The Biomedical Entrepreneurship Training Program for Aging (BETA) is a comprehensive educational, immersion, and experiential learning program. It is integrated into primary educational programs for trainees over the course of a one-year period.
Program components
The four-phase program is complemented with mini educational course, immersion experiences and mentored training. A sequential three-month training in each phase will impart the scientific, regulatory, patenting, technology transfer, business and effective communication of science and technology to non-scientists required to work effectively with academic, private, public, and healthcare industry sectors.
Four Phases of BETA Program
- BETA mini courses
- Shadowing/Observership/Intern experience
- Mentored training
- CAPSTONE Project
Phase I (Ideation) 1-3 months
BETA Course 1: Entrepreneur Basics & Disease fundamentals
Immersion experience – Shadowing and Observership in clinics
- AD/RD neurology, geriatric clinics, & assisted living centers
- Interaction with clinician, patient, healthcare professionals, payor and organization representatives
Team formation, list clinical problems, discussion with clinical mentors, conduct discovery, stakeholder interviews and market analysis.
Identification of clinical need
Phase II (Technology development: Drug and Device Design) 4-6 months
BETA Course 2: Design, Device & Intellectual Property (IP) Basics
Immersion experience: Drug, Device labs & IP assessment
- Hands-on training on drug design and device development
- Intern experience in MU Technology Advancement Office
Design concept identification, IP assessment, understanding stake holder perspectives and iteration.
Validation of Value propositions
Phase III (Clinical Trial, Regulatory and Reimbursement) 7-9 months
BETA Course 3: Regulatory & Reimbursement Basics
Immersion experience – Clinical trial management
- Shadowing clinical trials at Clinical Research Center
- Interaction with trial coordinators and nurses
- Interaction with Regulatory associates and coding personnel
- Next Gen Precision Health tour
Product design finalization and validation process, regulatory pathway identification, coverage analysis, stakeholder interviews.
Clinical and Market Validation
Phase IV (Business and Marketing and Technology Transfer) 10-12 months
BETA Course 4: Business Strategy & Financial Basics
Immersion experience – Observership and interaction
- Intern experience at Missouri Innovation Center
- Interaction with company CEOs, Industry experts
- Coaching to develop business strategy, investor pitch and federal grant proposal preparations
Business Strategy Development
CAPSTONE
- Investor pitch presentation – External Review Board evaluation
- *SBIR and STTR grant proposal preparations
*SBIR – Small Business Innovation Research
*STTR – Small Business Technology Transfer
Required Training
Responsible conduct for Research (RCR)
Participants are required to complete mandatory RCR training. RCR training will include topics such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, research misconduct, research ethics. The training will help trainees maintain high ethical standards, professional behavior, and integrity in search of new knowledge contribute to the assurance of honest, accurate, and usable research findings and speak to the necessity of gaining and maintaining the public trust.
Scientific Communication (SCI-COM)
In addition to the biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship education, participants will have classroom-based scientific communication education conducted by faculty from the MU School of Journalism. Immersion experience in scientific communication will be through interaction and presentation of advanced scientific technology to common people in a public forum setting and to aging population living in assisted centers.
