Start Disrupting

Brian Sullivan is the anchor of CNBC’s “Worldwide Exchange” (M-F, 5AM-6AM ET), which broadcasts from CNBC Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.  He is also Senior National Correspondent for the network, covering some of the nation’s biggest stories.

Most recently, Sullivan was co-anchor of CNBC’s “Power Lunch”(M-F, 1PM-3PM ET).

In his 25 years of financial journalism and television experience, Sullivan has reported from five continents. He has been twice nominated for the prestigious Loeb Award; one for being recognized as among the first financial journalists to highlight the risks of the housing bubble in 2007, and the other for the 2013 CNBC documentary “America’s Gun: The Rise of the AR-15.”

Prior to CNBC, Sullivan served as an anchor at Fox Business News as well as a producer, reporter, and anchor for Bloomberg Television.

Sullivan has a B.A. in political science from Virginia Tech, where he serves on the Alumni Board, as well as a law degree from Brooklyn Law School. In his free time, he is an avid race car driver with two SCCA divisional championships.

Host: Brett Malone
Editor and Producer: Becca Halm 

Guests:

• Craig Meadows: Montgomery County Administrator
• Erin Burcham:  President, Verge and  Executive Director, Roanoke Blacksburg Technology Council
• Matthew Hull, Ph.D. : Research Scientist / President & Founder, Nanosafe, Inc.
• John Newby:  Chief Executive Officer,  Virginia Biotechnology Association 

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New collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Innovation announced with the aim to accelerate life science sector growth in the New River and Roanoke Valleys by providing access to expert mentors, programming, and commercialization resources for startup companies 

 BLACKSBURG, Va. (Dec. 15, 2021) — The GO Virginia Coalition today approved a grant award to the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (VTCRC) to fund the expansion of laboratory space and facilities aimed at supporting the region’s growing life science industry. In addition to the construction of shared lab space by the VTCRC, this project will support the creation of 125 new biotech jobs over the next five years. 

 “Through collaborations, we aim to fill the demand from biotechnology companies and provide full access needed to support research to commercialization aspirations,” said Brett Malone, President & CEO of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center. “Our sophisticated infrastructure makes us a research destination across industries and for everyone from startups to enterprise companies.”

Read full press release

Becca Halm, Communications Assistant and Virginia Tech media student, interviews Brett Malone. This episode takes a deeper dive into Brett’s vision for the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and how he is “enabling” the disrupters creating new opportunity. Listen and find out Brett’s entrepreneurial thoughts and how it takes a mindset of looking at a situation differently, having the conviction to try something new and tenancy to stick with it. 

Bio: Brett Malone, President and CEO of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, has led multiple startups as a co-founder and CEO. He has a unique background that spans software, defense, biotech, and clinical markets. Brett has a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech and loves mentoring startups, building space with purpose, and getting involved in all things technology related.

About us: Born out of a need to translate Virginia Tech research to commercial potential, the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center  was established in Blacksburg in 1985. Since then, it has been home to over 750 premier organizations with a common goal to disrupt industries. Today, with operations across Virginia, the research park continues to be a destination for growth and a space with purpose. 

Daniel Smith is the co-founder and director of software at Entos.  Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in computational chemistry. With a passion for science, technology, and software engineering, Daniel has completed research for Georgia Institute of Technology and the Molecular Sciences Software Institute at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, before beginning his journey with Entos. With a presence in our co-working community, COgro, they are working on AI-driven chemistry for medicine. 

• 2015 - Graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Computational Chemistry from Auburn University.
• 2010 - Graduated with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from the College of Charleston. 
• Worked as a postdoctoral research associate for Georgia Institute of Technology, and worked as a software scientist at The Molecular Science Software institute in Blacksburg, VA. 
• Started at Entos in April of 2020 as co-founder and principal software engineer and is now the director of software. 
• Has a deep passion for computational chemistry, quantum chemistry, education, science, and technology.  

In this episode, Brett Malone, Ph.D., VTCRC President/CEO, talks with Michael about TORC, the region's strengths and how it has helped the company, his vision for autonomous trucking and more.

Michael Fleming official bio 

Torc Robotics, a pioneer in self-driving vehicles {website}

Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, the global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 16 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing self-driving trucks. “Trucking is the backbone of the U.S. economy, delivering food and products to every community in the country,” said Torc CEO Michael Fleming. “Daimler has led innovation in trucking for more than a century, from the first truck to driver assist technology. Torc is working with Daimler Truck to commercialize self-driving trucks to make our roads safer and better fulfilling our mission of saving lives.” 

#self-driving #entrepreneur #virginiatech #hokies #vtcrc #torc

Webster discusses his research with drug discovery and therapeutic areas, and is co-founder of Flux Therapeutics, Inc.

Webster Santos bio: https://chem.vt.edu/people/faculty/teaching-and-research/wsantos.html

Prof. Webster Santos received his BS and Ph.D.  from the University of Virginia under Prof. Timothy Macdonald.  Following his doctoral studies, he moved to Harvard University as a Ruth Kirschtein NIH fellow with Prof. Gregory Verdine. At Harvard, he performed chemical biology studies targeting RNA structures as well as HIV-1 integrase. In 2006, he started as an assistant professor of chemistry at Virginia Tech and was promoted to associate then full professor in 2018. He held a chaired position as the Blackwood Junior Faculty fellow of Life Science and is currently the Agnes and Cliff Lilly faculty fellow of drug discovery. He is a co-founder of three biotech companies and received the Schug Research Award as well as an Innovator’s award at Virginia Tech.  He is on the editorial advisory board of current topics in medicinal chemistry, medicinal research reviews as well as boron in the Americas.  His current research centers on developing drugs towards fatty liver disease, cancer, and multiple sclerosis, synthetic methodology of installing boron and silicon onto carbon bonds and chemical biology of targeting HIV-1 RNAs.

Words spoken by John Olver, President & CEO of Emisshield, during the #StartDisrupting podcast with Brett Malone, Ph.D. President & CEO of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (VTCRC).

Spotlight story: The 3,100°F Impact

Have you ever considered how many things we use in daily life here on earth that originated from NASA technology?  GPS, medical devices, audio conference bridge technology, among many, all got their start in space!

In August 2021, Dr. John Olver, President and CEO of Emissield, Inc. became the 85th inductee into the Space Technology Hall of Fame for contributions to life-changing technologies emerging from global space programs. Emisshield Inc. and NASA Ames, also accepted the organizational award.  Read full story here.

Ryan King's research focuses on understanding how modest changes in electrolyte levels can have a profound impact on cardiac function, both electrically and mechanically. Through his work, he and fellow researchers are gaining a better understanding that there is no "one size fits all" electrolyte therapy in regards to cardiac function; rather, the intervention needs to be problem-specific. There are instances in which it is more important to preserve electrical function than mechanical function and vice-versa. When these instances arise it's crucial to understand what electrolyte modifications are necessary to achieve the desired results. 

Virginia Tech alumnus, Dave Lavery: LinkedIn

For over a decade, David Lavery led the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Telerobotics Technology Development Program, with responsibility for content and direction of robotics and planetary exploration research efforts. 

Under his leadership the program was transformed into a world-class robotics technology and systems development program impacting NASA flight programs, other government robotics projects, and the entire robotics industry. Among the major products of Lavery's research program were the Sojourner Mars rover, the first robotic rover ever successfully placed on another planet; a free-flying robotic camera used on the Space Shuttle; Dante I and II robotic volcano explorers; and the National Robotics Engineering Consortium (NREC), to transfer robotic technologies developed by NASA into the commercial robotics industry. As Program Executive for Solar System Exploration at NASA, Mr. Lavery is currently responsible for two Mars Exploration missions (2008 and 2009), the design and development oversight of the next generation of robotic Mars exploration spacecraft, the NASA Astrobiology Field Laboratory, and the Mars Advanced Technology Program. He has published more than 30 technical papers on robotic systems and technology. 

Lavery's current professional commitment and involvement includes the creation of the NASA Robotics Alliance Project (RAP) to inspire K-12 students in robotics, a Fellow of the National User Group Advisory Council and the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics, and National Executive Advisory Board member of FIRST Robotics.

Tony is a falconry expert, serial entrepreneur and developer of leadership and talent. Pictured is Tony and VTCRC President & CEO Brett Malone, Ph.D.

Check out the latest book Tony is reading: Deep Survival: Who lives, who dies and why by Laurence Gonzales -- Tony says "It is about who panics and who stays calm in crisis situations. Very interesting and insightful book."