Faculty honored with Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards
This year, the U of A has recognized the impactful contributions of George Sutphin and Marvin Slepian
Springtime at the University of Arizona is when the Office of the Provost recognizes key faculty members with its annual awards of excellence. This year, two accomplished inventors have received the awards in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship category: George Sutphin, assistant professor of molecular and cellular biology in the College of Science; and Dr. Marvin J. Slepian, Regents Professor in the College of Medicine - Tucson.
Dr. Marvin Slepian, University Distinguished Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award
Marvin Slepian, M.D., J.D. is Regents Professor at University of Arizona; with professorships in medicine, medical imaging, surgery, biomedical engineering, materials sciences, chemical and environmental engineering, chemistry and law.
Along with the many contributions he has made as reported by U of A Health Sciences, Slepian is also a seasoned inventor and is serving a three-year term as one of the nine individuals who comprise the Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Over the years, Slepian, who is also the director of the Arizona Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation at the U of A Health Sciences, has worked closely with Tech Launch Arizona, the office of the university that commercializes inventions stemming from faculty, staff, and student innovation. TLA recognized Slepian with an award for Chemistry and Physical Sciences in 2014, and he was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors as a Fellow in 2019. He is a named inventor on upwards of 160 issued and pending patents. He received his JD in 2024 from the James E. Rogers College of Law and is now a member of the college’s faculty.
George Sutphin, University Early Career Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award
George Sutphin is currently an assistant professor of molecular and cellular biology and the BIO5 Institute. He also serves as chair and CEO of the American Aging Association. He received his BS and MS in aeronautics and astronautics from the University of Washington in 2004 and 2006, respectively. He received his PhD in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Washington in 2012, with a dissertation focused on comparative genetics of aging. He conducted his postdoctoral training in aging genetics at The Jackson Laboratory from 2012 to 2017.
The Sutphin lab studies the molecular mechanisms of aging and age-associated disease using C. elegans, cell culture, and mice as model systems, with a focus on the intersection between metabolism and cellular stress response. A secondary focus is on high-content methods development in C. elegans. As a natural continuation of this work, Sutphin has engaged with TLA to commercialize a high throughput screening method for aging-related drug discovery utilizing C. elegans.
Congratulations to this year's honorees!