Health + Wellness
JumpStart recently invested $250,000 in Guided Interventions, a startup company that has developed technology to assess coronary artery blockages. The company was formed two years ago and has been mainly focused on developing its intellectual property and proof of concepts, says Guided Interventions CEO Matthew Pollman.
“The concept is revolutionary,” Pollman says. “It uses a pressurized guideline to measure fractional flow reserve (FFR). It facilitates assessing blockages in the coronary artery and determines whether to perform an intervention.”
Pollman cites a clinical study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, that showed using technologies like Guided Interventions’ FFR product instead of traditional angiogram indicate that 37 percent of the time the blockage should be left alone. “Sometimes leaving it alone is actually the best thing for patients,” he says.
Pollman plans to use the JumpStart investment to build out operations at GLIDE and the SMART Commercialization Center for Microsystems at Lorain County Community College.
The money will also allow the company to hire as many as six employees in the next two years, in particular engineers, and then triple or even quadruple the number of employees in the next three to five years. Currently, Pollman and his partner, Reinhard Warnking, are the only two employees.
Pollman, who is in the process of moving to Northeast Ohio from California, says he is looking forward to moving to a region that is so supportive of startup biotechnology companies and research.
Source: Matthew Pollman
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The concept is revolutionary,” Pollman says. “It uses a pressurized guideline to measure fractional flow reserve (FFR). It facilitates assessing blockages in the coronary artery and determines whether to perform an intervention.”
Pollman cites a clinical study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, that showed using technologies like Guided Interventions’ FFR product instead of traditional angiogram indicate that 37 percent of the time the blockage should be left alone. “Sometimes leaving it alone is actually the best thing for patients,” he says.
Pollman plans to use the JumpStart investment to build out operations at GLIDE and the SMART Commercialization Center for Microsystems at Lorain County Community College.
The money will also allow the company to hire as many as six employees in the next two years, in particular engineers, and then triple or even quadruple the number of employees in the next three to five years. Currently, Pollman and his partner, Reinhard Warnking, are the only two employees.
Pollman, who is in the process of moving to Northeast Ohio from California, says he is looking forward to moving to a region that is so supportive of startup biotechnology companies and research.
Source: Matthew Pollman
Writer: Karin Connelly
legal aid society of cleveland presses on despite budget cuts
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland has become a leaner operation in the last year, but that hasn't stopped the nonprofit organization from assisting low-income Northeast Ohioans in need of council.
Cuts in federal funding forced Legal Aid to lay off eight staff members in 2012. It could have been worse, says director of development and communications Melanie Shakarian, but private donations allowed the nonprofit to keep most of its staff intact.
Legal Aid now has 50 lawyers on hand to give free help to the poor on cases involving evictions, divorce, loss of benefits and other civil issues. The organization still has the capacity to help 25,000 people annually, although the reduction in funding will force Legal Aid to turn away some potential clients.
"We're striving to help as many people as possible, but we're always going to need more assistance," Shakarian says.
The century-old agency receives most of its funding through a federal grant, civil filing fees and interest on money that attorneys set aside in trusts for their clients' legal settlements. With the cuts, Legal Aid must make the difficult determination of what cases are the most desperate.
"We take on pro bono volunteers to take the cases we cannot," says Shakarian.
Legal Aid is fortunate to have nonprofit partners that add value to its legal services, notes the agency director. For example, the organization has three attorneys on site at MetroHealth Medical Center to resolve the legal issues that can become barriers for patients.
Shakarian believes that with additional help, these good works can continue into 2013 and beyond. "The community really stepped up last year," she says. "We're confident that generosity will continue."
SOURCE: Melanie Shakarian
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Cuts in federal funding forced Legal Aid to lay off eight staff members in 2012. It could have been worse, says director of development and communications Melanie Shakarian, but private donations allowed the nonprofit to keep most of its staff intact.
Legal Aid now has 50 lawyers on hand to give free help to the poor on cases involving evictions, divorce, loss of benefits and other civil issues. The organization still has the capacity to help 25,000 people annually, although the reduction in funding will force Legal Aid to turn away some potential clients.
"We're striving to help as many people as possible, but we're always going to need more assistance," Shakarian says.
The century-old agency receives most of its funding through a federal grant, civil filing fees and interest on money that attorneys set aside in trusts for their clients' legal settlements. With the cuts, Legal Aid must make the difficult determination of what cases are the most desperate.
"We take on pro bono volunteers to take the cases we cannot," says Shakarian.
Legal Aid is fortunate to have nonprofit partners that add value to its legal services, notes the agency director. For example, the organization has three attorneys on site at MetroHealth Medical Center to resolve the legal issues that can become barriers for patients.
Shakarian believes that with additional help, these good works can continue into 2013 and beyond. "The community really stepped up last year," she says. "We're confident that generosity will continue."
SOURCE: Melanie Shakarian
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
wall street journal discusses affordable care act with clinic's dr. cosgrove
In an article titled "Cleveland Clinic Diagnoses Health-Care Act," the Wall Street Journal sits down with CEO Delos "Toby" Cosgrove to discuss the Affordable Care Act.
Anna Wilde Mathews writes, "Just over a year from now, the Affordable Care Act is set to unleash enormous change in the health-care sector, and Cleveland Clinic Chief Executive Delos 'Toby' Cosgrove is preparing his institution by expanding its reach and striving to make caregivers more cost-conscious.
Dr. Cosgrove sat down with the newspaper to discuss the coming changes and how the Clinic is preparing for them.
Read the entire exchange here.
Anna Wilde Mathews writes, "Just over a year from now, the Affordable Care Act is set to unleash enormous change in the health-care sector, and Cleveland Clinic Chief Executive Delos 'Toby' Cosgrove is preparing his institution by expanding its reach and striving to make caregivers more cost-conscious.
Dr. Cosgrove sat down with the newspaper to discuss the coming changes and how the Clinic is preparing for them.
Read the entire exchange here.
Physical power is an important component of most any successful sports-related endeavor. However, athletics can also be used as a source of inner strength, a lesson Liz Ferro knows well.
Ferro is founder and executive director of Girls With Sole, a Rocky River-based nonprofit offering athletics programs to young victims of abuse throughout Cuyahoga, Lorain and Stark counties. Since its inception in August 2009, the program has aided nearly 500 girls. The organization offers traditional team sports as well as yoga, dance, Pilates and other wellness and nutrition activities.
"It's an outlet for these girls to expend their negative energies," says Ferro, whose organization brings its programming to different venues throughout the Cleveland area.
Ferro founded Girls With Sole to help girls who have experienced abuse gain self-esteem and mental strength. An abuse victim herself, Ferro used athletics as a source of empowerment when she had nowhere else to turn. Through the nonprofit, local girls have a chance to put teamwork, confidence and plain old fun into their daily routines.
"It's an amazing feeling for them to do something physically," Ferro says. "They can take that and use it in other areas of their lives."
Ferro has numerous success stories among her young clients. One girl, a ward of the state in residential treatment, initially rejected Girls With Sole. Today, she's a marathon runner and triathlete, a far better option than drugs or other unhealthy coping mechanisms troubled teens undertake.
"These kids don't get this kind of encouragement elsewhere," says Ferro. "Seeing positive and healthy people around them makes an impact."
SOURCE: Liz Ferro
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Ferro is founder and executive director of Girls With Sole, a Rocky River-based nonprofit offering athletics programs to young victims of abuse throughout Cuyahoga, Lorain and Stark counties. Since its inception in August 2009, the program has aided nearly 500 girls. The organization offers traditional team sports as well as yoga, dance, Pilates and other wellness and nutrition activities.
"It's an outlet for these girls to expend their negative energies," says Ferro, whose organization brings its programming to different venues throughout the Cleveland area.
Ferro founded Girls With Sole to help girls who have experienced abuse gain self-esteem and mental strength. An abuse victim herself, Ferro used athletics as a source of empowerment when she had nowhere else to turn. Through the nonprofit, local girls have a chance to put teamwork, confidence and plain old fun into their daily routines.
"It's an amazing feeling for them to do something physically," Ferro says. "They can take that and use it in other areas of their lives."
Ferro has numerous success stories among her young clients. One girl, a ward of the state in residential treatment, initially rejected Girls With Sole. Today, she's a marathon runner and triathlete, a far better option than drugs or other unhealthy coping mechanisms troubled teens undertake.
"These kids don't get this kind of encouragement elsewhere," says Ferro. "Seeing positive and healthy people around them makes an impact."
SOURCE: Liz Ferro
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
clinic ceo cosgrove shares transparency lessons with forbes
In a feature titled "Five Lessons in Transparency from Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove," Forbes magazine discusses the Clinic's unique approach to medical transparency.
"Cleveland Clinic is the health care industry trailblazer when it comes to publishing its clinical outcomes. As discussed in this earlier story (“How To Report Quality To The Public”), the Ohio hospital system annually publishes Outcomes Books that detail the clinical performance of each of its departments."
Writer David Whelan spoke to CEO -- and "unofficial transparency officer" -- Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, who personally developed the Outcomes Book concept in the first place.
"Almost thirty years ago when he became chair of heart surgery -- and 20 years before he ascended to his current role -- he started measuring and sharing surgical outcomes as a way to hold staff accountable."
The feature goes on to share five lessons from Dr. Cosgrove on how to run a hospital in an increasingly transparent world of health care.
Read the rest here.
"Cleveland Clinic is the health care industry trailblazer when it comes to publishing its clinical outcomes. As discussed in this earlier story (“How To Report Quality To The Public”), the Ohio hospital system annually publishes Outcomes Books that detail the clinical performance of each of its departments."
Writer David Whelan spoke to CEO -- and "unofficial transparency officer" -- Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, who personally developed the Outcomes Book concept in the first place.
"Almost thirty years ago when he became chair of heart surgery -- and 20 years before he ascended to his current role -- he started measuring and sharing surgical outcomes as a way to hold staff accountable."
The feature goes on to share five lessons from Dr. Cosgrove on how to run a hospital in an increasingly transparent world of health care.
Read the rest here.
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH) has launched an ambitious $125 million campaign to renovate and expand its campus in University Circle. Dr. Evalyn Gates, the particle physicist who has led the museum since 2010, wants the new structure to become a hands-on learning lab for green building, science education and environmental stewardship.
"Our role is to give kids a taste of real science with real scientists in a hands-on, minds-on kind of way," says Gates. "We can do things in a museum that can't be done in every classroom. Natural history is about our understanding of the world around us. We can help people better understand our place in the natural world."
CMNH will demolish a portion of its older, 1950s-style building and renovate the rest of it. The museum also will add two light-filled wings, a glassy lobby, and 300-space parking garage. The re-do will bring activity that now takes place in the bowels of the building -- such as paleontology work -- into a more publicly accessible space where people can more easily see it. CMNH has long sought to expand, but its plans were put on hold when the recession hit a few years ago.
Gates believes that the philanthropic appetite exists to fund CMNH's expansion and it can be completed within the next several years. CMNH has already begun to reinvent itself since she assumed the role of director. One example is the SmartHome, Gates says, which was a draw because it was hands-on.
As examples of science education, Gates cited programs like the junior med camp and vet camp, school field trips to the planetarium and a partnership with the Cleveland schools that allows every second grader to visit CMNH for free.
Source: Evalyn Gates
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Our role is to give kids a taste of real science with real scientists in a hands-on, minds-on kind of way," says Gates. "We can do things in a museum that can't be done in every classroom. Natural history is about our understanding of the world around us. We can help people better understand our place in the natural world."
CMNH will demolish a portion of its older, 1950s-style building and renovate the rest of it. The museum also will add two light-filled wings, a glassy lobby, and 300-space parking garage. The re-do will bring activity that now takes place in the bowels of the building -- such as paleontology work -- into a more publicly accessible space where people can more easily see it. CMNH has long sought to expand, but its plans were put on hold when the recession hit a few years ago.
Gates believes that the philanthropic appetite exists to fund CMNH's expansion and it can be completed within the next several years. CMNH has already begun to reinvent itself since she assumed the role of director. One example is the SmartHome, Gates says, which was a draw because it was hands-on.
As examples of science education, Gates cited programs like the junior med camp and vet camp, school field trips to the planetarium and a partnership with the Cleveland schools that allows every second grader to visit CMNH for free.
Source: Evalyn Gates
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Milo Biotechnology, a BioEnterprise startup created to find therapies for neuromuscular diseases, received FDA orphan drug designation for its AAV1-FS344, a drug that increases muscle strength.
The drug is a myostatin inhibitor that produces the protein follistatin, which increases muscle strength. Milo is focused on using the drug for treatment of Becker and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In both types of the disease, patients have progressive muscle weakness and cardiac and respiratory degeneration. The drug also has potential uses in muscle degeneration in AIDS and cancer patients, but Milo's initial focus is on muscular dystrophy.
Orphan drug classification is given to therapies that treat diseases that affect less than 200,000 people nationwide. “Orphan says two things: One, it says this compound looks like it’s effective in some model of whatever disease it’s treating,” explains Al Hawkins, Milo CEO. “Second, it means that the target population is under 200,000 patients." The designation gives expedited regulatory review, seven years of post-market exclusivity and it qualifies for an FDA grant program in clinical trials.
Milo was founded about a year ago, after receiving a $250,000 investment from JumpStart. The company also received funding from the North Coast Opportunities Technology fund.
Milo's drug is being used in clinical trials at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus with patients who have Becker muscular dystrophy and inclusion body myositis. Hawkins says the designation will expedite development of the therapy.
“There are no approved drugs for muscular dystrophy, but there are a lot of promising therapies in development,” says Hawkins. “The community has banded together in supporting this, but we are still years away from getting to market.”
Source: Al Hawkins
Writer: Karin Connelly
The drug is a myostatin inhibitor that produces the protein follistatin, which increases muscle strength. Milo is focused on using the drug for treatment of Becker and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In both types of the disease, patients have progressive muscle weakness and cardiac and respiratory degeneration. The drug also has potential uses in muscle degeneration in AIDS and cancer patients, but Milo's initial focus is on muscular dystrophy.
Orphan drug classification is given to therapies that treat diseases that affect less than 200,000 people nationwide. “Orphan says two things: One, it says this compound looks like it’s effective in some model of whatever disease it’s treating,” explains Al Hawkins, Milo CEO. “Second, it means that the target population is under 200,000 patients." The designation gives expedited regulatory review, seven years of post-market exclusivity and it qualifies for an FDA grant program in clinical trials.
Milo was founded about a year ago, after receiving a $250,000 investment from JumpStart. The company also received funding from the North Coast Opportunities Technology fund.
Milo's drug is being used in clinical trials at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus with patients who have Becker muscular dystrophy and inclusion body myositis. Hawkins says the designation will expedite development of the therapy.
“There are no approved drugs for muscular dystrophy, but there are a lot of promising therapies in development,” says Hawkins. “The community has banded together in supporting this, but we are still years away from getting to market.”
Source: Al Hawkins
Writer: Karin Connelly
cleveland clinic dietitian explains kids' health study
In a KYPost.com article titled “Study: What your kids snack on could determine how full they feel,” Christian Hauser explores the correlation between snacking habits of children and its relation to overall caloric intake.
“A new study finds that children who swap foods like potato chips for more nutrient-rich choices like vegetables or cheeses actually consume fewer calories when snacking,” writes Hauser.
While idea may appear obvious to some, the study explained that the children needed significantly fewer calories in order to feel satisfied.
"Snacks that are higher in fiber and have more protein, like we find in cheese and vegetables, leave your kids feeling fuller and they're likely to eat less,” explains Carrie Gonzales, a pediatric dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic.
"I think it always goes back to what's being offered in the home. So, if we do offer more healthful choices like vegetables or cheese versus potato chips, your child will actually eat them. It's just about what you have available,” concluded Gonzales.
Read the entire article here.
“A new study finds that children who swap foods like potato chips for more nutrient-rich choices like vegetables or cheeses actually consume fewer calories when snacking,” writes Hauser.
While idea may appear obvious to some, the study explained that the children needed significantly fewer calories in order to feel satisfied.
"Snacks that are higher in fiber and have more protein, like we find in cheese and vegetables, leave your kids feeling fuller and they're likely to eat less,” explains Carrie Gonzales, a pediatric dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic.
"I think it always goes back to what's being offered in the home. So, if we do offer more healthful choices like vegetables or cheese versus potato chips, your child will actually eat them. It's just about what you have available,” concluded Gonzales.
Read the entire article here.
clinic doc makes strides in cowdon syndrome research
In a Science Codex report titled “Cleveland Clinic researcher identifies 2 new genetic mutations associated with Cowden syndrome,” the post highlights Charis Eng, MD, Ph.D., Chair and Founding Director of the Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute's Genomic Medicine Institute’s research and discovery that could lead to better management of Cowden syndrome.
"Gene-enabled risk assessment and management begins with the identification of all the genes that, when mutated, account for as many or all the individuals with a particular syndrome, in this case CS," said Dr. Eng. "We started with only PTEN, and now we know that SDHB/D, KLLN, PIK3CA and AKT1 account for CS. Each also brings differing risks of breast, thyroid and other cancers, and so this discovery directly aids genetic counseling and clinical management."
This comes as great news for individuals carrying an increased cancer risk.
“Until now, only four clinical factors were known to predict an inherited PTEN mutation -- and this study's blood test out-predicts them all. Future studies testing thyroid tissue itself may reveal additional biomarkers.”
Read the full blog post here or the American Journal of Human Genetics research paper here.
"Gene-enabled risk assessment and management begins with the identification of all the genes that, when mutated, account for as many or all the individuals with a particular syndrome, in this case CS," said Dr. Eng. "We started with only PTEN, and now we know that SDHB/D, KLLN, PIK3CA and AKT1 account for CS. Each also brings differing risks of breast, thyroid and other cancers, and so this discovery directly aids genetic counseling and clinical management."
This comes as great news for individuals carrying an increased cancer risk.
“Until now, only four clinical factors were known to predict an inherited PTEN mutation -- and this study's blood test out-predicts them all. Future studies testing thyroid tissue itself may reveal additional biomarkers.”
Read the full blog post here or the American Journal of Human Genetics research paper here.
Nearly 100 years after it was first constructed, the Hope Memorial bridge, which is home to the famous Guardians of Transportation statues and connects downtown to Ohio City, is now considered to be "complete."
That's because a 14.5 foot protected bikeway just opened, making the street safer and more accessible for pedestrians and bicyclists who would prefer not to ride in the street. The $4.5 million investment is consistent with the city's new Complete and Green Streets law, which requires sustainable transportation options to be incorporated into new road projects.
"We really want to encourage more people to bike more often. Anytime you can create an environment where you can take kids out, you know it’s a safe place," says Jacob Van Sickle, Executive Director of the nonprofit group Bike Cleveland. "We're always advocating for infrastructure that makes biking as safe and stress-free as possible. To create a mode shift, that's where we need to be."
The Ohio Department of Transportation agreed to pay for the bikeway as well as bike-friendly enhancements to the Abbey Road bridge a few years ago. At the time, it was offered as a concession to multimodal transportation advocates who had pressed for bike lanes to be built on the new I-90 Innerbelt bridge.
The Carnegie-Ontario intersection also has been made safer for pedestrians and cyclists thanks to a new pathway along the bridge's northeast end. That pathway will lead cyclists and walkers to cross at Eagle Avenue. Finally, the Guardians of Transportation statues will also be lit at night as part of the roadway project.
Source: Jacob Van Sickle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That's because a 14.5 foot protected bikeway just opened, making the street safer and more accessible for pedestrians and bicyclists who would prefer not to ride in the street. The $4.5 million investment is consistent with the city's new Complete and Green Streets law, which requires sustainable transportation options to be incorporated into new road projects.
"We really want to encourage more people to bike more often. Anytime you can create an environment where you can take kids out, you know it’s a safe place," says Jacob Van Sickle, Executive Director of the nonprofit group Bike Cleveland. "We're always advocating for infrastructure that makes biking as safe and stress-free as possible. To create a mode shift, that's where we need to be."
The Ohio Department of Transportation agreed to pay for the bikeway as well as bike-friendly enhancements to the Abbey Road bridge a few years ago. At the time, it was offered as a concession to multimodal transportation advocates who had pressed for bike lanes to be built on the new I-90 Innerbelt bridge.
The Carnegie-Ontario intersection also has been made safer for pedestrians and cyclists thanks to a new pathway along the bridge's northeast end. That pathway will lead cyclists and walkers to cross at Eagle Avenue. Finally, the Guardians of Transportation statues will also be lit at night as part of the roadway project.
Source: Jacob Van Sickle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
This week BioEnterprise and Global Cleveland are hosting their fourth online biomedical job fair, hoping to attract top talent to the industry. “This is really driven by the growth in the biomedical sector in Northeast Ohio,” explains Aram Nerpouni, BioEnterprise interim CEO. “We’ve gone from 300 to 700 biomedical companies in the area. Cleveland is becoming a national hotbed for biomedical.”
The job fairs are an effective resource for employers. It is free for employers to post their listings and reach a wide population of qualified candidates. Arteriocyte, which does stem cell research for regenerating bones, has participated in three of the four job fairs this year. In each job fair the company has hired an employee.
“For us it’s appealing because it’s pretty easy as an employer,” explains Kolby Day, Arteriocyte‘s vice president and general manager of research and development. “We’ve seen really high caliber talent applying to the postings." Day says they’ve seen applicants from local schools as well as residents who left Cleveland and wish to return.
“We’ve interviewed a lot of people and, interestingly enough, they all want to be in Cleveland,” says Day. “A big part of that is how quickly the biotech industry is growing in Cleveland.”
Nerpouni points out that the online job fairs especially help the smaller employers. “For smaller companies that are growing rapidly and don’t have an HR staff, it helps them keep up with the pace of growth,” he says. “It’s much easier to hunt as a pack, so potential candidates aren’t looking at just one position.”
Close to 50 employers are participating in the job fair this week, posting 200 open positions. BioEnterprise plans to continue the biomedical jobs fairs on a quarterly basis.
Sources: Aram Nerpouni and Kolby Day
Writer: Karin Connelly
The job fairs are an effective resource for employers. It is free for employers to post their listings and reach a wide population of qualified candidates. Arteriocyte, which does stem cell research for regenerating bones, has participated in three of the four job fairs this year. In each job fair the company has hired an employee.
“For us it’s appealing because it’s pretty easy as an employer,” explains Kolby Day, Arteriocyte‘s vice president and general manager of research and development. “We’ve seen really high caliber talent applying to the postings." Day says they’ve seen applicants from local schools as well as residents who left Cleveland and wish to return.
“We’ve interviewed a lot of people and, interestingly enough, they all want to be in Cleveland,” says Day. “A big part of that is how quickly the biotech industry is growing in Cleveland.”
Nerpouni points out that the online job fairs especially help the smaller employers. “For smaller companies that are growing rapidly and don’t have an HR staff, it helps them keep up with the pace of growth,” he says. “It’s much easier to hunt as a pack, so potential candidates aren’t looking at just one position.”
Close to 50 employers are participating in the job fair this week, posting 200 open positions. BioEnterprise plans to continue the biomedical jobs fairs on a quarterly basis.
Sources: Aram Nerpouni and Kolby Day
Writer: Karin Connelly
Domestic abuse often is treated as a taboo subject and not something the general public likes to admit exists, says Molly Scheetz, development marketing officer at the Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center of Cleveland.
This reluctance makes events like the organization's January 5 benefit at Negative Space Gallery vitally important in reaching out to victims of abuse. Funds procured at the gallery will be put toward programming that aids Cuyahoga County residents suffering in-home violence and other forms of mistreatment.
"We'll be grateful for whatever is raised," says Scheetz.
Awareness of the center's programming is just as important as funding, Scheetz believes. The community should know of the variety of services available to teens, adults and families, including: An education component bringing knowledge about teen dating violence to local schools; a 24-hour family helpline fielding crisis calls and offering referrals for abuse resources; and a shelter available for victims of domestic violence and their children.
"Anytime people can become more educated about the services we provide, it's a good thing," Scheetz says.
The center is working to overcome its own challenges these days. The nonprofit is the result of a merger that took place earlier this year between Bellflower Center for Prevention of Child Abuse and the Domestic Violence Center.
The transition has been fairly seamless, and the organization will continue to shed light on violence shuttered behind closed doors. "We have to acknowledge problems in order to reach solutions," says Scheetz.
SOURCE: Molly Scheetz
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
This reluctance makes events like the organization's January 5 benefit at Negative Space Gallery vitally important in reaching out to victims of abuse. Funds procured at the gallery will be put toward programming that aids Cuyahoga County residents suffering in-home violence and other forms of mistreatment.
"We'll be grateful for whatever is raised," says Scheetz.
Awareness of the center's programming is just as important as funding, Scheetz believes. The community should know of the variety of services available to teens, adults and families, including: An education component bringing knowledge about teen dating violence to local schools; a 24-hour family helpline fielding crisis calls and offering referrals for abuse resources; and a shelter available for victims of domestic violence and their children.
"Anytime people can become more educated about the services we provide, it's a good thing," Scheetz says.
The center is working to overcome its own challenges these days. The nonprofit is the result of a merger that took place earlier this year between Bellflower Center for Prevention of Child Abuse and the Domestic Violence Center.
The transition has been fairly seamless, and the organization will continue to shed light on violence shuttered behind closed doors. "We have to acknowledge problems in order to reach solutions," says Scheetz.
SOURCE: Molly Scheetz
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
bgv winner birdtown crossfit to open gym in lakewood
Jillian Neimeister and Tricia Tortoreti met at a CrossFit gym in 2009 and have been friends ever since. In that time, both have become certified trainers and began talking about how they would do things differently if they owned a gym.
“We got a feel for what we liked and what we disliked,” recalls Neimeister. So after hearing about Bad Girl Ventures’ fall business training program, the two decided to enroll in the class. “We learned a lot,” says Neimeister. “We had a business plan going into it, but throughout the course we completely re-wrote it.”
Ultimately Neimeister and Tortoreti not only won a $25,000 loan from BGV to start their business, they also won a loan from BGV loan partner Economic Community Development Institute (ECDI). They decided to accept the ECDI loan, and they plan to open Birdtown CrossFit in Lakewood in January.
Birdtown CrossFit is different from most gyms. Instead of treadmills and elliptical machines, CrossFit has jump ropes and barbells. “It’s not your typical gym,” says Tortoreti. “It’s very structured with group classes and hardly any machines.”
Neimeister predicts Birdtown will be a welcome addition to Lakewood. “I think there’s definitely demand for it on the west side of Cleveland,” she says. In addition to working at area CrossFit gyms, the two have toured gyms all over the country to get a feel for what they want in their own gym.
The BGV loan will now go to Renter's BOOM, a company that uses social media for apartment listings. BGV awarded Tantalize, a mobile spray tanning company, a $5,000 loan.
Sources: Jillian Neimeister and Tricia Tortoreti
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We got a feel for what we liked and what we disliked,” recalls Neimeister. So after hearing about Bad Girl Ventures’ fall business training program, the two decided to enroll in the class. “We learned a lot,” says Neimeister. “We had a business plan going into it, but throughout the course we completely re-wrote it.”
Ultimately Neimeister and Tortoreti not only won a $25,000 loan from BGV to start their business, they also won a loan from BGV loan partner Economic Community Development Institute (ECDI). They decided to accept the ECDI loan, and they plan to open Birdtown CrossFit in Lakewood in January.
Birdtown CrossFit is different from most gyms. Instead of treadmills and elliptical machines, CrossFit has jump ropes and barbells. “It’s not your typical gym,” says Tortoreti. “It’s very structured with group classes and hardly any machines.”
Neimeister predicts Birdtown will be a welcome addition to Lakewood. “I think there’s definitely demand for it on the west side of Cleveland,” she says. In addition to working at area CrossFit gyms, the two have toured gyms all over the country to get a feel for what they want in their own gym.
The BGV loan will now go to Renter's BOOM, a company that uses social media for apartment listings. BGV awarded Tantalize, a mobile spray tanning company, a $5,000 loan.
Sources: Jillian Neimeister and Tricia Tortoreti
Writer: Karin Connelly
When a patient needs a breathing tube or feeding tube, proper placement is critical. Miach Medical Innovations, a company formed in 2011 out of CWRU, is developing tubes with built-in sensors to ensure proper placement.
“Several statistics show the need for properly placing these tubes,” says operations manager Cullen Dolan, who is working on his masters in engineering management. “Ten percent of breathing tubes are not initially placed properly. We found other statistics that show 20 percent of breathing tubes experience unplanned movement and 70 percent of feeding tubes experience unplanned movement. Also, 15 percent of extubate patients need to be reintubated." The ramifications can be damaging and even cause death.
The Miach Medical team, which includes CWRU doctors James Reynolds, Jim Rowbottom and Jeff Ustin, is developing sensors to assist caregivers with placement. “It will help caregivers know the tube is properly placed, unplanned movement, and when it is safe for the tube to come out,” explains Dolan.
Miach’s developments earned the company top honors at JumpStart's Northeast Ohio Entrepreneur Expo’s student competition. The company won $1,500 for placing first in the competition. Additionally, Miach was awarded $25,000 by the Lorain County Community College Foundation Innovation Fund.
The team will use the money on sensor development. “The key is finding a sensor that is cost effective and still meets all of our technical needs,” Dolan says. “We’re working with academic groups and companies to find the sensor we need.”
Dolan has found the experience educational and rewarding. “The sensor tube is something that’s needed, and with my background in biomedical engineering this was something I wanted to be a part of,” he says. Representing the company at the expo was a great experience. Winning the competition was just icing on the cake.”
Source: Cullen Dolin
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Several statistics show the need for properly placing these tubes,” says operations manager Cullen Dolan, who is working on his masters in engineering management. “Ten percent of breathing tubes are not initially placed properly. We found other statistics that show 20 percent of breathing tubes experience unplanned movement and 70 percent of feeding tubes experience unplanned movement. Also, 15 percent of extubate patients need to be reintubated." The ramifications can be damaging and even cause death.
The Miach Medical team, which includes CWRU doctors James Reynolds, Jim Rowbottom and Jeff Ustin, is developing sensors to assist caregivers with placement. “It will help caregivers know the tube is properly placed, unplanned movement, and when it is safe for the tube to come out,” explains Dolan.
Miach’s developments earned the company top honors at JumpStart's Northeast Ohio Entrepreneur Expo’s student competition. The company won $1,500 for placing first in the competition. Additionally, Miach was awarded $25,000 by the Lorain County Community College Foundation Innovation Fund.
The team will use the money on sensor development. “The key is finding a sensor that is cost effective and still meets all of our technical needs,” Dolan says. “We’re working with academic groups and companies to find the sensor we need.”
Dolan has found the experience educational and rewarding. “The sensor tube is something that’s needed, and with my background in biomedical engineering this was something I wanted to be a part of,” he says. Representing the company at the expo was a great experience. Winning the competition was just icing on the cake.”
Source: Cullen Dolin
Writer: Karin Connelly
To succeed as a region, Cleveland needs hungry, highly skilled immigrants willing to risk it all for a chance to build their dreams. With an estimated 30,000 open positions in high-skill industries in the region, the time is now to market Cleveland as a place friendly to outsiders. Fortunately, Radhika Reddy and others are on top of it.
To be truly successful at neighborhood redevelopment, CDCs must change how they do business, says Joel Ratner, president of Neighborhood Progress Inc. They must adopt a holistic strategy that combines bricks-and-mortar development with high-performing schools, social services, and other amenities that residents need and want.
Last May, Brandt Butze had what he calls an “Aha! moment.” He was 370 pounds and wanted to lose the weight and get in shape. He went on Facebook and posted that he was committed to walking.
“I had 225 comments on my Facebook page and all sorts of support,” he recalls. That first morning, his sister and a group of people met Butze and they went for a 30-minute walk. “We jogged the last block,” he says. “I was in tears there was so much support. Thirty-minute walks turned into 45-minute walks and in three weeks, I was walking six to seven miles a day.”
In fact, Butze had so much support that trying to schedule people to walk with him was interfering with actually walking. “I was spending three to four hours a day trying to plan walks,” he says.” I looked for an app to help and I realized other people were in the same boat I was -- finding some way to have a workout schedule where people can work out with other people.”
So Butze and friends Aaron Marks, Jonathan Schultz and Kevin Rahilly created FitVia, a mobile app that allows users to post their workout schedules and find others to join them.
“We tried different hypotheses, talked to friends and friends of friends and asked them what motivated them, what de-motivated them,” Butze says. “We realized we were on to something.”
The four approached LaunchHouse for help developing FitVia and were accepted to the accelerator program. FitVia will launch by the end of the year. “We’re launching this as a premier app initially,” says Butze. “We’re hoping to gain as many people as possible as quickly as possible.”
FitVia plans to hire additional staff as they grow. Butze plans to branch out to corporate America as they grow, targeting HR departments as a way to keep healthcare costs down.
To date, Butze has lost 71 pounds.
Source: Brandt Butze
Writer: Karin Connelly
“I had 225 comments on my Facebook page and all sorts of support,” he recalls. That first morning, his sister and a group of people met Butze and they went for a 30-minute walk. “We jogged the last block,” he says. “I was in tears there was so much support. Thirty-minute walks turned into 45-minute walks and in three weeks, I was walking six to seven miles a day.”
In fact, Butze had so much support that trying to schedule people to walk with him was interfering with actually walking. “I was spending three to four hours a day trying to plan walks,” he says.” I looked for an app to help and I realized other people were in the same boat I was -- finding some way to have a workout schedule where people can work out with other people.”
So Butze and friends Aaron Marks, Jonathan Schultz and Kevin Rahilly created FitVia, a mobile app that allows users to post their workout schedules and find others to join them.
“We tried different hypotheses, talked to friends and friends of friends and asked them what motivated them, what de-motivated them,” Butze says. “We realized we were on to something.”
The four approached LaunchHouse for help developing FitVia and were accepted to the accelerator program. FitVia will launch by the end of the year. “We’re launching this as a premier app initially,” says Butze. “We’re hoping to gain as many people as possible as quickly as possible.”
FitVia plans to hire additional staff as they grow. Butze plans to branch out to corporate America as they grow, targeting HR departments as a way to keep healthcare costs down.
To date, Butze has lost 71 pounds.
Source: Brandt Butze
Writer: Karin Connelly
"Reading is fundamental" is a message that's been transmitted to the nation's children for years. Research shows that's no empty slogan: Kids who are not reading proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma, says Robert Paponetti, executive director of the Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland.
Enter the Literacy Cooperative's STEP (Supporting Tutors Engaging Pupils) program, an in-school tutoring program designed to help build reading and language skills in underperforming K-3 students. Young participants are taught in one-on-one, structured tutoring sessions that coordinate with classroom curriculum.
The students chosen for the program usually are close to their grade's reading level, says Paponetti. Lessons are delivered twice a week and are designed to develop fluency, vocabulary development, comprehension and word knowledge.
"Reading to a child is one thing," Paponetti says."We are working with the child."
STEP started as a pilot program for first-grade students at Marion-Sterling School in Cleveland during the 2010-2011 school year. Shoreview Elementary was added to the mix for 2012-2013. There's also an after-school program taking place at Warrensville Heights Library this year.
The program, funded by Cleveland Foundation and several other groups, has resulted in positive gains for its young readers, notes Paponetti. Participating students at Marion-Sterling, for example, showed improvement in all measures of reading skills compared to non-tutored students.
Further success will see future expansion of the program. "There's a beautiful simplicity to structured tutoring intervention," says Paponetti. "It could be a real tool for helping children."
SOURCE: Robert Paponetti
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Enter the Literacy Cooperative's STEP (Supporting Tutors Engaging Pupils) program, an in-school tutoring program designed to help build reading and language skills in underperforming K-3 students. Young participants are taught in one-on-one, structured tutoring sessions that coordinate with classroom curriculum.
The students chosen for the program usually are close to their grade's reading level, says Paponetti. Lessons are delivered twice a week and are designed to develop fluency, vocabulary development, comprehension and word knowledge.
"Reading to a child is one thing," Paponetti says."We are working with the child."
STEP started as a pilot program for first-grade students at Marion-Sterling School in Cleveland during the 2010-2011 school year. Shoreview Elementary was added to the mix for 2012-2013. There's also an after-school program taking place at Warrensville Heights Library this year.
The program, funded by Cleveland Foundation and several other groups, has resulted in positive gains for its young readers, notes Paponetti. Participating students at Marion-Sterling, for example, showed improvement in all measures of reading skills compared to non-tutored students.
Further success will see future expansion of the program. "There's a beautiful simplicity to structured tutoring intervention," says Paponetti. "It could be a real tool for helping children."
SOURCE: Robert Paponetti
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
jeopardy! champion watson takes up residence at case
“IBM’s Watson supercomputer is already a Jeopardy! champion, and has now embarked on a second career in medicine, working with students at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University to improve its knowledge of medical concepts in a problem-based learning environment,” writes Jennifer Bresnick of the website EHRIntelligence.com.
Watson has the ability to formulate “inference paths,” and by feeding it thousands of gigabytes of medical information including medical dictionaries, studies, health records, findings, etc. it is hoped it will become a tool for doctors to check their own thinking against in order to provide the best health care decisions possible.
This new tool will not be available for use overnight as a multitude of tests and programming must still take place.
“Case Western students and staff will answer Watson’s questions and correct its mistakes to enable it to learn faster, hoping that someday its artificial intelligence will help save lives by returning the favor.”
Read the full story here.
Watson has the ability to formulate “inference paths,” and by feeding it thousands of gigabytes of medical information including medical dictionaries, studies, health records, findings, etc. it is hoped it will become a tool for doctors to check their own thinking against in order to provide the best health care decisions possible.
This new tool will not be available for use overnight as a multitude of tests and programming must still take place.
“Case Western students and staff will answer Watson’s questions and correct its mistakes to enable it to learn faster, hoping that someday its artificial intelligence will help save lives by returning the favor.”
Read the full story here.