Seminar Series

Upcoming Seminars

OHSU Innovates is currently developing seminars featuring expert speakers, valuable insights, and practical strategies to support your innovation journey. Details and schedules will be announced soon. Please check back regularly for updates and opportunities to engage with leaders in the field.

Past Seminars

Innovation, Purpose and Impact

Olympic medalist and philanthropist Karina LeBlanc joins OHSU Foundation President Kate Azizi for a dynamic conversation on purpose‑driven leadership and the realities of innovation over time. Through personal stories and reflections, LeBlanc discusses growth from introversion to leadership, lessons from failure, and navigating moments of doubt. She emphasizes the role of trust, teamwork and shared goals in achieving meaningful outcomes, and reframes high‑stakes moments through her belief that “pressure is a privilege.” At the heart of the discussion is the importance of staying grounded in your “why” as a source of clarity and motivation for long‑term impact. (Recorded May 7, 2026, as part of OHSU Innovation Day. OHSU login required to view.) LeBlanc participated in her personal capacity, and the views expressed are her own.

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Early, Emerging and Advancing Inventions

Researchers Olena Taratula, Ph.D., Yasmeen Elsawaf, M.D., and Katie Blise, Ph.D., share short research pitches highlighting innovations at different stages of development. Taratula presents Smart Polymersomes for Safer, Targeted Reproductive Therapeutics, Elsawaf shares Implantable ICP Monitoring: Mobile Shunt, and Blise introduces Nebulex: Spatial Biology Analysis Software for Improved Treatment of Cancer Patients. Together, the presentations illustrate how diverse ideas take shape, evolve and move toward clinical relevance, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities along the path to patient impact. (Recorded May 7, 2026, as part of OHSU Innovation Day)
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Entrepreneurial Mindset for Scientists

An entrepreneurial mindset can shape how academic research and invention are conceived, prioritized and advanced, even when innovation is not explicitly rewarded. This panel explores how that mindset shows up in practice, emphasizing how everyday decisions can better align research and inventive work with patient needs and real‑world impact. Matt Hansen, M.D., M.C.R., Chloé Le Moing, Evan Fontaine, and Connor Barth, Ph.D., discuss how thinking early about end users, including patients, clinicians and health systems, influences the problems they pursue, how they design projects and where they focus their efforts. The conversation also highlights how researchers work within real‑world constraints, balance competing demands and rethink traditional assumptions to ensure their work leads to meaningful, usable outcomes. (Recorded May 7, 2026, as part of OHSU Innovation Day)
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Translational Spotlight: Ferumoxytol Research Program

This session brings together members of a multidisciplinary OHSU research team to examine the decades‑long effort to translate ferumoxytol into an FDA‑approved diagnostic application. The discussion highlights the sustained collaboration required to move innovation from discovery to clinical use and explores the scientific, clinical and regulatory considerations that shaped the program, including the unique challenges of investigator‑initiated trials and engagement with the FDA. Featuring Ramon Barajas Jr., M.D., Laszlo Szidonya, Ph.D., M.D., Rochelle Fu, Ph.D., Amy Huddleston, M.P.A.: H.A., C.C.R.P., Lisa Muir, M.P.A.: H.A., C.C.R.P., and Leslie Muldoon, Ph.D., the session underscores the persistence and shared vision needed to translate complex science into meaningful patient impact, while honoring the legacy of Edward Neuwelt, M.D. (Recorded May 7, 2026, as part of OHSU Innovation Day)
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Advancing Gene Therapy at OHSU: From Discovery to Clinical Impact

Highlighting OHSU’s growing strengths in gene therapy, this seminar explores progress across the translational spectrum, from early-stage discovery to clinical application and patient impact. Susan Hayflick, M.D., Ph.D., Andrew Albanese, Pharm.D., MBA, and Adrienne Anderson, MHA, PMP, discuss how cross‑institutional collaboration, strategic planning and infrastructure development are helping to create promising gene therapies. (Recorded April 30, 2026, as part of the Rare Disease Research and Translation seminar series)
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Intellectual Property 101: Key Concepts for Researchers

Get a practical introduction to the types of intellectual property and how they support research innovation. Patent attorney Janina Malone, J.D., A.M., and OHSU neuroscience Ph.D. graduate Cole Brashaw discuss how different forms of IP work, how protection is established, and key considerations for researchers aiming to safeguard discoveries and strengthen their innovation strategy. (Recorded March 26, 2026, as part of the seminar series, Navigating Research to Impact)

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Sustaining and Scaling Innovative Training Programs

Explore how occupational health research is being translated into practical, scalable tools for organizations and leaders. In this session, Leslie B. Hammer, Ph.D., professor and director of the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center, and Erin Flynn, Ph.D., director of outreach operations at the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Science, discuss the research foundations behind innovative workplace mental health initiatives, practical strategies for real-world implementation, and approaches to effective dissemination and long-term impact across industries. (Recorded Feb. 19, 2026, as part of the Innovates Speaker Series)

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Innovation and Commercialization Internship: Fundamentals of Technology Transfer, Business Development and Patent Law

Hear from Nicole Garrison, program administrator in OHSU Technology Transfer, in an information session introducing the fundamentals of technology transfer, business development and patent law. Designed for those newer to innovation, commercialization and entrepreneurship in academia, the session provides a high-level overview of key concepts and processes. Using the OHSU Innovation and Commercialization Internship program as a framework, it covers the technology transfer lifecycle, the pillars of academic business development and intellectual property protection. (Recorded Jan. 13, 2026)

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Making it Patentable: Intellectual Property and Translational Impact

Step into the discussion between cancer biologist Monika Davare, Ph.D., and senior patent manager Steve Eck, J.D., as they examine how academic discoveries can be aligned with intellectual property and commercialization strategies. This fireside chat explores key considerations for researchers, from understanding inventorship versus authorship to navigating publishing timelines, and highlights how strategic thinking about IP can amplify translational impact. (Recorded Dec. 18, 2025, as part of the Drug Discovery Sessions virtual seminar series)

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Getting Started with Tech Transfer Essentials: Foundational Knowledge for Researchers

Hear from OHSU Ph.D. candidate Kenneth Riley and Travis Cook, Senior Director of OHSU Technology Transfer, for an accessible introduction to how research innovations move through the technology transfer process. This session covers the initial steps of the tech transfer process, including disclosure and IP protection, and offers practical guidance for early-career researchers interested in understanding how innovations progress beyond the lab. (Recorded Nov. 20, 2025, as part of the virtual seminar series, Navigating Research to Impact)

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Making it to Market: Strategies that Work

Bringing healthcare innovations to market takes strategy, resilience, and adaptability. In this session, Luiz Bertassoni, D.D.S., Ph.D. (OHSU), Rachel Dreilinger (NeuraMedica), and Philippe Marchand, Ph.D. (OHSU), share real-world lessons, pivotal decisions, and practical strategies for moving from idea to impact. Designed for early-stage innovators, the discussion offers candid insights to help clarify goals, anticipate challenges, and plan next steps. (Recorded October 3, 2025, as part of the 2025 BIP Corp Biomedical Innovation Commercialization Readiness Program)

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The Translational Turn: A Fireside Chat on Making Basic Science Drug-Ready

Step into the series launch with Sanjay Malhotra, Ph.D., and Nabil J. Alkayed, M.D., Ph.D., as they examine how research can better support therapeutic development. The session explores how strategic adjustments lead to greater discovery and translational success. (Recorded July 31, 2025, as part of the Drug Discovery Sessions virtual seminar series)

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Rethinking Funding: Tapping into New Streams of Research Support

Seeking research funding beyond the standard federal grants? Don’t miss this timely seminar with expert panelists from industry, foundations, and state organizations sharing practical strategies to help you identify and secure alternative support. (Recorded May 29, 2025, as part of the 2025 virtual seminar series, Innovation for all: A path forward)

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Exploring Beyond Academia: Career Paths for PhDs

Ready to take your PhD beyond academia? Watch this dynamic webinar diving into exciting career paths in regulatory affairs, industry R&D, startups, patent law and more. Hear from professionals who’ve made the leap, learn how to pivot your skills, and discover what’s possible when you think outside the academic lab. (Recorded May 15, 2025, as part of the 2025 virtual seminar series, Innovation for all: A path forward)

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Turning Your Research into Real-World Impact with Technology Transfer

Explore the ins and outs of technology transfer, the process of moving discoveries from research to market. Featuring insights from the OHSU Technology Development and Licensing Team, this session provides practical guidance and real-world examples to help you navigate the path from discovery to commercialization. (Recorded May 8, 2025, as part of the 2025 virtual seminar series, Innovation for all: A path forward)

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Identifying and Innovating for Unmet Needs

Learn how Amanda Bruegl, M.D. has harnessed her roles as a physician, researcher, innovator and entrepreneur to pioneer meaningful solutions for unmet needs in healthcare and beyond. (Recorded May 1, 2025, as part of the 2025 virtual seminar series, Innovation for all: A path forward)

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Advancing Care: Non-Profits Driving Rare Disease Innovation

Discover how two pioneering nonprofits are transforming the landscape of rare disease research. In this session, Penny Hogarth, M.D. of the Spoonbill Foundation and Tommy Pham of the Raiden Science Foundation share how their organizations are overcoming the unique challenges of rare genetic disorders through global collaboration, innovative funding, and cutting-edge science. (Recorded Oct. 31, 2024)

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Promoting Inventor Equity in Patenting

Gain practical insights into the challenges and opportunities in expanding participation in patenting. Featuring IP attorney Stephen Sullivan, J.D., with OHSU’s Carmem Pfeifer, D.D.S., Ph.D., and Ruchi Thanawala, M.D., M.S., this session explores how to support a broader range of inventors in bringing their ideas to market. (Recorded Apr. 17, 2024)

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