Innovation at the Edge

Gene Therapy Revolution: Ethics, Risks, and the Future of Medicine

UC San Diego’s Office of Innovation and Commercialization, in collaboration with the UC San Diego Gene Therapy Initiative, invites you to join the upcoming Innovation at the Edge entitled "Gene Therapy Revolution: Ethics, Risks, and the Future of Medicine" on May 1.

Join us for a thought-provoking panel featuring leading experts in gene therapy, bioethics, and precision medicine as they explore the opportunities and challenges at the heart of this evolving field.
This dynamic discussion will tackle key topics, including:

• The benefits and risks of gene therapy
• Expanding treatments from rare to common diseases
• Ethical considerations of germline, somatic, and in utero gene therapy
• The future of accessibility and cost reduction in gene therapy platforms
• The implications of genetic enhancement and societal perceptions of "normal"

Meet the Panelists:
🔹 Stephanie Cherqui, PhD – UC San Diego Professor of Pediatrics, Co-Founder of Papillon Therapeutics, and a pioneer in gene therapy for genetic disorders

🔹 Dr. Reuven Brandt, PhD – UC San Diego bioethicist specializing in genethics, assisted reproduction, and parenthood ethics

🔹 Dr. Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD – North American Editor at Inside Precision Medicine and host of Behind the Breakthroughs podcast
Don't miss out on being part of this exciting dialogue. Uncover how San Diego is leading the way. Let us shape tomorrow's innovation.

Thursday, May 1, 2025
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Design & Innovation Building, Room 208

And if you can't make it in person, this event will be livestreamed on Linkedin and Youtube.  

REGISTER NOW

An Evening with Entrepreneurs Drs. Stephanie and Eric Venn-Watson

UC San Diego’s Office of Innovation and Commercialization invites you to join our upcoming Innovation at the Edge- "An Evening with an Entrepreneur" on April 3.

Experience an inspiring evening with Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson and Dr. Eric Venn-Watson, visionary entrepreneurs behind Seraphina Therapeutics. These pioneering scientists and UC San Diego alumni are redefining wellness by advancing nature-based science into groundbreaking consumer health solutions, starting with their first breakthrough consumer product, fatty15.

Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson is a veterinary epidemiologist and serial entrepreneur, with over 60 patents and 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications, who previously worked with the U.S. Navy and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. For her discoveries around C15:0 to improve human and animal health, she has been recognized as a 2025 CNBC Changemaker, is a TEDx speaker, and is author of the Simon & Schuster book, The Longevity Nutrient.

Dr. Eric Venn-Watson is a practicing physician and entrepreneur. He served over 25 years as a Navy and Marine Corps physician, working with the special forces community to improve their health and fitness. Additionally, Eric founded multiple companies in the drug discovery, healthcare analytics, and medical device industries. He is passionate about developing medical technologies that improve the practice and delivery of healthcare on a global scale.

Together, they are revolutionizing nutrition and healthy aging with evidence-driven solutions. Don't miss out on being part of this exciting dialogue. Uncover how San Diego is leading the way. Let us shape tomorrow's innovation.

Thursday, April 3, 2025
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Design & Innovation Building, Room 208

And if you can't make it in person, this event will be livestreamed on Linkedin and Youtube.  

REGISTER NOW

How to Time Travel on a Budget

As the pace of change accelerates, having the right tools to manage uncertainty has never been more critical. Science Fiction Prototyping is a proven method to help organizations navigate complexity and prepare for what’s next.

Fresh and inspired from the tech halls of CES, host Joseph ‘TilT’ Unger, co-director of UC San Diego MAVERiC Studio, and new Studio Futurist Ari Popper, founder and CEO of SciFutures, an innovation and foresight agency working with organizations like Coca-Cola, JPMorgan Chase and NATO, will lead a dynamic session on how cutting-edge technologies like AI, XR, robotics, and generative AI are reshaping the boundaries of imagination and implementation.

Don't miss out on being part of this exciting dialogue. Uncover how San Diego is leading the way. Let us shape tomorrow's innovation.

February 6, 2025 
4:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Design & Innovation Building, Room 208

Watch now!

Putting the Public Back in Public Health

October 3, 2024: UC San Diego’s Office of Innovation and Commercialization and Greg Horowitt will host an exciting discussion on the topic of public health led by John Ayers on October 3.

"Putting the Public back in Public Health" challenges the traditional top-down approach, where experts assume they know the problems and solutions to all health issues. Instead, it advocates for a bottom-up model that actively listens to communities by engaging directly with the public where they are voicing their needs both online and via digital technologies. This new model for health demands entrepreneurial thinking to build out resources that can meaningfully change public health and save lives millions at a time.

Don't miss out on being part of this exciting dialogue. Let's shape tomorrow's innovation.
Thursday, October 3, 2024
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Design & Innovation Building, Room 208

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Unmasking XR: A Revolutionary Medium Over Marketing

June 6, 2024: UC San Diego’s Office of Innovation and Commercialization and Greg Horowitt will host an exciting discussion on the topic of extended reality (XR) led by MAVERiC Studio's own Joe Unger and Trisha Williams on June 6. Join us for an enlightening discussion that shifts the conversation away from the latest XR headset trends and big tech rivalries, and instead focuses on how XR can be harnessed to address real-world challenges, enhance human capabilities, and drive societal progress. Discover how this transformative medium can truly impact human endeavors beyond the hype and marketing. Don't miss out on being part of this exciting dialogue. Let's shape tomorrow's innovation.

Thursday, June 6, 2024
5 to 7 p.m.
Design & Innovation Building, Room 208

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Overcoming Challenges and Leveraging Success in Equitable Funding

May 2, 2024: Join us May 2 as UC San Diego’s Office of Innovation & Commercialization, Greg Horowitt, and our very own Christiana Russell of Talent Foundry host an engaging panel of industry and university experts in a conversation that promises to ignite your curiosity and imagination.

Together, we'll discuss the launch of the U.S. Economic Development Administration's (EDA) Venture Catalyst Program (VCP) grant initiative and invite you to participate in another networking/funding-focused event. Our panel will consist of three guest speakers, who will highlight funding opportunities for startups from diverse communities. Panelists include:

•  Oralia Alvarez, Mission Driven Finance
•  Julio de Unamuno IV, HomeLab™ at UC San Diego
•  Luis Gutierrez Prieto, Founders First Capital Partners 

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Special Panel Discussion: The Future Arrived Yesterday

February 5, 2024: Join us for an exciting panel discussion with distinguished innovators working at the cutting edge of social robotics and AI.

This month, UC San Diego’s Office of Innovation & Commercialization will host an engaging panel of industry and university experts in a discussion that promises to ignite your curiosity and imagination. Together, we'll delve into the intriguing intersection of AI, Healthcare, and Social Robotics. We'll unveil the immense potential of AI-enabled humanoids in redefining patient care, all while delving into the ethical dimensions surrounding the adoption of this technology.



And yes, you will even meet Ria, one of the most advanced and expressive social robots in the world!

Don't miss out on being part of this dialogue, where your imagination, curiosity, and ideas are the keys to unlocking the future. Let's shape tomorrow's innovation.

Watch Now!