Technology : Innovation + Job News

Cancer patients who rely on new drugs to address their illness may get faster relief, thanks to a new computerized matching system.

The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center has received a patent for a computerized system that matches the right patient for the right treatment trial using patient-donated tissue or tumor samples. These samples are entered into a database, along with patient symptoms, then analyzed at the molecular level to determine which trial drug will be most effective in addressing the disease quickly. The system is designed to accelerate clinical trials and shorten the time it takes to get new drugs into the market.

Dr. Dan Sullivan, associate center director and executive VP of clinical investigations at Moffitt, says different drugs work in different ways, some addressing gene structure and others mutations. 

"There are levels of gene expression," explains Sullivan. "You’re looking at all sorts of genes. And we can find mutations in tumors. Some drugs work with specific mutations. Others respond to different genes. For example in breast cancers, most of the drugs are addressing different genes. But, in say melanoma, some drugs seem to work better addressing specific mutations."

Getting a drug on the market is a complicated process that takes an average of 15 years to complete. It is hoped that this system will shorten this time by honing in on the right molecular structures. 

Sullivan says the formal cancer care protocol has registered 85,000 patients across 17 consortium sites in 10 states. All will be using the same database to match patients to drugs.

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Dr. Dan Sullivan, Moffitt Cancer Center

Two Tampa car enthusiasts are driving the Tampa Bay region closer to embracing electric vehicles, or EVs.

Doug Mitchell, owner of Z-Fever in Tampa, has partnered with Victor Juarez to not only build electric vehicles but to educate the community about their value. 

"About five years ago Victor approached me and said he was looking for someone to help him build an electric car," says Mitchell. "We helped him fabricate a Nissan Sentra to make it electric. That’s kind of blossomed into a new business with Victor."

Mitchell says that converting cars from gasoline-powered to electric-powered really isn't as difficult as most people assume. 

"You’re  basically taking the gas motor out and replacing it with an electric one," explains Mitchell. "The difference is with the cables. You need to make the gauges work. And along with that, we did the suspension because the battery pack used is quite heavy, so it changes the balance of the vehicle."

Mitchell says he has accompanied Juarez, who is well-connected in the EV industry, to several car shows, and it was through these experiences that the pair realized they could make a bigger impact to educate than the industry was currently doing.

"By being at these shows, we realized they’re really missing the mark," says Mitchell. "If you really want to drive the vision, you have to get the consumer involved. The ones attending these shows are already involved in the industry. No consumers ever attend, even though they are open to the public."

And so Mitchell and Juarez decided to host their own expo earlier this year to educate the Tampa Bay community about the benefits of EV cars and technology. 

"What I hear most often is, 'How long can I drive an EV before I run out of power?' We partnered with Get Ready Tampa Bay, who are helping to spread the word about places like AAA on Westshore, garages in downtown Tampa and other locations where EV owners can power their vehicles in a fraction of the time it would take them to charge it at home. They thought they were coming to see a couple cars. But they were educated. People left knowing that there was so much more going on than they ever imagined. And we brought that to them."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Doug Mitchell, Z-Fever

Weary caregivers of chronically ill loved ones may be able to sleep a little sounder this summer.

CareAlert, an electronic sensor alert system, goes on the market in June, according to its creator, Dr. Meredeth Rowe. Rowe is on the faculty at USF's College of Nursing. The system is comprised of silent motion detectors and a handheld device that gives off a sound alert and text message communicating a patient's whereabouts in the house. This is especially useful for those caring for Alzheimer's and dementia patients who tend to stray when getting up to go to the bathroom at night. 

Rowe says the CareAlert system will go a long way toward protecting not only the patient, but the caregiver too.

"Caregiving and lack of sleep are related to heart disease," says Rowe. "Poor sleep is one of the reasons caregivers have poor health. When I was working on ways to provide caregivers better quality of sleep, I looked for systems and there were none. I realized that unless I invented a system that allowed them quality sleep, I was never going to have an impact on improving their sleep.''

Rowe partnered with others such as Stephen Greenstein and RoBrady Product Design to help her develop a system. This formed the genesis of Caregiver Watch, LLC, the company through which CareAlert will be sold.

Rowe says trials run on the CareAlert system resulted in 86 percent reduction in injuries to patients with dementia, and she hopes to begin a study that will identify ways to help caregivers relax that will coincide with the launch of the CareAlert system in June.

The ultimate goal of that research is to understand why caregiver health is worse as a result of the caregiving experience. All of the research will take place at the caregiver's home using Skype and iPad technologies along with a sleep interventionist, says Christina McCrae, an associate professor at the University of Florida. "We’ll be measuring for heart disease and see if they get better when sleep improves."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Dr. Meredeth Rowe, Caregiver Watch, LLC 

Ideas and inspiration often hit in unusual and distant places -- even the fields of Kyrgyzstan. 

At least that's what happened to Martin Clewis while working soybean fields alongside Kyrgyzstan farmers. He was forced to look for alternative power sources. It gave him an idea. When he returned home to Tampa, Clewis decided to open Eco Structures, a building contracting company that will provide solar-powered products to homeowners. And he is offering his services through JR Structures.

"I had just moved back from Central Asia growing soybeans with farmers there," explains Clewis. "What I noticed was their power needs were a challenge. It was through that experience that I got into alternate energy sources. So when we moved back to Tampa, I wanted to pursue that. My friend Jeff Darrey, who owns JR Structures, is interested in offering sustainable products and pursuing LEED certification for his commercial clients. So we came up with a plan to help each other."

Eco Structures will provide solar energy products that provide heated water, cooling and chemical maintenance for outdoor pools. 

"We're kind of taking a basket approach until we know what people are interested in," says Clewis. Products Eco Structures will offer include a water-based solar product that recirculates energy from the AC unit, and a solar chlorine generator that uses $10 worth of salt a year to generate chlorine from the salt through electrolysis. 

Clewis says he is still in the process of acquiring licenses and is currently working on building his website. But he is hoping that Eco Structures will evolve to the point where he can offer products that are not only sustainable, but aesthetically pleasing. 

"You can make artistic designs on panels like the ones used on solar-powered vehicles," says Clewis. "That goes beyond what most solar contractors can do. But that's what I'm really interested in, installing solar panels on a house with transparencies that provide dapple shade, and shaded areas around pools. They can look nice if you have an eye for it."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Martin Clewis, Eco Structures

A few Tampa Bay area students have created household gadgets meant to make life a little easier. 

Alex Kimball, Katie Burcaw and Ariane Custic entered prototypes of their innovative ideas in the University of South Florida's Young Innovators Competition on Feb. 10, 2012, at the university's Patel Center and walked away with money for themselves and their schools as well as other prizes. 

Alex Kimball, 11, a fifth-grader at Academy at the Lakes in Pasco County, won in the elementary school category for creating Sweet Spot for Sponges, an aluminum case for household sponge storage outfitted with a germ-killing LED light.

Kimball says her desire to keep the kitchen clean was the impetus for her creation. "Sponges are the No. 1 place for germs in the whole house," she says. "So I wanted to help fix that." She says the circuitry was the big challenge. "We ended up with an LED light," she explains. "Then we had to figure out the circuitry. And we had to find a divider to keep the sponge dry." 

Katie Burcaw, 12, is a sixth-grader at Martinez Middle School in Hillsborough. She created a large ornament outfitted with concealable tubing that makes watering a Christmas tree easier without bending under the tree. She calls it the Tree IV. 

Burcaw says her annoyance with watering the tree inspired her idea. "It was at Christmas time and it was my turn to water the tree," she explains. "And I kept getting sap in my hair and water on me. So I got an ornament off the tree, cut holes in it and attached a clear tube to the bottom so you wouldn't be able to see it against the Christmas tree. I attached a hook to it so it clicks onto the tree."

Ariane Custic, 15, a ninth-grader at Clearwater High School, created an integrated wall outlet/USB port, which not only makes charging smart phones easier but reduces toxic materials used in manufacturing its computer components by allowing users to plug the USB end of a charging cord directly into a wall outlet.

"For me this invention is perfect," she says. "I have so many things to charge: my phone, my iPod, my Kindle. So I knew it would make my life a whole lot easier. I did research to see if there was anything like it out there. There really wasn't."

The 2012 Young Innovators Competition was the fourth in an annual series. The competition is hosted by Innovation Express, founded and led by Anton Hopen, a USF alumnus and Tampa patent attorney. In addition to cash prizes for the girls and their schools, each was granted honorary membership in USF's Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors and are honored during the university's annual celebration of research achievement, ResearchOne.The winners were selected by a panel of innovation experts that included TVGoods.com CEO Kevin Harrington, Home Shopping Network host Bill Green; former Bay News 9 anchor and inventor Jen Holloway and USF innovation leaders.

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Sources: Alex Kimball, Katie Burcaw and Ariane Custic, USF Young Innovator Competition 

It seems an investment in time rather than money is really all you need to market your products these days.

Tony Duda, founder and CEO of online recruiting platform Talent Sprocket, has not only proven this to be true, but has been nominated for an award for doing so. His company is nominated for a 2012 BizTech Innovation Summit Award in social media at the BizTech Innovation Summit and Expo hosted by the Tampa Bay Technology Forum and The Tampa Bay Business Journal on March 13, 2012 at the Tampa Convention Center.  

Duda's approach to social media has garnered him not only customers, but the attention of venture capitalists. But as Duda explains, his success on social media channels was accomplished by simply joining in the conversation. And he invested very little of his time. 

"I tried to do about an hour on social media each day," explains Duda. "A little in the morning and a little in the evening. A lot of people think it's a full time job. But it's really not. It's a good solution to kind of stay current with what people are talking about and stay relevant to the conversation.  When someone has something to say that's interesting to you, engaging with them. That's all I really did."

Duda says his budget doesn't allow for content generation of his own just yet, but that by simply joining in the conversation he was able to generate the buzz he's currently enjoying. 

"It's probably better to create your own content," he explains, "But that takes a lot of time and there's no guarantee that people will look at it. But if you're responding to other people's content, at least you know someone will look at it. It's mostly just engaging other people with what they're already writing and talking about. We haven't had the time or resources to generate our own content. It's been about just commenting on other people's articles and blogs. Trying to help others promote their content. Maybe they'll return the favor some day."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Tony Duda, Talent Sprocket

A University of South Florida (USF) alum has launched a company that produces a liquid bandage she plans to market to veterinarians, with the hopes of getting FDA approval to later sell for human use.

Dr. Kerriann Greenhalgh launched KeriCure, Inc in January 2011, which holds the exclusive worldwide rights to all medical applications of the technology behind its liquid bandage.

"What we have is a topical bandage product that is covered for sales in veterinary," explains Greenhalgh. "So that's where we're going to start. We're hoping to sell to vets in the next couple months. We're also filing for FDA approval for use on humans."

The bandage is a solid but elastic barrier that mirrors properties of the skin, providing a breathable film that covers damaged tissue. Because it's so flexible, it can provide protection for wounded parts of the body that would normally be difficult for conventional bandages to cover. The liquid bandage also is bacteria resistant. 

Greenhalgh says that while her experience in the private Research and Development sector helped her learn the business behind promoting her product, she owes much to USF for helping her develop both the product and the company. 

"I attended USF as undergrad, where I earned a chemistry degree," explains Greenhalgh. "I got to do research for Edward Turos, PhD, a professor there. He convinced me to stay and go to grad school. While I was there I was lucky enough to get a fellowship where I was required to develop a product for skin.

"As I was developing my product for preclinical trials and presenting it, I was hired to work for a company as a product manager. I got first FDA approval while I was working for them. When that company moved to Georgia, I didn't want to shelve my skin product any more. So I started doing research on how to go about getting it approved. Then I sat down with a group of colleagues at USF and they said go for it. And I did. Without USF, I wouldn't have been able to do all this."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Kerriann Greenhalgh, KeriCure

A provider of all-inclusive communication technology to auto dealerships is looking for more engineers to accommodate its recent growth spurt.

If you've ever had a car dealer alert you that it's time for an oil change with an automatic call or text, it may very well have been the work of AutoLoop. This Clearwater-based company is a one-stop shop for customer communication across all media: voice, text, email and direct mail. But it focuses exclusively on dealerships.

Eric Beard, chief technology officer, says that while candidates for the engineering positions need to be familiar with Microsoft, what they're really after is raw talent.

"Our primary technology uses Microsoft," says Beard. "We do have some things on the Linux side. But generally I'm looking for [knowledge of] .net, C sharp. SQL HTML and Java Script. Someone who can do a little bit of everything. Someone who can generally build a site from scratch. That being said, I would consider hiring someone who shows aptitude -- more so than education or certifications. I'm just looking for talent."

Beard says the company's ability to stay ahead of its competition is why it has enjoyed steady growth since opening in 2005. 

"We filled a niche that wasn't really being filled," explains Beard. "We captured a lot of the market early on because we had a lot of new stuff. Our competitors are now using us as a model. We have a good team and a lot of room to grow. There's about 15,000 to 18,000 dealerships in the U.S. One thousand of them are now customers. We're projecting to be at 2,000 by the end of this year."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Eric Beard, AutoLoop

If you want to be part of an innovative social media movement and have Web skills, you may want to check this out.

Trader Planet is a social media platform for new and established traders that provides them with an opportunity to interact, learn about trade logistics and receive up-to-the-minute stock information. And it's hiring a Web developer to help fulfill its growing wish list. 

Lane Mendelsohn, founder and CEO, says he's looking for Web talent that can step into a senior-level position and begin to augment the services Trader Planet currently provides.

"I'm looking for a senior level Web developer," Mendelsohn says. "We have a lot on our wish list that we want to accomplish. We need someone with years of experience and technical expertise to keep up with our growth. Just like a restaurant, we've grown by word-of-mouth. People seem to really like what we provide.

Mendelsohn says what Trader Planet provides is a mix of free education and networking for those interested in the trade industry that no one else seems to be offering. "A lot of places want to educate you, but it’s really a way to sell you something," he says. "Ours is just free. You have to be skeptical or you can get taken advantage of. But we have a reputation for integrity."

Mendelsohn says the wish list also may include adding additional staff besides the developer. "We have a whole wish list of things we want to see happen," says Mendelsohn. "More bandwidth, More administrative support and people to do outreach, to network. 


Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Lane Mendelsohn 

Two Tampa Bay entrepreneurs have launched an online service that they envision dominating the cloud computing market in coming years.

Jack Kennedy and Jared Rodriguez are currently beta testing KiteDesk, a cloud solution they launched in December 2011 that provides users with integrated personal, professional and public content. Jack Kennedy, KiteDesk CEO, says the KiteDesk solution is easier to use and easier on the pocketbook.

"We help companies move to the cloud," explains Kennedy. "It feels more like what they're used to. And they save money in the process. And for individuals, it brings everything into one user interface -- all their messages, sites, social networks, etc. -- into one place."

Kennedy says the idea came to the men -- both of whom attended the University of South Florida -- when they were working at a software development company. 

"We were working for a company that focused on building development tools," explains Kennedy. "And as we started working with Google apps, we began to see opportunities to work outside the development ecosystem. We started experimenting with APIs (application programing interfaces), took a step back and looked at what we were hearing from vendors and users. We wanted to make it easier with the end user. We wanted to provide a way for the user to have everything in one place."

Kennedy says once the beta test is complete, KiteDesk will be available to the general public. He also says he anticipates adding positions to his core staff in May or June 2012. Prices for KiteDesk services range from free to $2 per month.

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Jack Kennedy, KiteDesk

Elizabeth Lindsay-Wood says it was a huge hill to climb. But she wouldn't have done it any other way.

Tampa General Hospital’s (TGH) senior VP and chief informatics officer, announced the hospital's latest milestone in its conversion from paper to electronic medical records: recognition from a nationally recognized healthcare IT company for its efforts.

HIMSS Analytics, a subsidiary of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), has rated TGH's conversion a Stage 6 on its Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model. TGH is one of only 5 percent of the more than 5,300 U.S. hospitals tracked that has reached Stage 6. HIMSS Analytics' model evaluates the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for hospitals in its national database. By tracking progress -- measured in stages from 0-7 -- hospitals can review their progress and the effects the implementation has had on quality of care.

In basic terms, what Stage 6 means is TGH has made a significant commitment to electronic medical records, is enjoying improved patient safety, clinician support, clinician recruitment as a result and is able to start evaluating data that monitor improvements.  

Lindsay-Wood says that the hospital's innovative approach is responsible for its stellar results. "There are a lot of different ways you can implement [a conversion]," says Lindsay-Wood. "A lot of hospitals do it slowly, starting with a piece of it, like documentation, while doctor's orders are still handwritten. But what we did was a big bang. We said, 'We’re gonna go live all on the same day and the same time.' The idea we are all doing it at the same time across all departments was significant.''

"It was a big hill to climb," says Lindsay-Wood. "But once you climb it you see immediate value. A doc can be in a parking lot and look at his smart phone and all the info is available to him or her to provide care to the patient. And there are alerts and reminders to help them make better decisions. These patients are so complex, so to get these reminders and alerts are so helpful. It’s so much safer and faster."

Lindsay-Wood offers the following advice to other medical entities facing conversion, which is mandatory by 2014. "Going faster gets you faster to patient safety and quality of care. Going slower doesn’t necessarily work out all the kinks. Because you really don’t know what you have until you actually use the system. You have to be integrated in your [doctor's} practices not just the hospital. You need everyone on the same record." 

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Elizabeth Lindsay-Wood, Tampa General Hospital

Entrepreneurs with products and services related to the life sciences, biotech and medical fields soon will have an opportunity to share and hone their ideas alongside vetted professionals. 

The Tampa Bay Innovation Center, formerly known as Startec, is partnering with St. Petersburg College Collaborative Labs, BioFlorida, Florida Medical Manufacturers' Consortium and Moffitt Cancer Center to present an IDEA Camp Wednesday, March 21, 2012, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the St. Petersburg College Collaborative Labs at 13805 58 St. N. in Clearwater. Applications are being accepted until the deadline on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, and can be downloaded from the innovation center's website.

According to Danielle Weitlauf, venture manager at the Innovation Center, 12 to 15 applicants will be chosen to participate in its IDEA Camp, which will help entrepreneurs refine their business model and further develop their ideas and products. Participants will receive feedback from vetted professionals and make new contacts who can help them move their ideas forward. A $99 fee will cover pre-conference and full-day workshops as well as meals for participants accepted for participation in the camp. 

Weitlauf says the concentration of medically related industries throughout the Tampa Bay region combined with positive feedback about last year's camp contributed to the center's decision to focus on emerging businesses with bio relevance. 

"The camp was originally open to any industry, but last year we focused on web ventures and found it brought greater value to attendees," says Weitlauf. "We chose emerging businesses in biotech, medical products and life sciences because of the knowledge base already available in the area. These are focused industries in the Tampa Bay area that provide a greater return, provide a greater impact and create direct and indirect jobs in terms of home ownership and other spending."

Weitlauf says applicants will be chosen by a small panel comprised of representatives from the Tampa Bay Innovation Center as well as each of this year's sponsor entities. Participants will be chosen based on their ability to demonstrate a well thought-out idea or product that can be further developed on the day of the camp.

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Danielle Weitlauf, Tampa Bay Innovation Center

A Sarasota company taking "drug interaction" to the next level is reaping benefits and hiring new employees to meet demand.

voiceTech, a technology services company that provides interactive solutions to the pharmacy industry, launched ServiceLink-Rx in September 2011. The product enables patients to interact with their pharmacy to fill prescriptions, receive vital health information and be informed of special discounts via text, email or phone call through their cell phone or computer. voiceTech President Tim Garofalo says the success of the product has necessitated a move from Venice to bigger facilities in Sarasota, along with the hiring of more people to meet demand. 

"My crystal ball says five to seven people in 2012," he says. "The talent pool in Sarasota and south Tampa is promising. the move will bring us closer to that and provide more space and room for growth."

Garofalo says positions he intends to fill include technological as well as administrative. "Candidates for technological positions need to be tech savvy, of course," he says. "But they don't necessarily need a degree. We're looking for sharp people with a strong skill set. And they need to have good people and customer service skills as they will be going out to visit clients at times. Administrative candidates need to be good with paperwork and detail oriented."

Garofalo credits the ServiceLink-Rx product with the growth voiceTech is enjoying. "We’ve been providing Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solutions for a long time," explains Garofalo. "Cell phones -- particularly smart phones -- have changed the technology. We've created an application that allows the user to interact directly with the computer system in the pharmacy and track user preferences. This is sparking our growth." 

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Tim Garofalo, voiceTech
 

Talk Fusion, a Brandon-based video communications company, has created an innovative new app for smart phones.

The Fusion-On-The-Go app is a video email app for the iPhone and other smart phones on the market and, according to Talk Fusion founder and CEO Bob Reina, there are no other apps like it on the market.

“We are very confident that Talk Fusion’s Fusion-On-the-Go is the only video email app available for not only the iPhone, but any smart phone,” Reina says. “It is a one of a kind in the industry. ”

The app allows users to create personal and professional video emails while on the go. Users can use their smartphone video camera to shoot videos or upload pre-recorded videos and send emails to their contacts. The app has personal and business templates in more than 20 languages allowing a wide range of users the ability to use the app.

“Fusion-On-the-Go video email app for the iPhone was created in response to match the growing trend of mobile device use,” Reina says. “We are staying in tune with the growing needs of our customers. ”

Currently the app is only available to Talk Fusion’s customers and associates, however, for those affiliated with the company, the app is free to download. In addition to Fusion-On-The-Go, the company offers several other innovative products, including video conferencing, live broadcasting and video blogging.

“We also have Fusion Wall, the world’s first video-driven 3D social networking site to make friends, and attract customers for your business while having fun,” Reina says. “We are committed to continuing our development of world-class solutions for an affordable cost.”

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Bob Reina, Talk Fusion

Innovators, investors and entrepreneurs are encouraged to save the date Feb. 6^th as the Moffitt Cancer Center will host its annual Business of Biotech conference.

The conference offers businesses and investors the opportunity to network with each other in an effort to bring biotech concepts to fruition. In fact, that is the theme of this year’s conference, “Turning Vision into Reality.”

“Our team wanted to develop a conference theme that reflects today’s biotech progress in the Tampa Bay area,” says Jarett Rieger, director of technology management and commercialization at Moffitt Cancer Center. “Speakers at the conference will look at the history of biotechnology, the current state and the future of diagnostics, medical devices and personalized medicine.”

The keynote speaker for the event is Dr. Risa Stack, a venture capitalist with Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers. She has experience investing in personalized medicine, therapeutics and platform technologies.

“Dr. Stack has over 15 years of experience in investing and she will share her knowledge with the audience, focusing on personalized medicine,” Rieger says. “Other speakers will give talks on fundraising, personalized medicine, the future of biotech and issues facing medical device companies.”

According to Rieger, last year’s conference attracted more than 310 attendees, including scientists, investors, entrepreneurs, businesses and students. He expects attendance to surpass 300 again this year.

“The Business of Biotech conference is an opportunity to network with other members within the Tampa Bay biotech cluster to learn about what’s new in the region, ask questions of local area experts and gain a national perspective on biotechnology.”

The one-day conference will be held at Moffitt’s Vincent A. Stabile Research Building. Those interested in attending should register online or email Patricia Teston.

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Jarett Rieger, Moffitt Cancer Center