Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has signed a licensing agreement with itCube, Inc., an Ohio-based company, to market customized, web-based software for researchers.
The license agreement gives itCube exclusive worldwide distribution rights and marks the first time Cincinnati Children's has commercially licensed internally developed software. In addition, the agreement demonstrates the benefits of partnerships between Ohio businesses and researchers at Cincinnati Children's and the University of Cincinnati -- an outcome envisioned last fall when Ohio's Third Frontier Project invested $25.2 million in the Center for Computational Medicine.
The Center brings together, in one location, researchers from a number of disciplines at Cincinnati Children's and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, including human genetics, informatics, biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, mathematics, medicine and biomedical engineering. Investigators will collaborate with commercial partners to translate research discoveries into cutting-edge biotechnology and improved clinical treatments.
"When the Third Frontier decided to invest in the Center for Computational Medicine, it did so with the expectation that new technologies and Ohio jobs would be created," says Keith Johnson, licensing coordinator in the Office of Intellectual Property and Venture Development at Cincinnati Children's. "While the technology licensed to itCube preceded the Third Frontier investment, the agreement illustrates that the Center for Computational Medicine can be successful in commercializing bioinformatics technologies."
The software applications covered by the agreement were developed under the leadership of John P. Pestian, PhD, director of the Center for Computational Medicine, in collaboration with several investigators at Cincinnati Children's and UC. These web-based applications include:
- Protocol Manager: A system for managing research protocols at individual and multiple sites. This application covers all bases of data collection -- including demographics, medical histories, physical exams and lab reports -- while ensuring complete security and ongoing compliance with regulatory guidelines.
- Biological Sample Tracking System: An application for tracking and annotating biological specimens. Investigators can request new lab services and track the status of their requests from any computer with Internet access. Using PDAs, lab managers can scan barcoded samples, record any activities performed and synchronize with a centralized database.
- Study Tracking System: A system using a calendar interface for managing personnel and equipment involved in a research study. Users can schedule appointments with study participants, assign staff and resources to each appointment and manage associated tasks.
- Questionnaire Builder: A tool for creating and administering online interactive surveys. Users can select from multiple question types, add skip logic and incorporate streaming video clips.
These applications are currently used by faculty and staff in the General Clinical Research Center, Tissue Procurement Facility and divisions of Pathology, General and Community Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine and Pediatric Rehabilitation at Cincinnati Children's and UC. Select applications also are being used at Duke University and TriHealth, a partnership of Good Samaritan and Bethesda North hospitals in Cincinnati.
In addition to creating commercially viable software, investigators and business partners in the Center for Computational Medicine use sophisticated computers to analyze more than three billion complex pieces of information found in each of the trillions of cells in the human body. This analysis, using research and tools from the fields of genetics, systems biology and information and computer sciences, will result in fundamental discoveries about diseases that affect children and adults.
The Center also positions the state of Ohio to capitalize on future technology opportunities by enhancing Ohio's computational infrastructure. It is expected to create more than 200 new jobs in the next five years and have a $240 million direct impact on the region's economy.
About itCube, Inc.
itCube, Inc. is an Ohio-based software development company specialized in meeting the computational and data management needs of basic and clinical researchers. Recognizing the increasing importance of genetics and, accordingly, biological specimens to research studies, itCube utilizes specialized domain knowledge of the activities in research laboratories to create custom, comprehensive solutions for its clients. Security and compliance with regulatory guidelines are at the core of all applications, as is the convenience of web-based access. More information about itCube, Inc. can be found at http://www.itcube.net/.
