Dear Colleagues,
As our research blooms in Los Angeles, bells rang for USC in Times Square! On March 26th, the first USC-licensed biotech company facilitated by USC Stevens was listed on the Nasdaq exchange.
USC inventor, Dr. Thomas Chen of the Keck School of Medicine, and cofounder of NeOnc Technologies, an intranasal drug delivery system designed to fight brain tumors, invited members of the Office of Research and Innovation to help him ring the opening bell at Nasdaq. This symbolic bell ringing ceremony video commemorates this exciting Trojan Wall Street moment.
And this leads us to something to remember. University research is the cornerstone of groundbreaking advancements. Our innovators pioneer novel solutions to improve our lives and well-being. Our researchers foster collaboration across disciplines and with industry collaborators to accelerate discovery into real-world impact.
Thank you for being a part of our research community and making our world healthier, cleaner, safer, and better. As university researchers your contributions are invaluable!
With deep gratitude,
Ishwar K. Puri, Senior Vice President, Research & Innovation and Professor
FACULTY ENGAGEMENT: OORI Award updates: Thank you to everyone for the proposals received. The President’s Sustainability Initiative Award (PSIA), the Institutional Training Planning Award (ITPA), the Zumberge Award, the Instrumentation Award (IA), the Collaborative Research Planning Award (CRPA), the Student Empowerment Award (SEA) and the Ming Hsieh Institute Research Award (MHIRA) are all under review.
Center for Excellence in Research: Our next Zoom training workshop will be April 2 on Effective Research Communications for External Stakeholders. RSVP and find out more on our website! And to be updated about upcoming workshops, please join our mailing list.
Do you have an idea for a workshop? Or want to help researchers learn skills that will help them improve their work? We’re looking for suggestions or volunteers to teach a one to two-hour long workshop via Zoom this fall on topics such as research resources/methods, professional development, grant writing, etc. Submit a proposal and we will get back to you soon.
RESEARCH STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT: An upcoming webinar is being led and broadcast by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for faculty members interested in pursuing SBIR/STTR proposals ~ Office Hours: Preparing your NSF SBIR/STTR Fast-Track Proposal. A link to register for the event is provided here.
Registration is still open for the USC and Techstars Startup Weekend on April 11-13th. Startup Weekend is an immersive, three-day event where aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs like you can pitch an idea, team up with a diverse group of people, and gain experience building a startup. Whether you have a tech idea or simply want to dive into the startup world, this is your chance to bring your vision to life with expert guidance. Register now to secure your spot for USC and Techstars Startup Weekend before April 7th!
DEPARTMENT OF CONTRACTS & GRANTS: The Department of Contracts and Grants (DCG) is pleased to introduce MicroLearning Mondays, a bi-weekly series of brief, focused trainings on key research administration topics. Delivered every other Monday through our DCG NewsFlash, each session includes a 3–5 minute video designed to provide clear, practical guidance on subjects such as carryforward, cost sharing, prior approval, effort reporting, and more. The videos are accompanied by helpful resources, policy references, and optional knowledge checks to reinforce learning. MicroLearning Mondays aims to support both new and experienced faculty and staff by offering concise, accessible training that fits into busy schedules while promoting ongoing development in research administration practices. If there are specific topics you would like to see covered in a future MicroLearning Monday video, please reach out to Noah Congelliere in the Department of Contracts and Grants at congelli@usc.edu.
HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTION PROGRAM: The HRPP will be undergoing a site visit as part of AAHRPP accreditation the first week of April. A huge thank you to the IRB members, researchers, and staff who are taking part in the site visit. As part of our continuous quality improvement efforts, we will also be instituting a post approval satisfaction poll for researchers obtaining approvals. The HRPP is dedicated to learning how we can better serve the research community, and this is one mechanism we hope will help gather information on what we do well and where we can improve. This poll will go out on a quarterly basis. We do enjoy getting feedback at any time, naturally. You can always let us know how we are doing with an email to hrpp@usc.edu.
STEVENS CENTER FOR INNOVATION: Congrats to NeOnc Technologies cofounder Thomas Chen for taking his company public on March 26th! NeOnc is the first USC-licensed biotech company with agreements through USC Stevens to go public. We were proud to be a part of the iconic Nasdaq bell ringing ceremony last week with Dr. Chen and NeOnc executives and celebrate this Stevens Center milestone!
Last week, the USC Stevens Center partnered with Nixon Peabody to host a Licensing Boot Camp in downtown Los Angeles for our new licensing associates. Led by Seth Levy, the interactive session included an overview of Bayh-Dole and USC’s IP policies, insights into common tech transfer agreements (IIAs, CDAs, MTAs), patent fundamentals, and a deep dive into USC’s exclusive license template. Through case studies, practical negotiation tips, and real-world examples from experienced professionals, this boot camp aimed to accelerate learning and build confidence in licensing strategy and execution.
When working with researchers at other institutions, it is important to protect your intellectual property, limit liability, and properly document the materials, data, and information you are sharing. This is achieved using an MTA (Material Transfer Agreement), DTA/DUA (Data Transfer Agreement or Data User Agreement) or CDA (Confidential Disclosure Agreement), and the Stevens Center handles negotiations on your behalf. They are an agreement between USC and third-party collaborators, and it governs the transfer of proprietary tangible research materials, data, and/or information. These agreements are important to preserve rights and set expectations between the parties involved.
We launched MTAShare, specialized software to streamline MTAs and DTAs, in early March, and the feedback has been very positive. This platform will reduce administrative burdens, improve transparency, and simplify the disclosure process. When you are ready to disclose your potential invention, please go to our new Request an MTA/DTA/CDA webpage to access MTAShare, get step-by-step instructions, or feel free to email mta@stevens.usc.edu to ask more specific questions. Starting Tuesday, April 1st, the Contracts Team will hold virtual biweekly office hours on Tuesdays:
MTA/DTA Office Hours
https://usc.zoom.us/j/5265361494?pwd=myle8yoO4fTp47Q1nLVBHiDjHm2bWj.1
Meeting ID: 526 536 1494
Passcode: 284752
The Stevens Center is here to support your innovation every step of the way!
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL RESOURCES: Per Diem Reminder: all species per diem rates will be increasing on July 1st as advertised in the 5 Year Rate Schedule posted early 2024. The mouse per diem will be $1.42 and the rat per diem will be $2.42, please see the link for all species and upcoming years.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY:
DCM Survey Reminder: Immediate Action Required by PIs
Attention Principal Investigators (PIs), please complete the Dichloromethane (DCM) survey immediately to help USC comply with new EPA regulations. We need 100% participation to ensure we are taking appropriate actions for the university to comply. Complete the survey here >>.
Site-Specific Training Record (SSTR) App Reminder
In January, EH&S launched a new Site-Specific Training Record (SSTR) app to simplify documenting your lab’s Annual Safety Refresher training (GLS, BBP, and Radiation). For detailed instructions, visit the Annual Lab Safety Refresher webpage or view the printable instructions.
5 Tips to Green Your Labs
As part of our Sustainability in Research Labs at USC program, EH&S is pleased to partner with the Office of Sustainability to provide 5 Tips to Green Labs at USC. Implement these tips to make your lab more environmentally friendly: manage freezer efficiency, shut the sash, optimize autoclave use, reduce plastic waste, and practice green chemistry.
Lab Safety Awareness Recap
EH&S celebrated CSHEMA’s Lab Safety Awareness Week February 10 – 14th by showcasing the Emergency Eyewash/Shower Station as its main theme. EH&S collected responses from contestants participating in its sponsored challenge to imagine being splashed with a hazardous liquid and, with eyes closed, to quickly locate the lab’s nearest safety equipment. Audrey Nickle was the lucky winner of the Lab Safety Awareness Week Challenge and received an Amazon Gift Card. Congratulations, Audrey!
Thank you for your attention to these important updates and initiatives. Together, we can ensure a safer, more efficient, and greener research environment at USC.
Monthly updates are archived here.