CBC-HITES
 
 
 

Funded by


Program Status Update (May 2025):
Due to recent changes in NIH funding, the CBC-HITES program is not accepting new applications at this time. We will update the community in September 2025.

To stay informed about our programs, we encourage you to sign up for our newsletter HERE.

Introducing CBC-HITES

The Chicago Biomedical Consortium Hub for Innovative Technology and Entrepreneurship in the Sciences (CBC-HITES) provides Chicagoland academic innovators with the support needed to develop scientific and technical discoveries into biomedical applications.

CBC-HITES is a proof-of-concept biopharma and health technology center funded by the NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub (REACH) program. Hubs are designed to provide academic innovators with product development education, industry connections, project management, and funding necessary to develop biomedical applications.

CBC-HITES is a non-traditional funding and analytics resource for academic researchers from nine Chicagoland institutions built on the processes and infrastructure created by the Chicago Biomedical Consortium and is housed in Northwestern Medicine’s Comprehensive Transplant Center.


Who is Eligible for our Funding and Services?

Applications for CBC-HITES awards are available to faculty and trainees associated with any of our nine partnering institutions shown below. While CBC-HITES applications must include at least one tenured, tenure-track or research faculty, with their own designated laboratory space, we welcome projects driven by trainees. The technology driving the application CANNOT be licensed to any company or supported by a sponsored research agreement.

 

How Do I Apply?

▸ SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

 


For further questions, please check out our FAQS
▸ Download our FAQs

 

For more information, please contact Jessica Irons (jessica.irons [at] northwestern.edu).
 

People of CBC-HITES

  • CBC-HITES works in close collaboration with your institution’s commercialization and technology transfer office. For initial points of contact, please see below.
     

    NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Sonia Kim, PhD
    Senior Director of New Ventures at INVO

    THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
    Eric Ginsburg, PhD
    Senior Director, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

    THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO
    Melissa Maderia, PhD, MBA
    Assistant Director and Scientific Collaboration Director of West Loop Innovations at Office Technology Management


    ROSALIND FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY
    Dora Espinosa, MBA
    Associate Vice President for Research Administration and Technology Transfer; Director of the Office of Sponsored Research; Director of the Office of Technology Transfer

    Loyola University
    Michael Bloom, PhD
    Founding Director of The Center for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship

    DISCOVERY PARTNERS INSTITUTE
    Bob Okabe
    Director of New Business Ventures


    NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
    Karinne Bredberg
    Director of Innovation Partnerships and Technology Transfer

    ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Maryam Saleh, PhD
    Executive Director of the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship

    RUSH UNIVERSITY
    Josh Jacobs, MD
    Grainger Director, Rush Arthritis and Orthopedics Institute; Director, Institute for Translational Medicine


    RUSH UNIVERSITY
    Lena Al-Harthi, PhD
    Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity (MPI); Vice Dean of Research; Head of the Division of Translational Science (DTS); Director of Rush-Initiative to Maximize Student Development (T32 Rush-IMSD)
     

  • CBC-HITES staff can connect applicants to these guides who have expertise across the many stages of the commercialization process and can provide guidance on resources.
     

    DISCOVERY GUIDE
    Paul Carlier, PhD
    Hans W. Vahlteich Chair in Medicinal Chemistry
    UICentre for Drug Discovery
    University of Illinois Chicago

    IND ENABLEMENT GUIDE
    Julian Solway, MD
    Dean for Translational Medicine and founding Director of the Institute for Translational Medicine
    University of Chicago

    CLINICAL TRIAL TRANSLATION GUIDE
    Priya Kumthekar, MD
    Program at the Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
    Northwestern University
     

 

Valuable Resources for Academic Innovators

Northwestern University ▸

INVO – Innovation and New Ventures

Startup Resources – NU Commercialization Resources

Ryan Research Funding Opportunity

NUCATS – Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute

Translational Bridge Program Lurie Cancer Center

Shirley Ryan Ability Lab

High Throughput Analysis Laboratory

N.XT Fund

The University of Chicago ▸

INVO – Innovation and New Ventures

Startup Resources – NU Commercialization Resources

Ryan Research Funding Opportunity

NUCATS – Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute

Translational Bridge Program Lurie Cancer Center

Shirley Ryan Ability Lab

High Throughput Analysis Laboratory

N.XT Fund

University of Illinois Chicago ▸

OTM – Office of Technology Management

Innovation Toolkit – Entrepreneur Tools & Information

CCTS – Center for Clinical and Translational Science

UICentre for Drug Discovery

Technology Innovation Lab

  • Thomas Royston
    Interim Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Strategic Partnerships

Great Lakes I-Corps

RRC Cores Research Resources Center Organization

  • See individual cores for contact person

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science ▸

OTT-Office of Technology Transfer

  • Dora Espinosa, MBA
    Associate Vice President for Research Administration and Technology Transfer; and Director of Office of Sponsored Research 

Innovation and Research Park

Helix 51 Bioscience Incubator

  • Michael Rosen, MBA
    Managing Director of Innovation and Research Park & Helix 51 Incubator 
Rush University ▸

ITT – Innovation and Technology Transfer

  • Josh Jacobs, MD 
    Grainger Director, Rush Arthritis and Orthopedics Institute; Director, Institute for Translational Medicine 

Core Laboratory Services

Resources for Researchers

ORA – Office of Research Affairs

Institute for Translational Medicine

Chicagoland Ecosystem ▸

P33

IBIO – Illinois Biotechnology Innovation Organization 

iBIO – Connect 

World Business Chicago

  • Lisa Dziekan
    Senior Vice President Business Development and FDI

Medical Homes Network

Cures Within Reach

2Flo Ventures

MATTER

mHUB

Portal Innovations

Illinois Medical District

JP Morgan Bank

Millennial Beacon

  • Leslie Amonoo, MD
    Founder

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