News & Notes | ORNL names three new Corporate Fellows
Kifa Therapeutics wins latest Venture Forum hosted during LSTCON.
From Oak Ridge:
Three researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have been named Corporate Fellows in recognition of significant career accomplishments and continued leadership in their scientific fields.
Corporate Fellow is the highest recognition for members of the ORNL research staff. Michael McGuire, Forrest Hoffman, and Vlastimil Kunc have been recognized by the laboratory for their standing in the international scientific community as exceptional and influential researchers and as role models and mentors among peers and early career researchers.
“Corporate Fellows epitomize ORNL’s commitment to scientific excellence and leadership,” said ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer. “Their outstanding research accomplishments, influential contributions to the broader scientific community, and dedication to mentoring the next generation of researchers are vital to the laboratory’s continued success. Congratulations to Forrest, Vlastimil, and Michael on this well-deserved recognition.”
- Hoffman leads the Integrated Computational Earth Sciences Group in ORNL’s Computational Sciences and Engineering Division.
- Kunc leads the Composite Science and Technology Section in ORNL’s Manufacturing Science Division, where he has redefined the boundaries of composite materials and large-scale additive manufacturing.
- McGuire leads the Correlated Electron Materials Group in lab’s Materials Science and Technology Division and directs materials research for the Quantum Science Center.
From Knoxville:
Enigma Biomedical USA announced that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has awarded EB USA $2 million for the discovery and initial preclinical development of a novel α-synuclein Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging biomarker.
This funding is part of MJFF’s strategic research agenda focused on supporting objective tools to biologically measure and track the progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD) to improve clinical trial design. Misfolded α-synuclein — a protein that clumps in the brains of people who live with PD — is a fundamental hallmark of the disease resulting in its symptoms. A new staging framework aimed at defining PD and related neuronal α-synuclein diseases based on their underlying biology places conditions such as PD and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) along a shared continuum of progression — from disease risk to functional impairment — and underscores a standardized biological diagnosis.
The discovery research recognized by this award will be based on Nobel Prize-winning Click Chemistry and candidate screening techniques developed by Hartmuth Kolb, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer at EB USA and will be conducted at the University of Wisconsin, where Dr. Kolb serves as a Visiting Professor. He is widely recognized as a leading expert on biomarkers for neurodegeneration, and led the team which discovered the leading first-generation Tau PET imaging biomarker
Today, Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurodegenerative disease in the world with an estimated 10 million impacted. Parkinson’s disease involves the loss of dopaminergic neurons associated with the accumulation of α- synuclein pathology, and is characterized by motor symptoms in addition to other non-motor complications. The ability to detect α-synuclein with a new PET tracer promises to revolutionize Parkinson’s disease research and clinical care. As has been the case with Alzheimer’s disease, the availability of such a biomarker should enable and accelerate development of new disease-targeted therapies.
AMR Clinical, a leading integrated research site organization, has announced that Dr. William B. Smith, founding Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company since its formal consolidation in 2017, will assume a new role as Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors effective December 1, and Kari L. Delahunty, currently Chief Operating Officer of AMR Clinical, will become CEO and join the Board of Directors on that date.
Dr. Smith has been with AMR Clinical and its predecessor organizations for more than 30 years and has led the company through significant growth, therapeutic diversification, as well as its recapitalization by Curewell Capital.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to express our appreciation to Dr. Smith for his long-standing leadership and vision, which have been instrumental to AMR’s success,” said David P. King, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Dr. Smith is an innovator and thought leader in clinical research, and we are pleased that he will remain involved with AMR Clinical as Vice Chairman of the Board.”
Ms. Delahunty is widely recognized in the clinical research industry for her strategic leadership and operational expertise. During her career, she has held key global roles in clinical development, strategy, and innovation. Prior to serving as AMR Clinical’s Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Delahunty served as President, Life Sciences at Shearwater Health, leading growth and development strategy. She previously served in various roles of increasing responsibility at Syneos Health, culminating as Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy.
From Nashville:
Kifa Therapeutics, which is advancing a Central Nervous System platform for Parkinson’s disease, won the recent Venture Forum held during LSTCON, the annual conference of Life Science Tennessee. The company is based in New York City, but collaborates with Vanderbilt University and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
The start-up won the $10,000 cash prize provided by the Holland & Knight law firm.
Other competitors were:
- EndoLimb of Knoxville;
- NatureFound Biotech of Memphis;
- Miller, Co. which recently relocated to Middle Tennessee; and
- Yaya Scientific of Franklin.
District Cover, a tech-enabled insurance agency making insurance more accessible for businesses in America’s urban centers, has announced the close of a $6 million funding round. The investment will fuel District Cover’s growth in team, product development, platform enhancements, strategic initiatives, and city partnerships that advance its mission of bringing broad, affordable coverage to underserved business communities.
The round was led by IA Capital, a leading financial services and insurance technology investor with strong support from existing District Cover partners, including Mosaic and Impact America Fund, both of which increased their commitments significantly. Previous investors, a16z, Amwins, Liquid2, and Vantage Risk, District Cover’s primary capacity provider, also participated.
“Our mission is to ensure that every business, especially those in overlooked city neighborhoods, has access to the coverage they need to thrive,” said Patrick Girouard, CEO of District Cover. “This round demonstrates the confidence our investors have in our approach and provides the resources we need to scale our technology, expand our products, and support the brokers and businesses we serve.”
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