Manu Nair
OMRF Vice President of Technology Ventures
Manu Nair is focused on building partnerships with industry that advance the research in OMRF’s laboratories and translate our discoveries into diagnostics and therapeutics for human disease. Nair holds a Masters in Business Administration from Lamar University and a Masters of Law from the Franklin Pierce Law Center of the University of New Hampshire. Nair first worked at OMRF from 2004 to 2009 as a Licensing Associate, commercializing OMRF technologies by partnering with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. His efforts led to the creation of Vectra DA, an advanced blood test for rheumatoid arthritis, and TZ101, an experimental drug currently undergoing clinical trials for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other cancers. For five years, Nair served as a technology licensing manager and then senior licensing manager for Mayo Clinic Ventures at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. There, he orchestrated technology commercialization, including company formation and seed-capital investment, international collaboration, funding initiatives and strategic business development. Nair returned to OMRF in 2014 to lead the Office of Technology Ventures.
Debi Hudgens, Ph.D.
Assistant Director of Business Development & Licensing
Debi Hudgens earned a Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry from the University of Virginia and has held technology transfer and licensing positions with the University of Virginia Patent Foundation, GE Healthcare and, most recently, Fuentek LLC prior to joining OMRF.
Andrew Westmuckett, Ph.D.
Technology Development Specialist
Andrew Westmuckett earned his Ph.D. in science from Imperial College, University of London, and served as a staff scientist at OMRF for 14 years prior to joining the Technology Ventures group. In addition to his research experience, he also taught science at the high school level and served in the British Military as a member of the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers.
Sam McNeal, Ph.D.
Intellectual Property Analyst
Sam McNeal earned his B.S. degree in biology from Georgia State University. He went on to earn an Sc.M. and Ph.D. in Pathobiology from Brown University. He completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University Pennsylvania and the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta where he studied cell death following hemorrhagic shock. At OMRF, McNeal is responsible for market research, managing material transfer agreements and confidential disclosure agreements, and will eventually take on additional responsibilities within the landscape of technology ventures.
Michael Sweeney
Intellectual Property Assistant
Contact Information:
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
825 NE 13th St MS#52
Oklahoma City, OK 73104-3600
Phone: (405) 271-1845
Fax: (405) 271-1708
Email: Michael Sweeney
Available technologies contact : Michael Sweeney