Speakers & Panelists

Donald Elliman, Chancellor, CU Anschutz
John Sampson, MD, Dean, CU School of Medicine
Gali Baler, PhD, MBA, Managing Director, CU Innovations; Partner, CU Healthcare Innovation Fund
Malik Kahook, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology, CU Anschutz; serial innovator, entrepreneur and founder
Cathy Bodine, PhD, Exec. Dir. Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities; Medical device innovator
David Westerly, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, CU Anschutz; Medical device innovator

Event Summary

The Healthcare Innovation & Entrepreneurship (HIE) Initiative officially launched as of Fall 2025, with a kickoff webinar featuring campus leadership and a panel of CU innovators. The event highlighted CU Anschutz’s legacy of accelerating research into patient impact and introduced new HIE resources designed to help more faculty, staff, and students navigate the path from idea to innovation.

Watch the webinar on-demand:

Learn more about HIE: https://www.cuanschutz.edu/cu-innovations/HIE

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Why HIE, Why Now

CU Anschutz is a research and discovery powerhouse: Our campus produces 3,000+ publications annually and has 3,500 active clinical trials.

Innovation can look different depending on your goals and career pursuits. Whether it’s through consulting, startups, partnerships, or licensing, the HIE Initiative—branded as HIE Impact—is designed to ensure discoveries don't end at publication.

Chancellor Donald Elliman and Dean John Sampson emphasized that the program lowers barriers for faculty by creating a roadmap for innovation and offering support systems that previously didn’t exist.

With leadership backing and broad campus support, HIE helps to diversify the funding opportunities for campus innovators and aims to make CU Anschutz a national leader in academic healthcare innovation.

Building on a Legacy of Impact

October 2025 marks the 8th anniversary of the FDA approval of Shingrix®, the breakthrough shingles vaccine co-developed at CU Anschutz. Shingrix has been administered in 144 million doses worldwide, preventing an estimated 564,000 hospitalizations and saving an estimated 2,200+ lives. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.

This is the kind of bold, real-world impact HIE aims to expand—helping today’s researchers become tomorrow’s innovators.

What HIE Impact Offers

Built on discovery interviews with faculty, students, staff and mentors, the program reflects what campus innovators said they need most.

Concierge-style support: tailored resources for innovators at every stage, from idea to commercialization.

Multiple commercialization pathway options: startups, licensing, sponsored research, consulting, industry partnerships, and more.

New programs:

- Business of Science training series

- Idea Navigators to help validate early concepts

- HIE VMS / Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs) expanding industry connection and mentorship for CU innovators and providing strategic guidance and expertise throughout the journey

- Champions Program with departmental representatives to guide faculty and staff

Click here to see the current HIE Impact Champions

Expanded funding options: programs like SPARK and Toolbox Microgrants will continue, alongside new funding and increased investment opportunities through VC and external partnerships.

Innovator Panel: Lessons from the Journey

“It would have saved me years to have the kind of support HIE offers early on.”

- Malik Kahook, Professor of Ophthalmology, CU Anschutz

Three CU innovators shared their pathways, challenges, and successes:

Dr. Malik Kahook (Ophthalmology): From licensing devices to building venture-backed startups, he underscored the value of mentorship, networks, and a clear roadmap.
Dr. Cathy Bodine (Bioengineering): Her “Sexy Walker” project tackles stigma and design for aging populations. She highlighted the critical role of industry partnerships and external advisors in bridging academia and real-world needs.
Dr. David Westerly (Radiation Oncology): As co-founder of OncoPatch, he shared lessons on pivots, customer discovery, and perseverance. “It doesn’t matter how cool your tech is if no one will use it or pay for it.”

WEBINAR TIME STAMPS

0-4:45 – Dean and Chancellor opening remarks

4:45 – 9:45 – Overview of the HIE Initiative and offerings from Gali Baler

9:45 – 57:15 – live panel discussion with 3 faculty/campus innovators, includes audience Q&A

CONNECT WITH US TODAY

Have questions? Reach out to the CU Innovations HIE Impact team here

Follow us on LinkedIn to stay updated on CU Anschutz's latest innovations and upcoming Business of Science Series installments. LinkedIn: /company/cu-innovations