Executives’ Club of Chicago Nominates UI CDR as “INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR”
UI CDR is honored to be nominated for Executives’ Club of Chicago “Innovator of the Year” award.
Since 2013, this honor has been awarded to an individual or company in greater Chicago whose new product, service, process or business model has resulted in organic growth and measurable economic benefit to the region.
Depression costs an estimated $210 billion a year and continues to rise, UI CDR has organized departments, research centers, and clinical groups across campus to accelerate research saving money and lives. Networked with likeminded centers throughout the country who share this same vision to realize tomorrow’s medicine today (learn more about the NNDC). UI CDR is predicated on a multifaceted approach that considers epigenetics, neuroscience, blood biomarkers, systemic issues, and other methods together—a team science approach—as the only way of understanding, treating, and beating depression. In this way, we are committed to new strategies, new treatments, novel approaches to the most vexing mental health issues of our time.
While the Executives’ Club of Chicago will be considering the entire portfolio of UI CDR’s innovative research here are three pioneering examples worth noting that are achieving results:
- UI CDR Researchers have discovered a reason why antidepressants take so long to work, which may help scientists develop faster-acting drugs in the future (read: a simple blood test could show if an antidepressant is working).
- BiAffect, a new smartphone application, offers scientists and patients an unprecedented opportunity to understand mood and neurocognitive functioning in bipolar disorder (read: how a new approach to mood disorders opens frontiers for mental health interventions).
- Sunnyside for Moms, a new initiative at the UI CDR that combines cutting edge technology, enhanced mental health outreach efforts, and new opportunities to identify blood biomarkers for depression in an effort to help African American moms from low-income communities identify, manage, and treat perinatal depression (read: interdisciplinary initiative for perinatal depression).
This award emphasizes and strengthens connections between emerging companies and the established business community, which is one of the primary objectives of The Club’s Innovation Council. Past recipients of the Executives’ Club of Chicago “Innovator of the Year” Award, include Impact Engine, LanzaTech, Dr. Srinivas Veeramasuneni, and INVENTABLES. This year’s recipient will be named in June.