Commercialization Education
classroom workshop

Fast Forward Medical Innovation

We inspire and accelerate biomedical innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialization by providing personalized education and training to life science innovators.

Are you an innovator with a groundbreaking idea, but unfamiliar with the product development and entrepreneurial concepts?

Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, trainee, or staff, Fast Forward Medical Innovation offers a broad spectrum of commercialization education & training opportunities.

You will receive valuable mentorship that provides a deep real-world understanding of strategy and tactics helping you gain valuable insight into successfully translating your research to market.

patient couple embracing and smiling
Spotlight On
Success with Fast Forward Medical Innovation

Learn how FFMI resources provided crucial guidance and support to two University of Michigan nurses who are helping develop a comprehensive certification for Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) clinicians. A VAD is a life-sustaining technology for severe heart failure patients. The first-of-its-kind VAD certification will be a comprehensive exam that goes beyond how to work the device, delving into the specific skills and expertise nurses need to best care for a VAD patient.

Enrollment Courses & Programs
Fast Forward Medical Innovation
faculty in classroom
fastPACE Course

Project-based course designed to help academics launch new innovations

- Audience: Faculty, staff, and trainees
- 4-5 weeks; Virtual

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aikens innovation audience
Frankel Cardiovascular Center Innovation Program

FFMI offers programs and courses in collaboration with the Frankel Cardiovascular Center
- Innovation Challenge
- Aikens Innovation Academy
- Design Thinking Workshops

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FFMI Nyati Rogel Innovation page
Rogel Cancer Center Innovation Program

Project-based consultations from experts in a variety of fields to address questions, needs, and resources

- Audience: Faculty, clinicians, and trainees
- Lecture series: 5, one-hour lectures; Virtual - weeks 1, 2, 4, and 5, Hybrid - week 3
- Project-based course: 4 months; Virtual

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FFMI- woman in lab
Global Health Commercialization Competition

Project-based course designed to help academics launch new innovations in emerging global markets

- Audience: Faculty
- 4-5 weeks over 2 months; Virtual

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instructor pointing at screen in classroom with students
Biotech Career Development Program

Provides career exposure to many aspects of biotechnology outside of the traditional academic tenure-track faculty position

- Audience: Trainees
- 8 months; Virtual

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FFMI fellowship
Fast Forward Medical Innovation Fellowship Program

Action-based training program that educates U-M doctoral students and postdocs on the business elements of commercializing biomedical technologies

- Audience: Doctoral students (second year minimum), U-M postdoctoral graduates interested in the intersection of business and life-science research for the purpose of technology commercialization
- 6-12 months, part-time

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FFMI biomed 101 course
Biomedical Innovation 101

A fully virtual, six-part webinar series to introduce the basic concepts of life science research commercialization and connect clinicians and research investigators with supportive resources

- Audience: Faculty, staff, trainees
- 6 weeks; Virtual

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education course participants writing notes
Certificate in Biomedical Innovation & Entrepreneurship

A certificate to prepare for careers in biotech startups and other entities related to biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship

- Audience: Predoctoral candidates and doctoral candidates from any of the UMMS degree-seeking programs
- In-person or virtual

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audience in educational classroom
Biomedical Innovation & Entrepreneurship I/II

A credit-bearing course intended for science and engineering majors seeking insight into the fundamentals of life science entrepreneurship

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FFMI Drug Development Course
Drug Discovery & Development Course

2-day, exclusive, project-based, and computer simulated approach to teaching drug discovery and development

- Audience: Early-mid-career faculty or principal investigators

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FFMI-Lanham on computer
Innovation Studio

Project-based consultations from experts in a variety of fields to address questions, needs, and resources

- Audience: Faculty, staff, and trainees
- 1 hour; Virtual

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FFMI oncology course
Oncology Drug Discovery & Development (3D) Workshop

Day-long, experiential educational program that will simulate the oncology drug discovery process from idea to FDA review.

- Audience: Faculty, postdocs/trainees, graduate students, staff
- 1 day; In-person

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smiling participants in educational seminar
FFMI fastPACE Train-the-Trainer

Collaborative learning experience teaches program planners how to launch the FFMI fastPACe program at their home institutions

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Online Education
Fast Forward Medical Innovation
FFMI intellectual property faculty talking
Intellectual Property in the Academic Setting

Learn from the Fast Forward Medical Innovation and Innovation Partnerships teams about the importance of intellectual property in the commercialization of your innovation

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woman in lab with microscope
Academic Drug Discovery

A fully virtual, self-paced course that teaches the fundamentals of academic drug discovery

- Audience: Faculty, staff, and trainees
- Fully virtual, self-paced course
- Up to 20 hours of instruction

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FFMI-David Zopf
Medical Device Regulation

Learn from the Fast Forward Medical Innovation and Michigan Institute of Clinical & Health Research teams about the importance of FDA regulations on your medical device innovation

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FFMI woman on computer
Idea to Impact Webinar Series: The Translation & Commercialization of Academic Research

On-demand videos that focus on various concepts and considerations critical to research commercialization and technology development

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three people discussing papers in a group project
6 Tips for Customer Discovery

Former FFMI fastPACE students, Daniel Kessler and Mike Angstadt, give advice to current innovation & commercialization students about customer discovery.

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FFMI-BD Mike Ranella at event
Interacting with Industry

Meet the Fast Forward Medical Innovation Business Development Team to learn about topics surrounding industry interaction.

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woman pitching idea to three other people
“How-To” Series: The Pitch Presentation

Learn how to create a 5-minute pitch presentation for your biomedical innovation.

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two participants in a seminar discussing topics
“How-To” Series: Communicating the Value of Your Innovation

Learn how to craft a clear and compelling case for why your idea is important.

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Researcher on computer
Ask the Experts: A Biomedical Innovation Forum

A panel of life science investment experts provides insight on trends within the industry and reveals investment criteria considered when evaluating emerging technologies.

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Featured Video
Keep Watching

View our comprehensive collection of video resources regarding educational programs and training tailored for busy faculty, students, clinicians, and researchers.

Commercialization Education Playlist Fast Forward Medical Innovation
aerial photo of the medical school campus Commercialization Education
OUR IMPACT
2023 was another record-breaking year of biomedical innovation at the University of Michigan, and Fast Forward Medical Innovation is thrilled to be part of the rich ecosystem of innovation resources that contributed to this impressive accomplishment.
View Our 2023 Impact Report
165
U-M Medical School faculty, staff, and trainees participated in education programs in 2023
29
new innonvations from U-M Medical School projects teams in 2023
113
education programs serving biomedical innovators across U‑M, the state, region, and nation
$46M+
follow-on funding awarded to date for education program participants
Meet the Commercialization Education Team
FFMI-Jon Servoss headshot Jon Servoss, EdD
Director of Education
FFMI-Katherine Schultz headshot Katherine Schultz, MA
Commercialization Education Program Coordinator
FFMI-Ashley Schork Ashley Schork, MNM
Program Manager, FCVC Innovation Program
FFMI-Robert Goldsmith Robert Goldsmith
Innovation Fellow
Questions?
Contact Us
North Campus Research Complex (NCRC)
Building 520, 3rd Floor
2800 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800
Phone: 734-615-5060
About Us
Fast Forward Medical Innovation is a unit of the Medical School Office of Research, where our mission is to foster an environment of innovation and efficiency that serves the Michigan Medicine research community and supports biomedical science from insight to impact.
Upcoming Events
In Search of Treasure: Hand-Cut Collage by Brooke Sauer
One of a kind hand-cut collages paired with specimens from the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History.
Event runs December 11, 2023 - December 30, 2024
Brooke Sauer Collage
POSSESSED: Selections from an Artist's Everyday Belongings by Jaye Schlesinger
Paintings from an Artist's Everyday Belongings
Event runs October 03, 2023 - April 02, 2024
Jaye Schlesinger
Emerging Joy: Intuitive Painting by Ellie Harold
Large-format abstract paintings
Event runs March 11, 2024 - May 31, 2024
Ellie Harold
Our Campus Pets: Squirrels at the University of Michigan, Photography by Corey Seeman
Photography series featuring squirrels at the University of Michigan
Event runs March 11, 2024 - May 31, 2024
Corey Seeman
Jobs from A to Z: Pigment Ink on Canvas by Bill Franz
Photography series featuring people in jobs from A (Accordionist) to Z (Zookeeper)
Event runs March 11, 2024 - May 31, 2024
Bill Franz
Celebrating Ethnic Diversity: Jewelry by Marijim Thoene
Jewelry featuring a variety of pieces from around the world.
Event runs March 11, 2024 - May 31, 2024
Marijim Thoene
Heroines: Bronze Sculpture by Laura Testé
Figurative bronze sculpture.
Event runs March 11, 2024 - May 31, 2024
Laura Teste
Enchanted Gardens & Dreamscapes: Mixed Media by Kandy Myny
Mixed-media artwork inspired by nature and imagination.
Event runs March 11, 2024 - May 31, 2024
Kandy Myny
Generation Bridge, Mother & Daughter: Ceramics by Jackie & Catherine Stasevich
Ceramics from mother and daughter potters.
Event runs March 11, 2024 - May 31, 2024
Stasevich