UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, encouraged UNMC and his med center colleagues to stay on mission as UNMC faces challenges from federal executive orders that would cut at the heart of its advancements.
In his monthly all-campus forum, Dr. Davies acknowledged the uncertainty for many people and for UNMC because of rapidly shifting federal policy.
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Even so, Dr. Davies said great organizations, when they could buckle under their challenges, tackle those challenges, move forward and emerge stronger and more resilient – “and I believe that’s where we are right now.”
“This is not a time for us to retreat,” Dr. Davies said. “This is a time for us to be upbeat, to continue to do what we can.”
In relating UNMC’s impact, Dr. Davies welcomed forum guests UNeMed’s Michael Dixon, PhD, and UneTech’s Rod Markin, MD, PhD, to show how UNMC develops ideas into licensed products, startup companies and more. UNMC’s economic development impact, Dr. Davies said, is a critical part of the story that advocates can tell people outside UNMC.
Dr. Davies told the forum audience: “The great work you’re all doing has never been more important, and we remain committed to our core values of innovation, teamwork, excellence, accountability, courage and healing.”
Dr. Davies specifically spoke to the proposed cut in the National Institutes of Health’s funding of indirect costs in its grants, while also addressing other federal changes. If the federal government capped indirect costs at 15% on its NIH grants as directed, that would equate to a funding cut of $27 million for the University of Nebraska.
While acknowledging anxiety around a number of changes, Dr. Davies also discussed how UNMC leaders are taking action and explained how UNMC faculty, staff and students can help. (See more information in the sidebar to this story.)
Dr. Davies explained that the NIH indirect cost funding is critical to UNMC’s research enterprise – helping pay for research buildings and shared research centers, electrical costs at high-tech research facilities and added IT protection over sensitive computer systems.
“This is not money that we just get because it’s gravy because we got a grant. This is real money that we actually use to pay for the space,” he said.
He added: “We have faculty that we’re recruiting every day here doing great work, and that work needs to continue.”
Dr. Davies talked with Drs. Dixon and Markin to show some examples of the important work being done at UNMC through UNeMed and UNeTech. They both exemplify part of UNMC’s story that some people may not know, yet greatly contribute to UNMC’s impact on people’s health and well-being, as well as the Nebraska economy.
Dr. Dixon is president and CEO of UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO and future occupant of the Catalyst building in the EDGE District. Dr. Markin is executive director of UNeTech, Omaha’s only university-affiliated entrepreneurial support organization housed jointly under the University of Nebraska at Omaha and UNMC.
UNeMed works with faculty, students and staff with intellectual ideas to develop those into licensable products. By taking what has been formed through UNeMed, UNeTech can help “clean it and cook it,” Dr. Markin said, into a startup company.
UNeMed is working with more than 100 new inventions every year and between 10 and 20 product licenses a year, with 128 U.S. patents issued within the last five years, Dr. Dixon said.
Dr. Markin said the Catalyst building will house early-stage startups and mid-stage companies, with a goal of seeing them grow out of the space to be backfilled with another developing company.
The guests cited examples of developing minimally invasive surgical robotics, radiation safety innovations for physicians and medical staff, measurement technology to help predict chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation and an interactive cardiology program called AngioTeacher.
Dr. Dixon said UNMC’s tech agencies also work to bring in outside capital funding, “We do discovery, and we do a great job of discovery. But when we get into development and going through the FDA, we really need the corporate entities involved.”
Dr. Davies said world-class research at UNMC and elsewhere makes a real difference in people’s lives. A pediatrician, Dr. Davies cited the example of survival rates for pediatric leukemia climbing from less than 5% in the 1960s to more than 90% today.
He also added, “Let’s look out for each other. Let’s all be respectful of one another. Let’s be thoughtful how we engage with one another. This is an opportunity for us to be a model, in the state, maybe around the nation, on how we can uplift each other during times like this.”
Other matters that Dr. Davies highlighted include:
- A new economic impact report from consultant Tripp Umbach that showed a $7.1 billion economic impact from UNMC and Nebraska Medicine, including a $1.6 billion impact from UNMC. See more on that report at this link.
- Advancement of the planning and financial outline for Project Health.
- With approval by the NU Board of Regents, creation of a new dual degree between the UNO College of Business Master of Business Administration program and the UNMC College of Dentistry Doctor of Dental Surgery program. Read more in this UNMC Today article.
- Appointment of Karoly Mirnics, MD, PhD, as dean of the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute, in addition to his title of director. See that UNMC Today story here.
- Growing enrollment this spring semester to 4,659 students – 6% higher than last year.
- Progress toward creation of the UNMC Staff Advisory Council, with council elections coming soon.
- A celebration of life for Ken Cowan, MD, PhD, that will be held Friday, Feb. 21. For more, see this link.
- UNMC’s For the Greater Good Giving Day that will be held March 26-27.
UNMC faculty, students and staff can view the full video of Dr. Davies’ forum on the campus intranet.