A new course partnership between the School of Science and Engineering and the Tulane Innovation Institute teaches graduate students how to commercialize their own research
Students from the inaugural Innovation and Technology Development seminar, alongside instructor Claiborne Christian and Tulane Innovation Institute Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer Kimberly Gramm.
From cancer detection to climate solutions, seven Tulane School of Science and Engineering graduate students turned their lab research into business pitches this fall. Representing fields such as bioinnovation, biomedical engineering, chemistry, chemical and biomolecular engineering, and neuroscience, they learned to think like entrepreneurs in the inaugural Innovation and Technology Development: Creating Societal Impact with Research seminar class.
The one-credit, pass/fail seminar, taught by Claiborne Christian, Executive Director of Commercialization at the Tulane Innovation Institute, introduced students to core commercialization concepts, including problem statements, business model canvases, customer discovery, market analysis, and the next steps needed to bring their ideas to life.
Many modern innovations stem from university research, from life-saving drugs to sustainable energy solutions. Yet the path from discovery to impact can be unclear for graduate student researchers. This project-based seminar helps provide students with structure, mentorship, and a way to identify potential customers and users.
At the last class session, students presented pitches based on lessons learned throughout the semester. A biomedical engineering student outlined plans to commercialize a 3D cancer metastasis model. A chemistry researcher proposed converting nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas) into valuable chemical feedstock using AI-designed catalysts. Another presented a predictive system to prevent ventilator-induced lung injury in ICU patients. These projects were not hypothetical; each one stemmed from the students' dissertation research.
"This first cohort of students all did an amazing job getting out of the lab and working with their research, turning it into potential products and businesses," Christian said.
The impact of this hands-on approach was clear from day one. When Christian asked if anyone had spoken with practitioners in their research fields, no hands were raised. By semester's end, all seven students had conducted customer discovery interviews, mapped business models, and estimated their markets.
The curriculum also included workshops, analysis of Tulane spinout case studies, and guest lectures. Chandler Monk, founder of Cleaved Diagnostics, a Tulane spinout and participant in many Tulane Innovation Institute programs, including Open Medical Innovation Challenge (Open MIC Night), Startup Team Mentoring, and $50K Day Demo, served on a panel with Jeanne Exnicios, the Innovation Institute's Director of Marketing and Communications and former Gambit publisher, on how to clearly communicate science and research to investors, media, the public, and industry.
The course also opened doors to additional opportunities at the Innovation Institute. Two participating students, Hailey Faith and Miller Dickerson, presented at the fall Open Medical Innovation Challenge Night and earned $750 each. Students are also encouraged to apply for the Provost’s Proof of Concept (PPOC) award, which supports early-stage research with market potential through grants of up to $50,000.
Hailey Faith, a biomedical engineering PhD student, shared her experience “This class introduced me to business-side concepts I hadn’t been aware of as a scientist. I learned the steps involved in bringing an invention to market, and it even prepared me for my first pitch competition, which was challenging but very fun. Overall, Dr. Christian gave me the knowledge and resources to understand the business side of innovation and offered the initial steps toward creating a startup.”
The Tulane Innovation Institute, which launched the course in partnership with the School of Science and Engineering, provides education, mentorship, and funding opportunities for entrepreneurs across Tulane and New Orleans. The institute's programming includes mentoring startup teams, pitch competitions, and National Science Foundation I-Corps training.
Graduate students in the School of Science and Engineering can now register for the Spring 2026 course SCEN 6660-02, which meets on Tuesdays at 2:00 pm. For researchers wondering how their work will impact lives beyond academia, this single credit hour is a valuable addition to their graduate studies.
