFP RFA.