News

Two Post-Docs Accept Tenure Track Faculty Positions at R1 Institutions

clarkb2@ohio.edu — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 14:47:50 +0000

Two Post-Docs Accept Tenure Track Faculty Positions at R1 Institutions clarkb2@ohio.edu Tue, 08/15/2023 - 10:47

Congratulations to Nathan Wages, PhD and Carlos Padilla, PhD for their new faculty positions at Rutgers University (Wages) and the University of Wisconsin at Madison (Padilla). Nate and Carlos will both be starting their independent careers in the fall of 2023.

Tuesday, August 15, 2023, 12:00pm

Brian Clark speaks at NIH workshop

julie — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:22:21 +0000

Brian Clark speaks at NIH workshop julie Tue, 08/08/2023 - 11:22

Ohio University Press Release:

Ohio University Professor of Physiology and Executive Director of the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI) Brian Clark Ph.D. was one of 40 expert leaders in the field of aging from around the world chosen to present at a workshop hosted by the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) National Institute on Aging (NIA) on the development of function promoting therapies for age-related weakness. Clark was also asked by the NIH to publish a comprehensive review of his research over the past decade in the Journal of Gerontology.

The workshop covered a variety of topics including advances in muscle biology, novel candidate molecules, findings from randomized trials, and challenges in the design of clinical trials and regulatory approval of function-promoting therapies.

“It’s always an honor to give a talk at this type of workshop and major meeting such as this,” Clark said. “You cherish these moments because you have put your life into this research and are able to capture an audience of key people working in the same discipline. Sharing my knowledge and findings on this type of platform also allows for a broader impact and critical discussions to take place.”

During the workshop, Clark spoke about his research on the role of the nervous system in age-related muscle weakness and participated on a panel discussion about the correlation between neural mechanisms and age-related loss of muscle strength.

Much of what he spoke about during the workshop was also included in the article in the Journal of Gerontology which detailed his work evaluating the putative neural mechanisms of age-related muscle weakness, promoting therapies for age-related mobility limitations.

The article also discusses the evolving definition of sarcopenia, or the gradual loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, and its primary defining characteristic – weakness. The review article explores the premise that impairments in the nervous system’s ability to generate maximal force of power contribute to sarcopenia.

“Understanding the causes of age-related losses of physical function has implications to both patients, in relation to improved health, physical capacity, quality of life and more, as well as society at large, as there are a large number of older adults who require assistance with daily tasks due to weakness,” Clark said. “By understanding the causes of weakness and physical function loss we can develop rationale therapeutic strategies.”

Clark added that some therapeutic strategies include the development of therapeutic compounds, nutraceuticals and supplements, diet and exercise. He explained that to improve strength and function, we must first understand what causes weakness.

According to Clark, when he was a graduate student more than 25 years ago and first getting into this field of study, it was largely assumed that age-related weakness and loss of mobility were due to a person’s muscles wasting away. That despite best efforts, weakness was just a part of aging. However, after years of research, Clark has found that age-related weakness is also related to the nervous system changes and the physical performance of muscles.

“Muscles are puppets being moved by the nervous system,” Clark explained. “We have found robust evidence in our lab showing how age-related changes happen due to how well the brain signals move the muscles to work or in how well the muscles act on that signal."

According to Clark, the specific neural mechanisms appear to be linked to low level nerve cell excitability, impaired ability to transmit action potentials/electrical signals between the nerves and the muscles, as well as reduced integrity of brain networks involved in performing relatively automatic motor tasks, such as walking.

The findings from Clark’s lab identifies some potential therapeutic targets, as well as helps to underscore the need for exercise and physical to maintain muscle strength and function with aging. In particular, resistance exercises that strengthen muscles and tasks and exercises that challenge motor control, such as dancing, are vitally important.

“Our work has consistently indicated that changes in the nervous system are a key culprit and likely account for about a third of the weakness seen in aging, in addition to the loss of muscle mass and quality,” Clark said.

Assisting Clark in his research are a vast network of collaborators from over the years, including students and colleagues at OHIO. In particular, Clark notes that his wife, Leatha Clark who holds degrees in engineering mechanics as well as a Doctor in Physical Therapy, has been integral to the work done his lab. He also notes that Todd Manini, a professor at the University of Florida, who he has worked with since they were graduate students together at Syracuse University, and who happens to be an OHIO alumni (BS ’97, Biological Sciences), is a critical collaborator of his. More recently, Clark notes that he has developed a very robust and strong collaboration with Dave Arnold, M.D., executive director of the NextGen Precision Health initiative at the University of Missouri.

Currently, Clark, who is also the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Harold E. Clybourne, D.O., Endowed Research Chair, is working to identify the role of the motor neuron, the final neuron that connects the nervous system with the muscle, in health and disease. He is also working to develop novel tools for diagnosing sarcopenia and osteoporosis. These projects are funded by around $10 million in grants from the NIH.

Monday, April 24, 2023, 12:00pm

How Ohio University is improving the health of Ohio’s aging population

julie — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:22:21 +0000

How Ohio University is improving the health of Ohio’s aging population julie Tue, 08/08/2023 - 11:22

Ohio University Press Release:

Ohio is experiencing a large growth in the number of people over the age of 60, with an expected 33 percent increase in this population by 2030. With leading research, technology development, infrastructure changes and community support, Ohio University (OHIO) is taking significant strides in improving the health of the state’s older residents.

“Here we have strong faculty in health-related fields and strong research initiatives with a focused effort on supporting the communities from the top down,” said Richard Hodges, director of the Ohio University Health Collaborative and The Ohio Alliance for Population Health.

Increasing healthy, independent years

The Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI) pulls together scientists from across OHIO and partners with healthcare organizations and pharmaceutical companies to accomplish its mission to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. Through the Center for Healthy Aging, one of two centers within OMNI, researchers are investigating age-related declines in cognitive function and physical function as well as testing interventional strategies to address those declines and enhance quality of life.

“Forty percent of older adults report limitations performing tasks that are needed to maintain their independence,” said Brian Clark, Ph.D., Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Harold E. Clybourne, D.O. Endowed Research Chair, professor of physiology and neuroscience in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, and OMNI executive director. “Strength is a vital factor for health and longevity. A greater understanding of the causes of weakness is needed to develop targeted interventions to enhance strength and function.”

Much of OMNI’s work is looking at how to improve healthspan rather than lifespan. In the past, there has been a heavy focus on increasing people's lifespan, or the length of time an individual lives; however, now through a slow cultural shift driven by research, there is a new focus on healthspan, the number of independent, healthy years in one's life. Addressing a population’s healthspan can improve the number of quality years an individual lives, reducing health care costs and leading to better health outcomes.

Clark’s recent research focuses on improving the diagnosis of osteoporosis, the age-related loss of bone integrity or bone strength. In partnership with the Ohio University Innovation Center, Clark is developing new diagnostic approaches to identify people who have fragile or weak bones. Early detection of osteoporosis can lead to interventions that improve one’s physical function and strength. Clark noted that weakness is a key risk factor that prevents people who are older from living independently.

“Enhancing physical function and muscle strength is a major public health priority. It could drastically reduce health care costs and improve quality of life for people,” Clark said.

OMNI is just one of the groups at Ohio University looking for ways to improve health outcomes for people who are aging. Through collaborative research, the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine is exploring various aspects of age-related health concerns such as dementia and early disease detection.

Dementia risk reduction methods varies by population

Graciela Muniz-Terrera, Ph.D., Heritage College professor of social medicine and Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Ralph S. Licklider, D.O., Endowed Professorship in Health and Aging, conducts research on aging and dementia prevention in marginalized communities. Muniz-Terrera is in the early stages of developing research in Ohio that will determine how older adults can make behavioral changes to reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Muniz-Terrera explains that there are three major modifiable factors that can be addressed to reduce the risk of dementia including cognitive engagement, physical activity and diet. Muniz-Terrera's research, which is being done within OMNI and the Appalachian Institute to Advance Health Equity Science will investigate how infrastructure and culture contribute to those modifiable risks. She hopes the results of the study will lead to clinical recommendations for patients that consider cultural diet preferences and affordable food options as well as how infrastructure and environment facilitate physical activity within a patient’s community.

“Every population is different,” Muniz-Terrera said. “We need to understand the local communities to ensure that when things move from science to population, we are providing individuals with tools they can actually use.”

Age-Friendly communities benefit everyone

Many initiatives at OHIO are working towards the goal of creating sustainable systems to support Ohio’s aging population that are relevant at the community level.

“Ohio University understands its community mission better than any other, with an emphasis placed on community outreach,” said Hodges.

Through a series of surveys and community feedback, the College of Health Sciences and Professions has started the Age-Friendly Athens County (AFAC) certification process. Rebecca Robison-Miller, senior director of community relations at the College of Health Sciences and Professions, is leading AFAC, a community action group working toward making Athens City and County a certified age-friendly community through the World Health Organization(opens in a new window) (WHO) and AARP(opens in a new window).

To be certified, a community must fulfill WHO’s eight domains of livability, which include access to outdoor and public spaces, transportation, housing, social participation and inclusion, respect, communication, work and civic engagement, and health services. Additionally, AFAC has identified a ninth domain of sustainability and climate resiliency, an important issue for the local community. Through a series of surveys and community conversations regarding these domains, AFAC is responding to specific needs in the county.

Robison-Miller said the age-friendly community certification must be renewed every five years.

“The idea is that we are always aware and responding to what is needed in the Athens area communities. This is not dictated by anyone except the community,” Robison-Miller said.

To make impactful changes to infrastructure and accessibility, AFAC in partnership with the Athens City-County Health Department, is creating a community development plan from the feedback received from the community to foster sustainable improvements to Athens and the surrounding areas.

“There are a lot of underserved people in rural communities across the state, especially in Appalachia,” Robison-Miller said. “Anything we can build that will be beneficial to the aging population will benefit us at a state level.”

Community Health Workers support their neighbors

The OHIO Alliance for Population Health(opens in a new window), works collaboratively with partners across the state to improve the health of all Ohioans by utilizing combined resources to address common determinants of health.

Melissa Kimmel, executive in residence and aging lead for the Alliance for Population Health, described some of the social determinates of health facing Ohio’s aging population including food or housing insecurity, a lack of basic needs, social isolation, kinship care issues and a lack of needed medications among other challenges. Removing these barriers can result in healthier communities.

“Aging is so broad, it encompasses every aspect of somebody’s life,” Kimmel said. “There are a lot of needs that need to be addressed. We are figuring out how we can take the resources that are in southeastern Ohio and have them work together.”

Facilitated by Ohio University, the Alliance has partnered with more than 40 affiliated universities, hospitals and healthcare providers to solve pressing population health concerns. Taking the lead to address those health concerns are community health workers(opens in a new window), trained individuals who are “frontline public health workers” with a deep understanding of the community they serve. Community health workers connect individuals to resources, such as health and social services, and provide social support.

“During COVID especially, the aging population was really isolated,” said Kerri Shaw, associate professor of instruction with the CHSP and community health worker program coordinator with the Alliance for Population Health. "A lot of the programming that they had relied on was no longer available.”

Through a partnership with the Buckeye Hills Regional Council(opens in a new window), the Alliance placed student community health workers with older adults. Through this effort, students received valuable practical field experience and the region’s aging population benefited as well.

“Their jobs were specifically to address social isolation, focused on helping people know what resources are available, and making sure that we’re addressing social determinants of health through health outreach and education,” Shaw said.

Autonomous vehicles being tested with a focus on rural, older-adult users

Access to reliable transportation is a key factor that helps aging adults retain independence. Through a collaboration with CHSP and the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Julie Brown, Ph.D., associate professor of gerontology with CHSP, is part of a team conducting usability research on an OHIO pilot-program testing autonomous vehicles. The initiative hopes to better understand how these vehicles can transform the lives of older adults and those with mobility and functional challenges.

Brown explained that autonomous vehicles will one day help people in rural communities physically connect with health care services and facilitate relationships that combat social isolation, which the aging population is vulnerable to and can lead to serious health consequences.

This initiative will be tested state-wide through funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

"That’s the beauty of collaborations at Ohio University,” Brown said. “There is tremendous synergy between experts looking at things that can be beneficial for all people.”

Tuesday, February 28, 2023, 12:00pm

Board approves creation of two new centers within OMNI

julie — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:22:21 +0000

Board approves creation of two new centers within OMNI julie Tue, 08/08/2023 - 11:22

Ohio University Press Release:

The Ohio University Board of Trustees approved the creation of two new centers, the Injury and Pain Research Center and the Center for Healthy Aging, both housed within the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI).

OMNI, which has grown to consistently be one of OHIO's most productive research institutes, has an active grant enterprise of more than $22 million. Seven of its investigators have been ranked in the top 2 percent of their respective fields, and its scientists have published more than 1,600 articles.

“The creation of these new centers within the highly reputed, world-class Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute places an additional emphasis on the importance of the research we are conducting, and it builds capacity for OHIO to further its impact in the region and beyond,” Ohio University President Hugh Sherman said.

“Situated in Appalachian Ohio, OMNI is uniquely positioned to study aging and pain management, which are two of the most pervasive health issues facing the region and society at large,” said Ken Johnson, D.O., OHIO’s chief medical affairs officer and Heritage College executive dean. “The innovative solutions being forged by researchers in these OMNI centers stand to benefit the wellbeing of people everywhere.”

Brian Clark, Ph.D., executive director of OMNI, said the creation of the centers sharpens the focus on the research that has been ongoing for many years within the Institute.

“For more than a decade we have had a solid critical mass of scientists conducting highly impactful and internationally renowned research in these two areas,” Clark said.

Researchers within OMNI’s Center for Healthy Aging will continue to focus on understanding the biological causes behind reduction in neurological and musculoskeletal form in function in older adults, and conducting clinical trials examining the effectiveness of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions designed to enhance physical and cognitive function, the two primary drivers that send people into institutions for ongoing care.

“Our research aims to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders linked to both physical and cognitive frailty with the overall goal being to help people enhance those functions and continue to live independently,” Clark said. “We’ve got a huge number of people heading into their older years. That’s a huge individual and societal burden.”

OMNI’s Injury and Pain Research Center similarly conducts research aimed at understanding injury prevention as well as chronic and acute pain and looks for treatments to mitigate injuries and alleviate pain.

“Thirty-five million U.S. citizens seek medical care for a musculoskeletal injury annually, 32.5 million live with chronic osteoarthritis and its associated pain, and nearly 65 million report a recent episode of low back pain. These musculoskeletal conditions degrade quality of life and result in a staggering economic burden that exceeds $870 billion in medical expenses, missed work, and lost productivity,” Clark said. The center will continue research that elucidates the physiological mechanisms, biomechanical effects, and neuro-psychological aspects of pain and injury. In addition to this mechanistic work, the center conducts clinical trials examining the effectiveness of non-surgical interventions to reduce pain, disability, and prevent injury to reduce the burden of musculoskeletal diseases and preserve quality of life.”

The two centers, which share the overarching aim of developing interventions that enhance physical function and ultimately reduce disability, will be housed within OMNI. Clark, professor of physiology and neuroscience and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Harold E. Clybourne, D.O., Endowed Research Chair, will continue to serve as the executive director. OMNI is in the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine but also includes faculty members in the College of Health Sciences and Professions, College of Arts and Sciences, and the Russ College of Engineering and Technology.

Friday, October 21, 2022, 12:00pm

OMNI scientists awarded NIH grant to research the motor neuron in relation to aging

julie — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:22:21 +0000

OMNI scientists awarded NIH grant to research the motor neuron in relation to aging julie Tue, 08/08/2023 - 11:22

Ohio University Press Release:

Brian Clark, Ph.D., professor of physiology and neuroscience in Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Department of Biomedical Sciences, received a five-year, nearly $3 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to conduct a series of animal and human studies to better understand the mechanisms and clinical relevance of age-related changes in motor neuron excitability.

The research will look at the role of the motor neuron, the final neuron that connects the nervous system with the muscle, in health and disease.

Clark, also executive director of the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute and Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Harold E. Clybourne, D.O., Endowed Research Chair, is one of three principal investigators for the grant, alongside W. David Arnold, M.D., from the Department of Neurology at Ohio State University, and Sherif Elbasiouny, Ph.D., from the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Physiology at Wright State University.

Clark has been interested in this work since the late 1990s. Over the past few years, he has built connections and collaborated with Arnold and Elbasiouny over their shared interest of the motor neuron.

“All of us have deep interest in understanding the role of the motor neuron in health and disease. This connection between the nervous system and the muscle system has long been discussed as a potential culprit of age-related declines in motor function,” Clark said. “So, as the three of us began talking more and more, we eventually decided to put together a large grant to investigate the mechanisms and clinical relevance of age-related changes in motor neuron excitability.”

There are a large number of experiments that will take place over a five-year period. Animal studies will be conducted at Ohio State University and Wright State University, while the human experiments will be held at OHIO.

In the animal experiments, the team will look to establish a timeline across the lifespan in mice to identify when motor neurons become less excitable. Additionally, they will seek to determine if the hypothesized reductions in motor neuron excitability are associated with the death of motor neurons as well as loss of muscle strength and coordination. Experiments will also be performed to look at the mechanisms, such as which ion channels are responsible for reducing excitability, Clark noted.

The human studies will examine the clinical relevance of reductions in motor neuron excitability by looking at older adults. The main part of the study will be to record the electrical activity of muscles using a non-invasive array of surface electrodes and then using artificial intelligence algorithms to identify when individual motor neurons are firing.

“Based on the firing characteristics, we can obtain estimates of neuron excitability so that we can determine whether this is linked to things such as age-related weakness,” Clark explained.

Co-investigators on the project include David Kline, Ph.D., a statistician from Ohio State, and Leatha Clark, DPT, a clinical research scientist from OHIO’s Heritage College.

Leatha Clark, who has a background in engineering and physical therapy, will play a major role in working with individuals participating in the clinical study being conducted at OHIO, which involves performing numerous medical imaging and electrophysiology techniques.

“When we received the official notice of funding for the award, I think everyone from all three labs were grateful, excited and relieved. The preparation of the grant application took an extraordinary amount of time and coordination on the part of the three principal investigators,” she said. “In addition, we were all so grateful to receive an award of this magnitude from the NIH in order to carry out this important work.”

Brian Clark’s overall goal in his research is to develop effective and implementable interventions that increase muscle function, such as muscle strength, motor control, fatigue-resistance and mobility in older adults.

“Our work has, for decades, suggested that the nervous system is critically involved in age-related loss of strength and mobility. This thinking, while well-accepted today, was not all that common back 10 years ago, as it was thought that the majority of losses were due to reduced muscle size,” he said. “My hope for this forthcoming work is that we are able to identify potential underlying mechanisms for weakness and loss in function, as well as establish the clinical relevance, so that we can then examine the potential for various lifestyle interventions, such as exercise and/or neurotherapeutics to improve physical function.”

Individuals in the Athens area who are interested in learning more about participating in the human subjects research study should contact Brian Clark at clarkb2@ohio.edu or 740-593-2354 for more information (IRB protocol number 20-F-28).

“We are so very grateful to those who participate in clinical research,” he said. “As someone whose science is centrally dependent on people volunteering for research studies, I can never say thank you enough to those who participate in our studies. We truly view them as part of our collaborative team and are very grateful for their willingness to help us advance science.”

Wednesday, June 30, 2021, 12:00pm

OhioX University Tech Talk features OHIO professors, industry partners discussing innovation in health care, industry

julie — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:22:21 +0000

OhioX University Tech Talk features OHIO professors, industry partners discussing innovation in health care, industry julie Tue, 08/08/2023 - 11:22

Two Ohio University professors and their industry partners will share experiences working together during an OhioX University Tech Talk on Thursday, June 3, at 4 p.m., sponsored by the Ohio Innovation Exchange.

The talk will highlight Ohio University’s innovation ecosystem through the story of OsteoDx and discuss the value of university/industry research partnerships like the one between Ohio University and CONSOL Energy.

This talk is virtual and open to the public. Click here to register.

Guest speakers include:

Brian Clark - Executive Director of the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute; the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Harold E. Clybourne, D.O., Endowed Research Chair, and Professor of Physiology at Ohio University and Chief of Aging Research at OsteoDx
Gary Wakeford - CEO at OsteoDx
Jason Trembly - Russ Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment at Ohio University
Dan Connell - Senior Vice President, Strategy at CONSOL Energy

OhioX is a statewide nonpartisan and nonprofit technology and innovation partnership that powers connections, tells impactful stories, and advocates for growth on behalf of Ohio technology and innovation. Their diverse membership includes leading Fortune 500 companies, growing startups, leading universities and research institutions, and technology-focused businesses.

Brian Clark

The Ohio Innovation Exchange (OIEx) features a powerful, centralized web portal that makes it easier for businesses and industry to connect with university researchers, shareable equipment, and resources at six major Ohio universities. Ohio University was a founding partner in OIEx.

For over 200 years Ohio University has been delivering on its three core missions of education, research, and supporting the economic development of the state and region. Now the university and its faculty are engaging with businesses and new industries in more diverse ways than ever.

Wednesday, May 26, 2021, 12:00pm

OsteoDx receives $2M grant from the National Institutes of Health

julie — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:22:21 +0000

OsteoDx receives $2M grant from the National Institutes of Health julie Tue, 08/08/2023 - 11:22

Ohio University Press Release:

OsteoDx Inc., a TechGROWTH Ohio portfolio company, has been selected for funding through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant with the National Institutes of Health.

The grant will provide $2M in support of a multicenter study to further measure and validate the efficacy of the company’s proprietary Cortical Bone Mechanics Technology (CBMT), designed to identify patients at risk of fracture due to osteoporosis.

“The National Institutes of Health selected OsteoDx in a very competitive process, which is yet another level of significant external validation of the potential value of our technology,” OsteoDx Chief Executive Officer Gary Wakeford said. He further explained that the 2.3 million fragility fractures each year in the U.S. is costing the healthcare system $19 billion. This problem will only get bigger in the foreseeable future given the country’s aging population, he indicated.

Wakeford noted that TechGROWTH Ohio’s support has played a pivotal role in the development and advancement of the company.

“Having the collaborative and financial support of TechGROWTH Ohio has made the company an attractive option to additional investors within this space,” Wakeford said. “The combined efforts of TechGROWTH Ohio, the Ohio University Innovation Center, and Ohio University’s Technology Transfer Office have allowed the company to achieve a significant milestone that would not otherwise have been attainable.”

OsteoDx’s proprietary technology, which was developed at Ohio University in Athens, aims to solve the problem of identifying a patients’ risk factor by placing a vibrating ceramic probe against the forearm, which makes the bone under the skin vibrate in response. By using novel vibration analysis, the company aims to provide a confident assessment of bone strength, as well as fracture risk.

“The SBIR Phase II award will provide the validation necessary to help advance this technology and the company to market adoption,” said Jane New, director of TechGROWTH.

The company plans to sell the technology initially as a scientific instrument to bone research laboratories and universities beginning this year. OsteoDx will use the data from these labs to apply for FDA approval to enable OsteoDx to pursue the commercial market opportunity for the CBMT device beyond the research market.

Brian Clark, Ph.D., OsteoDx chief of aging research, said that CBMT has the potential to help physicians more accurately identify who would benefit from osteoporosis medications and monitor the effectiveness of the treatment.

TechGROWTH Ohio has provided financial and advisory support and resources to help OsteoDx attract and retain the company’s current CEO, as well as a grant-writing consultant to prepare the SBIR Phase II proposal and a student intern for additional technical assistance. A team of experienced TechGROWTH executives-in-residence has also provided ongoing guidance and advice.

“The expertise TechGROWTH brings to the table will be extremely helpful as we prepare the company and the technology for large scale commercialization,” Wakeford said. “Both TechGROWTH and OsteoDx have strong commitments to excellence in the marketplace as well as to Southeast Ohio. It is a great partnership of talent, capital and commitment.”

As Ohio Third Frontier’s regional entrepreneurial service provider, TechGROWTH Ohio is a premier program of Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs. TechGROWTH provides technology start-up companies in the 19-county Southeast Ohio area access to business assistance and sources of capital. More than 2,300 area start-ups and entrepreneurs, including OsteoDx, have generated over $678 million in additional local economic activity with TechGROWTH Ohio’s support.

OsteoDx is a medical technology start-up that spun out of technology developed at Ohio University. The commercialization efforts initially began a few years ago with funding from the Ohio University Innovation Strategy Program. In August 2020, the company also won NASA’s Ignite the Night OHIO award,(opens in a new window) a national program designed to identify solutions to problems of interest to NASA. The company is an I-Corps@Ohio (opens in a new window)success story, which provided OsteoDx hands-on training in identifying and evaluating market needs and the commercial potential of groundbreaking technologies. OsteoDx currently has offices in the Ohio University Innovation Center.

For additional information on OsteoDx and this revolutionary technology, contact Gary Wakeford at wakefordgary@gmail.com or at 330-766-1173.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021, 12:00pm