Description:

Please contact mcccenters@northwestern.edu for access information

Abstract:

Dr. Collens will offer a perspective on what it takes to advance the development and commercialization of regenerative engineering products for medical applications. Drawing on her experiences building Dimension Inx and advising other startups, she will illustrate the journey from the lab to the market. She will also discuss the role of industry and investors in getting these types of products to market.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Caralynn Nowinski Collens is the CEO of Dimension Inx, a next-generation biomaterials and biofabrication company developing 3D-printed therapeutic products that direct cells to rebuild healthy tissues. She is passionate about building teams and organizations that harness technology to drive transformational change and improve the quality of people’s lives.

Previously as the co-founder and CEO of UI LABS, a first-of-its-kind technology organization focused on the digital future of industries, Caralynn built the organization from concept in late 2011 through launch in 2014, raising $200M+ in investment and ultimately spinning out MxD (national digital manufacturing institute) and City Tech Collaborative as independent businesses in 2019.  After starting her first company while a joint medical/business student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Caralynn spent her early career in venture capital and corporate finance, primarily focused on technology-based university spin-outs. 

Caralynn is an Independent Director of Fathom Digital Manufacturing [NYSE:FATH] and serves on the Executive Council of Granite Creek Capital Partners. She is proud to have been a member of the Chicago Chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and recognized as one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Forty Under Forty”, “Notable Women in Manufacturing”, and “Tech 50”. In 2020, SME recognized Caralynn as one of “30 Leaders Transforming Manufacturing”.

Center for Advanced Regenerative Engineering

The Center for Advanced Regenerative Engineering is a targeted initiative led by Prof. Guillermo Ameer that integrates and supports research, technology development, and clinical expertise to improve the outcome of tissue and organ repair and regeneration for adult and pediatric patients. CARE is a partnership that includes Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine, the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, the International Institute for Nanotechnology, and various companies interested in the implementation of regenerative medicine.  

This seminar is a collaborative offering from the Center for Advanced Regenerative Engineering and the Department of Biomedical Engineering.