University of Utah biomedical engineering professor Michael Yu recognizes the importance of pursuing both basic science and translational, applicable research and how both types of research can influence each other.
“I take pride in the fact that the research I do is very application oriented,” Yu said. “But at the same time, we do have very basic science or fundamental science questions that we're trying to answer.”
Yu and his lab study collagen and developed a technology called collagen hybridizing peptides that bind to damaged collagen, revealing potential damage in a cell. Yu took this technology and spun out a company, 3Helix, based on it in 2015.
“Our peptide binds only to the damaged collagen,” Yu said. “Then it lights up when there is damage, which is something that no other technology has been able to do.”
3Helix has continued growing since 2015. Recently, it announced a partnership with BASF and has secured significant venture capital funding including support from the Utah Innovation Fund which enabled expansion of its staff and the exploration of new uses for the collagen hybridizing peptides. With the technology’s ability to identify damaged cells, the peptides already have great potential use for diagnostics, but Yu and the company see potential for therapeutic use as well.
Yu doesn’t plan to stop innovating and discovering new technologies even after 3Helix’s launch and success. As he continues to research the basic functions of collagen, he said he hopes to invent something new again. “That’s going to come from answering these very basic science questions,” Yu said.
At the same time, Yu recognized that not every new, interesting discovery or idea can become a marketable product. “I think that from the start, you want to think about your research or your project with the with the application in mind,” he said.
Understanding what other similar technologies are on the market and why your new idea is better than existing solutions can set you up for success when it comes to developing your idea into a product. “If you actually thought about this from the start and your technology has been guided through that idea of commercialization, I think you have really, really good chance,” Yu said.
Not every idea has to be tailored to future commercialization though, Yu said; just doing science is important too. “Without science, there’s really no innovation.”
Yu acknowledged that luck also plays a role in successful commercialization. “I lucked out on this technology, and I think the real luck is the people around me,” Yu said. “I was really lucky to have an amazing postdoc who helped me transfer the technology initially and just an amazing CEO who made all this possible.”
If you are interested in starting a company based on your research, programs like the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) Program can help you identify potential customers and where your idea fits in the market. Our team at the Technology Licensing Office is also available to help you navigate the commercialization journey from the new idea stage and all the way to licensing.
