Tools & Assets

Shaping the Future

Explore Promising Technologies & Tools from Our Research Laboratories.

Vaccine Adjuvant (T-Vant)

T-Vant is a potent adjuvant developed by Tulane scientists. This isolated lipid nanoparticle can stimulate not only the B-Cells and CD4+ T-Cells usually associated with vaccine protection, these OMVs also stimulate a potent CD8+ T-cell response. This new technology is suitable for use with any microbe or antigen and has been tested in multiple virus and bacterial challenge models.

Publications

An Outer Membrane Vesicle-Adjuvanted Oral Vaccine Protects Against Lethal, Oral Salmonella Infection View
Bacterial-Derived Outer Membrane Vesicles are Potent Adjuvants that Drive Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses View

Opioid Alternative Analgesic

In an effort to combat opioid addiction, Dr. James Zadina created an opioid alternative pain medication from a cyclic peptide that targets the Mu receptor, the same receptor that opioids target. It is effective against acute, neuropathic, inflammatory, postoperative, and visceral pain and has an efficacy greater than morphine in rodent models. This analgesic has the potential to serve as an alternative to morphine with reduced side effects and a low potential for abuse.

Publications

Endomorphin analog ZH853 shows low reward, tolerance, and affective-motivational signs of withdrawal, while inhibiting opioid withdrawal and seeking. View

Antimicrobial Peptides

Using a unique screening process, Tulane scientists have developed and patented novel antimicrobial peptides with broad spectrum activity. These noncytotoxic peptides are effective against major pathogens with known propensity to developing antimicrobial resistance, including clinical isolates. Bacteria are unable to develop resistance to these peptides under conditions that lead to resistance against traditional small molecule antibiotics.

Publications

Synthetic molecular evolution of host cell-compatible, antimicrobial peptides effective against drug-resistant, biofilm-forming bacteria View
Optimization of Host Cell-Compatible, Antimicrobial Peptides Effective against Biofilms and Clinical Isolates of Drug-Resistant Bacteria View

Pneumoniae Vaccine

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common bacteria found in the human intestines that cause serious illness if it travels to other parts of the body. Dr. Kolls and Dr. Norton have created an intranasal vaccine for Klebsiella pneumoniae that elicits protection in two ways: antibody and T-cell immunity. All current pneumonia vaccines only elicit antibodies against surface carbohydrates. This is an entirely novel vaccine platform, from the use of the adjuvant to the needle-less route of administration, and it has the potential advantage of providing much broader protection against pneumonia.

Publications

Vaccine-driven lung TRM cells provide immunity against Klebsiella via fibroblast IL-17R signaling View

PDX Model

Triple Negative Breast Cancer is an aggressive subtype of cancer for which there are minimal treatment options. Studying real human tumors and testing drugs against them is critical for developing new treatments for this disease. Tulane has deep expertise in generating and assessing Patient Derived Xenografts (PDX) of this cancer type, along with corresponding organoids and cell lines.

Publications

In-depth characterization of a new patient-derived xenograft model for metaplastic breast carcinoma to identify viable biologic targets and patterns of matrix evolution within rare tumor types View

Infectious Disease Diagnostics

Tulane was founded as a university centered around public health and infectious diseases. Various labs throughout the School of Medicine have continued this tradition by creating novel diagnostics in the global health space, including a tuberculosis point-of-care test and a multiplex Lyme disease test. The university has also pioneered several CRISPR diagnostics ranging from SARS-CoV-2 to Cytomegalovirus to Borrelia and more.

Publications

Evaluation of a serum-based antigen test for tuberculosis in HIV-exposed infants: a diagnostic accuracy study View
CRISPR detection of circulating cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in adults and children, including children with HIV: a molecular diagnostics study View
Diagnosis of paediatric tuberculosis by optically detecting two virulence factors on extracellular vesicles in blood samples View
Serum-based Diagnosis of Pediatric Tuberculosis by Assay of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Factors: a retrospective cohort study View
Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2-Specific T-Cell Activation with a Rapid On-Chip IGRA View
Liposome-mediated detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-positive extracellular vesicles in plasma View
Rapid detection of multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern by PAM-targeting mutations View
Ultra-sensitive and high-throughput CRISPR-powered COVID-19 diagnosis View
Borrelia burgdorferi Migration Assays for Evaluation of Chemoattractants in Tick Saliva View

Gene Therapy

Tulane has various tools in the gene therapy space, including a diabetes therapy that induces the preservation of insulin-producing cells and therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis that aims to reverse scarring in the lungs.

Publications

Restoration of SIRT3 gene expression by airway delivery resolves age-associated persistent lung fibrosis in mice View
Pax4 Gene Delivery Improves Islet Transplantation Efficacy by Promoting β Cell Survival and α-to-β Cell Transdifferentiation View

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James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP

Chief Strategy Officer

Bio

James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP, (’95, Tulane Law) returned to Tulane in 2015 after establishing the open science functions for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus, one of the most innovative experiments in scientific research. His career also includes functioning as a chemist for Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, launching the “new media” division for the syndicated daily news show EXTRA, elevating knowledge transfer and corporate partnerships at the University of Illinois, and founding the Innovation and Engagement functions at the University of Louisville. With a career defined by creating new divisions that propel organizations forward, he could not pass up the chance do so for the institution (and in the city) that is always closest to his heart. As Chief Strategy Officer, he serves as the principal biotech business development strategist and connectivity officer to industry, venture capital and other external collaborators; as well as overseeing marketing & communications, working on change-oriented special projects, and crisis management. Currently on the executive committee of the AAIH Board and co-chair for BIO's technology transfer committee, his former service includes Chair of the Board of ATTP (the international organization for knowledge transfer professional accreditation), as well as the Boards of AUTM, NACRO and The BioJudiary Project. Seeing the world through the collaborative and forward-thinking lens of “What if we…”, he works closely with all other departments at Tulane to develop win-win endpoints and ensure an optimal enterprise experience.

Elaine Hamm, PhD

Executive in Residence

Bio

Elaine Hamm, PhD, is the CEO of the pharmaceutical accelerator, Ascend BioVentures where she manages early stage life science startups and evaluates the commercial potential of life science technologies, and as the Executive in Residence for the Tulane SoM she shares her expertise to elevate the connectivity between the Tulane and our corporate and investor community. Prior to joining Tulane and Ascend BioVentures, Dr. Hamm was the COO of Accele BioPharma and served as management for a portfolio of early stage pharmaceutical companies ranging from diabetes to hearing loss to infectious disease. Dr. Hamm has 13 years of professional leadership experience in the commercialization of early stage pharmaceutical therapeutics and diagnostics with experience in technology transfer, market analysis, and commercialization of preclinical and clinical stage products. She has designed and served as the Director for several, statewide start-up accelerator programs. Dr. Hamm also has experience in equity and nonequity funding of early stage companies and has been directly involved in closing almost $30M in equity investment deals, with a focus in the pharmaceutical industry and recently closed a $100M+ deal with a large pharmaceutical partner. In addition to her commercialization experience, Dr. Hamm has also worked a Senior Protein chemist in discovery and pre-clinical development of new chemical entities. Dr. Hamm received her PhD in Microbiology from the University of Oklahoma and holds several licensed US and International patents.

Carolyn Scofield, MPS

Asst. Director, Marketing & Communications

Bio

Carolyn Scofield, MPS, (’21, Tulane School of Professional Advancement) joined Tulane University in 2015 after more than 14 years as a television news reporter. Her initial role in public relations often brought her to the School of Medicine to cover stories about groundbreaking research and connect media with leading experts. As the Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications at the School of Medicine, Carolyn is continuing that work overseeing the team that reports on research and expertise and ensures that departments, programs and people share their discoveries and solutions with the world. She has a special talent for bringing science to life through a variety of media and ensuing that everyone (from business development executives to the general public) can understand what the latest groundbreaking research at Tulane could mean for them. Carolyn has a master’s degree in emergency management, a field that studies everything from natural disasters to reputational crises. She has an extensive background in television and radio broadcasting, journalism and social media.

Nicholas Pashos, PhD

Entrepreneur in Residence

Bio

Nicholas Pashos, PhD, Founder and CEO at BioAesthetics is the Entrepreneur in Residence, Advising Faculty, Staff and Students on how to best achieve their Entrepreneurial goals.

Alexis Ducote, PhD

Business Development Associate

Bio

Alexis Ducote, PhD, joins the Business Development team from the lab of the SoM's own Ricardo Mostany, PhD.

Havland Alexander

Business Development Intern

Bio

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Is it urgent? Call us:

James Zanewicz (+1 504.919.3800),

Alexis Ducote (+1 337.540.4025),

Carolyn Scofield (+1 504.881.4542).