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2015 | Doing Business in Connecticut 31 SPONSORED REPORT D iane J. Burgess, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutics, is developing solutions for industry and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that will ensure the availability of safe, high quality, life-saving therapeutics. Burgess' research provides the standards that the FDA will utilize to establish industry guidelines for new drugs. An internationally recognized expert in the field, Burgess and her research team aim to reduce drug manufacturing costs, improve the delivery of effective drugs to people, and improve the quality of care deliv- ered to patients globally. Her partner- ships with the biotech and pharma- ceutical industries have spanned the globe and include collaborations with partners ranging from boutique firms to well-known global giants includ- ing AbbVie. Much of Burgess' work inves- tigates the engineering aspects of how to deliver small molecules, biologics, and other gene-based therapeutics in such a way to make them more effective and less toxic. Based on her work with graduate student Antonio Costa, the University recently filed a patent application on improved manu- facturing of liposomal drug formula- tions. Liposomes can enhance drug delivery and gene therapy. Their invention provides better quality control on large batch preparation methods for liposome production. "Dr. Burgess is a fine example of the innovative and uniquely qualified faculty at UConn," said Jeff Seemann, vice president for research. "Her numerous partnerships with industry and the FDA benefit the needs of patients globally, while her teaching educates a workforce for industry here in Connecticut." Innovation: Engineering & Science, Research & Development, Entrepreneurship and More Engineering & Science With more than a hundred years of history, the School of Engineering plays a critical role in the overall research mis- sion of the University. The School has established more than a dozen major industry partnerships and garnered over $40 million in federal research funding. One such center is the unique $10 million UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering, which focuses on state-of-the-art design, validation, and operation of complex and network-em- bedded systems operating at multiple time scales and under uncertainty and multiple criteria. In 2016, the school is poised to expand with the opening of a new, 80,000-square-foot building, a state-of-the art facility for biomedical, materials and systems research. In training, engineering students gain hands-on experience solving technical challenges through a myriad of programs. Each year, seniors pursue design projects that solve real-world challenges offered by companies such as General Dynamics, Pfizer, and Stan- ley/Black&Decker. The school hosts six National Science Foundation Research Experiences to expose undergraduates to advanced research, and supports two dedicated living and learning communities devoted exclusively to engineering innovation. With thir- teen separate engineering degree programs, the school educates stu- dents at all levels of higher education who are prepared to make an impact in the 21st century workforce. Research and Development While research spending itself pro- vides an economic boost by infusing the state economy with new dollars that support jobs and business activ- Setting the Standard for New Drugs Continued on next page > Diane J. Burgess ity, there is a need to spur technology commercialization that can also grow companies and create jobs. The Of- fice of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) manages an annual research portfolio of nearly $200 million across the University, including UConn Health. The OVPR's Technology Commer- cialization Services (TCS) unit works with faculty and student inventors to assess, protect, and market up to one hundred new inventions an- nually. The unit includes a business incubation program that allows start-up ventures to grow their roots at the University and tap into its vast research and development infra- structure, business support services, and rich intellectual environment. The incubator is currently under- going a $19 million expansion at UConn Health in the heart of Con- necticut's Bioscience Corridor. The new 20,000-square-foot space will house up to 60 early-stage ventures. "We are very excited and proud that our innovative faculty and