USC AMI Makes Exciting Investment in USC Faculty-Led Company, CpG Diagnostics

Author: Jordan Locy, Ethan Bochicchio & Aaron K. Nordman In September 2020, Dr. Bodour Salhia founded CpG Diagnostics, intent on transforming cancer diagnostics through innovative epigenetic technology. High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), the most aggressive subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer, requires timely specialist management. Utilizing the patented OvaPrint, the only cell-free DNA methylation blood test…

USC AMI Makes Exciting Investment in USC Faculty-Led Company, Plurocart

Author: Jordan Locy & Ethan Bochicchio In late 2021, researchers Denis Evseenko and Frank Petrigliano were awarded a $6 million grant from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine for their breakthrough, having used a stem cell-based bio-implant to delay joint degeneration and repair cartilage in a large animal model. Today, joined by Jay R. Lieberman,…

USC and Techstars Welcome New Cohort of University Catalyst Companies

The University of Southern California (USC) and Techstars are proud to announce the newest cohort of university catalyst companies selected for the USC and Techstars program. The USC and Techstars program is a collaborative effort led by USC’s Office of Research and Innovation (OORI), that brings Techstars expertise and programmatic offerings to USC students and…

USC OORI News: Applications Now Open for the 2026 USC & Techstars Accelerator

The University of Southern California (USC) and Techstars are thrilled to announce that applications for the 2026 USC & Techstars Accelerator are officially open as of August 25, 2025. The USC and Techstars program is a collaborative effort led by USC’s Office of Research and Innovation (OORI) that brings Techstars’ expertise and programmatic offerings to…

USC’s Alfred E. Mann Institute Set to Announce New Innovation-Driven Investments

The University of Southern California’s Alfred E. Mann Institute (AMI) is preparing to announce a new round of strategic investments in groundbreaking medical technologies and innovations. Under the leadership of Managing Director Tariq Warsi, AMI continues to advance its mission of bridging the gap between early-stage biomedical research and commercially viable products that improve and…

Monthly Newsletter – July 2025

Dear Colleagues,   As we approach the start of the new academic year, this month’s research update includes announcements, policy changes, and resources to support your work to make full use of the opportunities that lie ahead of us. Here, you will find: I encourage you to review the full update for details and share relevant…

USC Researchers Awarded NIH STTR Grant for Innovative Ear Imaging Device

The University of Southern California has secured a major success in advancing university–industry partnerships through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Professors Brian E. Applegate, PhD, and John S. Oghalai, MD, along with their company partner AO Technologies LLC, have been awarded a Phase I NIH STTR grant…

USC’s Office of Research and Innovation Assist Researchers to Win Five-Year $8 million Superfund Research Program Grant

Last month, a team of USC researchers led by Vaia Lida Chatzi, MD, PhD, a Keck School of Medicine Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences, won an $8 million five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to launch the Southern California Superfund Research and Training Program for PFAS Assessment, Remediation and Prevention Center (ShARP Center). It…

USC Well Represented at UCLA’s LABEST Week

Between May 19 and May 22, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) hosted its LABEST Week, consisting of a series of events engaging Los Angeles stakeholders ranging from an array of medical and biological fields relating to technology and innovation. Institutions from the University of Southern California (USC) were sure to take part, USC being represented by the…

Monthly Newsletter – June 2025

Dear Colleagues, Since our last update, the President’s FY26 budget request to Congress was released, followed by agency briefings outlining priorities. While these proposals are not yet final and remain under Senate review, they offer early insight into shifting federal research directions. This evolving landscape has brought uncertainty. The OORI team is closely monitoring developments…