The Sr. Business Development Manager (SBDM) will provide leadership over comprehensive and strategic services and initiatives that support and enhance commercialization of intellectual property created by Western and its partners, including faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students, and staff. The SBDM provides mentoring and project leadership to Business Development Managers and/or Business Development Officers within the WORLDiscoveries team.
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The Business Development Manager will lead, develop and implement strategies to enhance commercialization of intellectual property created by Western and its partners including, faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students and staff, as well as provide support in matters related to industrial interactions and intellectual property management under the area of Life Sciences. The role will establish relationships in order to solicit new innovations for WORLDiscoveries, seek out commercialization opportunities and maintain relationships with industry, partners and other stakeholders in order to reinforce and advance the reputation of Western and WORLDiscoveries locally, nationally and internationally.
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By: Maria Varon. WORLDiscoveries
Emerging professionals with unique expertise and passion stand out in the dynamic medical device and health technology innovation landscape. Celine Nanan, a project coordinator at WORLDiscoveries, is one such individual who is making a significant contribution in this field. With her dedication, knowledge, and enthusiasm, Celine is helping support program transformation in innovation and entrepreneurship.
A Journey of Excellence:
Celine’s path to becoming a project coordinator and a core member of the WORLDiscoveries team has been defined by outstanding achievements. Celine has a B.A. in Health and Society from York University and a Certification in Human Resources from Trent University. With a strong educational background and understanding of medical innovation, she has consistently demonstrated her commitment to building positive relations within the team, the research community, and beyond.
Reflecting on her journey, Celine warmly recalls, “My education nurtured me for this role because it granted me a profound understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship, intertwined with a lens focused on health and community.” Her educational experiences have served as a solid foundation and empowered her to thrive in her current position at WORLDiscoveries.
Transforming the Medical Innovation Fellowship Program:
As the project coordinator for the Medical Innovation Fellowship Program, Celine is a key contributor and support for the programming that is seeking to shape the future of medical device and health technology innovation in Canada. Her in-depth understanding of the program’s objectives and exceptional organizational skills ensure the smooth execution of this transformative training experience offered at WORLDiscoveries.
“I felt like a perfect fit with the WORLDiscoveries team,” Celine says. Her passion for the organization’s mission and alignment with its values have fostered a strong sense of belonging and purpose. When reflecting on her team, “We have so many new minds and a great team of professionals. Our programming team has been making many changes, and I’m looking forward to new and exciting directions,” she shares. Through her efforts, she has aided in creating a network of professionals dedicated to driving advancements in innovation and technology.
Future Achievements and Beyond:
Her dedication, creativity, and commitment to excellence greatly contribute to the success of our organization and the broader medical innovation community. Her contributions are highly valued, and we have no doubt that she will continue to make a lasting impact in her field.
Celine Nanan’s exceptional work as a project coordinator at WORLDiscoveries has positioned her as a key figure in helping advance medical innovation. Her education, passion, and alignment with the organization have made her an invaluable team member.
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By: Maria Varon, WORLDiscoveries
We are delighted to announce the exceptional winners of the WE-Empower! Program Fund, a groundbreaking initiative developed by WORLDiscoveries. This transformative program has successfully concluded its inaugural round, showcasing self-identifying women’s immense talent and potential in research commercialization.
Exceptional Grant Recipients
The WE-Empower! Program Fund offers two $50,000 grants to WE-Empower! participants who are on the leading edge of research innovation. These grants allow the winners to begin their journey toward research commercialization. This year’s distinguished grant recipients are Meagan Furnivall and Erin Iredale.
Meagan is a Registered Midwife and Clinical Research Lead for the London Health Sciences Centre Department of Midwifery. Meagan’s project focuses on developing groundbreaking technology to enhance the safety and experience of skin-to-skin contact during cesarean birth.
Dr. Erin Iredale holds a Ph.D. in Medical Biophysics CAMPEP from Western University. Erin leads a dedicated team of researchers focused on discovering novel electrotherapeutic strategies for treating aggressive brain cancers in both adult and pediatric patients. Erin will continue her journey with Western as a recently appointed Postdoctoral Fellow.
Empowering Women in the Innovation Landscape
The WE-Empower! program, developed by WORLDiscoveries, is a free eight-month mentorship and educational program designed to unite innovative and entrepreneurial individuals who self-identify as women. WE-Empower! covers topics such as entrepreneurship, research commercialization, and Intellectual Property protection.
By providing support and training from expert industry leaders and our WORLDiscoveries business development professionals, WE-Empower! aims to promote the development of new innovations.
Phase I: Ideation (September to December)
During this initial phase, participants engage in educational seminars and panel discussions led by esteemed industry experts. They gain invaluable insights into various aspects of business development, including entrepreneurship, intellectual property strategy, market research, and business planning. Equipped with newfound knowledge and valuable connections, participants begin their journey toward technology transfer and research commercialization.
Phase II: Innovation (January to April)
In Phase II, participants translate the knowledge acquired in Phase I into action by applying it to their innovative projects. With unwavering support from the WORLDiscoveries team, they explore funding opportunities and transform their groundbreaking ideas into commercially viable ventures. The program fosters a collaborative and supportive environment that empowers participants to navigate the complexities of bringing their research to the market.
Inspiring a Brighter Future
The exceptional talent, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated by the grant winners Erin and Meagan is truly inspiring. Their innovative projects will drive positive change in the innovation ecosystem. The achievements of Meagan Furnivall, Erin Iredale, and their fellow participants exemplify the program’s commitment to empowering women in research commercialization and technology transfer. With access to invaluable resources and a nurturing environment, these women are poised to impact and shape a brighter future for all significantly.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners of the WE-Empower! Program Fund and express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported this remarkable initiative.
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By: Maria Varon, WORLDiscoveries
Enhancing Healthcare Access, Empowering Communities, and Fostering Innovation
Dr. Margaret Mutumba, PhD., is a renowned figure in the field of public health, celebrated for her outstanding academic accomplishments, groundbreaking research, and an exceptional career. She has emerged as a trailblazing public health advocate with an unwavering commitment to improving global health outcomes and promoting health equity.
Program Director of Frugal Biomedical Innovations at Western University, Dr. Mutumba, leads a multi-disciplinary initiative focused on co-designing, developing, and deploying innovative medical technologies that enhance healthcare access for patients in remote and low-resource regions. With a Ph.D. in Public Health Sciences from the University of Waterloo, her expertise lies in public health, health policy, and strengthening health systems. Her extensive experience in international health and development, particularly in low-resource settings, positions her as a leading expert in the field.
Enhancing Global Health through Education and Advocacy
Dr. Mutumba recognizes the importance of education and advocacy in global healthcare, emphasizing the significance of knowledge and raising awareness for better health outcomes. She believes fostering change requires understanding the beliefs and social-political issues within the communities she aims to innovate. As an innovator, she seeks to create bridges with partners at the leadership level in any community, ensuring that the impact of technology and innovation is understood and embraced. Dr. Mutumba states, “You have to think of the beliefs and social-political issues in a community you want to innovate” and “As an innovator, you aim to create a bridge with partners at the leadership level in any community.”
Empowering Communities and Overcoming Challenges
Passionate about addressing critical health challenges, Dr. Mutumba’s focus extends to maternal care, addressing infertility issues in Africa, and combating the stigmatization surrounding infertility in the African community. She founded MedAtlas, a healthcare start-up application that connects individuals with specialist doctors across Africa. Through this initiative, she actively collaborates with African professionals and experts, enabling individuals needing specialized care to access the right resources. Dr. Mutumba expresses her enthusiasm: “It’s exciting to work with professionals and experts from the African continent.”
Collaboration and Innovation for Global Health
Dr. Mutumba’s exceptional expertise has earned recognition from esteemed organizations such as the World Health Organization, where she has served as a consultant, and the Canadian Association for Global Health, where she holds a board member position. Her remarkable achievements, innovative thinking, and commitment to improving global health position her as an inspirational figure in the field, inspiring professionals to follow in her footsteps. She highlights the collaborative and supportive environment she experiences in her role, working closely with BioNext at Robarts Research Institute and WORLDiscoveries, Western University’s business development office. Dr. Mutumba emphasizes, “These partnerships foster collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and technology experts, simplifying complex public health needs into obtainable goals.”
Building a Healthier Future
Dr. Mutumba’s exemplary academic achievements, groundbreaking research, and unique career place her at the forefront of global public health. She emphasizes the vital role of inspiring the next generation and actively mentors aspiring public health professionals. Dr. Mutumba’s remarkable journey exemplifies the transformative power of research innovation.
By: Maria Varon, WORLDiscoveries
Dr. Tristan Harrison is a Business Development Manager at WORLDiscoveries, bringing a diverse background and over 10 years of experience in R&D. WORLDiscoveries is a Technology Transfer and Business Development organization that acts as a vital link between academic research and industry. Their mission is to facilitate the commercialization of innovative ideas and inventions by providing comprehensive support in patenting, market analysis, business development, and licensing through their extensive network and industry partnerships.
Embracing Growth and Driving Innovation
Dr. Harrison has a Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from Western University and has a unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen. Driven by a passion for commercialization, he excels in bridging the gap between academia and industry, fostering collaborations and strategic partnerships.
“As a trained scientist and a researcher, and relatively new to technology transfer, marketing new research coming from the University has been the biggest learning curve,” says Dr. Harrison, highlighting his continuous pursuit of learning and growth. “I truly enjoy learning about innovative research,” he adds, emphasizing his enthusiasm for discovering new ideas and applications.
A Natural Connector and Strategic Mind
As an inspiring leader, Dr. Harrison empowers individuals to leverage their strengths and unlock their potential. His primary focus is commercializing engineering and science-related research, guiding innovators through patenting, marketing efforts, and industry partnerships. As well as facilitating the development of application-specific market products through experimentation and trials.
“I have a soft spot for research,” Dr. Harrison admits. “However, I enjoy creating these partnerships and discovering the work needed to commercialize an invention.” This quote reflects his passion for research and collaboration, showcasing his dedication to driving innovation and creating mutually beneficial outcomes.
“I enjoy creating partnerships between academia and industry and helping commercialize research.”
Dr. Tristan Harrison
By exploring alternative applications and creating partnerships, he helps researchers find new avenues for their work.
Dr. Tristan Harrison’s leadership qualities and dedication to driving business growth make him an invaluable asset to the WORLDiscoveries team. His ability to bridge the gap between academia and industry to foster collaborations reflects his dedication to driving innovation and creating impactful outcomes. Dr. Harrison’s contributions to our team are instrumental in shaping a thriving and prosperous future for WORLDiscoveries.
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By: Maria Varon, WORLDiscoveries
Every year on March 8, people worldwide celebrate International Women’s Day. This global day recognizes and celebrates women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. This year, as we #EmbraceEquity, WE-Empower! (a program for people who self-identify as women from faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students at Western University), is excited to celebrate Dr. Jayshri Sabarinathan. Dr. Sabarinathan is a WE-Empower! participant and who recently submitted a Report on Invention (ROI) to Western University’s Tech Transfer Office, WORLDiscoveries.
Dr. Sabarinathan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and was previously the Associate Director of Training (2019-2022) at Western University’s Institute for Earth and Space Exploration. She obtained her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her research expertise is in developing novel nano-photonic sensors, integrated photonics, and miniature remote sensing instrumentation.
From the World to Beyond:
Dr. Sabarinathan has worked in multi-spectral imaging for remote sensing applications for the last seven years. Inspired to build a customized multi-spectral camera for agriculture monitoring, she and her team developed custom multi-spectral imager instrumentation for unmanned aerial vehicle-based and mobile robot-based remote sensing. This has applications in precision agriculture and geological classification. This work led her to The Canada Space Agency, where Dr. Sabarinathan became involved with the Integrated Visions System Project led by Dr. Osinski (the PI and Science Lead at Western University). Dr. Sabarinathan and her team have demonstrated a compact dual-sensor multi-spectral imager for a lunar rover application capable of characterizing the lunar surface geology.
“What’s exciting about this multi-spectral imager is that we use a dual sensor with an extended spectral range from the visible and near-infrared to the short-wave infrared, thus allowing us to recognize more lunar mineral signatures,” explains Dr. Sabarinathan. “We also realized that this instrument can be used in many applications. This led us to apply for an ROI with WORLDiscoveries. We hope to commercialize and potentially use it for other applications such as mining and air quality monitoring.”
WE-Empower!
Dr. Sabarinathan is a current participant in an inaugural program led by WORLDiscoveries. It creates opportunities for women to turn their innovations into business opportunities. Funded by the Strategic Priorities Fund, the WE-Empower! The program provides year-round mentorship for principal investigators, faculty, postdoctoral trainees, and graduate students who self-identify as women. The program works to support and train these researchers on the technology transfer process, research commercialization options, intellectual property (IP), and entrepreneurship. “The WE-Empower program educates women faculty on navigating the commercialization process while introducing them to available resources and networks at WORLDiscoveries and within the region.”
Dr. Sabarinathan is also a co-founder of LightSail, a start-up which develops integrated photonic solutions for the aerospace industry sector. “Being part of this start-up also led me to join the WE-Empower! program as it provides resources on how to take research to commercialization and learn the right way to do it,” she says.
Staying Inspired
Today, Dr. Sabarinathan is pioneering innovative ways to lead impactful research to publications and guiding her students with the skills to be successful in the space industry. “This industry is growing in Canada and worldwide,” Dr. Sabarinathan explains. “We want to see our research impact people and be used by other researchers.” When talking about her inspirations, Dr. Sabarinathan describes her drive as having a dream and staying focused on that dream. “It’s important (…) not to let challenges stop you from achieving your dream. Some of the best advice I have received is: It might take someone a certain amount of time to achieve a goal, and it might take someone else a shorter amount of time. It does not matter either way as long as the goal is achieved”
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Crooks is a clinical psychologist, professor at the Faculty of Education and Director of the Centre for School Mental Health, where she and her team develop, implement, and evaluate mental health promotion and violence prevention programs in a range of school and community settings.
Her research looks at the gaps between science, practice and policy related to the healthy development of children and youth.
Along with a team of fellow researchers, Crooks has developed the Fourth R, a curriculum that is based on the principal that relationship skills can and should be taught in much the same way as reading, writing and arithmetic.
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The Fourth R is a comprehensive school-based program designed to include students, teachers, parents, and the community in addressing youth violence and bullying, unsafe sexual behaviour, and substance use.
Based on the idea that education needs to involve more than the traditional three R’s – reading, writing and arithmetic – the Fourth R stands for relationships. The program emphasizes the importance of healthy relationships in stopping violence.
The Fourth R was developed at Western’s Centre for School Mental Health and London’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health by researchers David Wolfe, Claire Crooks, Ray Hughes, and Peter Jaffe. The curriculum and has been adopted by more than 5,000 schools in Canada and the U.S.
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The program takes place over 10.5 months where fellows will learn about topics relevant to business and technology commercialization, prior to being immersed in clinics, where they identify market needs. They then develop and prototype solutions by working with researchers, clinicians, and technology transfer offices to generate new intellectual property. Graduates of the program have become leaders in industry, research and health care and have started their own companies.
Starting this August, the fellows will complete a boot camp that lays the groundwork for the rest of the fellowship meeting with academic researchers, clinicians, industry representatives, and venture capitalists that provide training on innovation, prototyping, intellectual property, regulatory affairs, and business strategy.
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