University of Virginia doctoral students Rachelle Turiello and Renna Nouwairi knew from the get-go that something was different about chemistry professor James Landers’ laboratory.
“He was very much about building things that have real-world application,” Nouwairi said. “There was always this theme and mentality of, ‘Create something that could exist in the real world and can solve a real-world problem.’ It wasn’t just research for the sake of research.”
That’s exactly what they did. The pair created an advanced platform for automating sample preparations for liquid biopsy samples, designed to enhance the detection of cancer from circulating tumor DNA.
A liquid biopsy is a laboratory test done on a sample of blood, urine, or other bodily fluid that looks for cancer cells from a tumor or small pieces of genetic material, or for molecules released by tumor cells. The test allows several samples to be taken over time to give doctors an idea of what changes are taking place in a tumor. It can also be used to help find cancer at an early stage.
Although they had the process and the science, they needed to find the funding.
“During the pandemic, we saw lots of technology get spun out into companies, and thought we could do the same,” Turiello said. “But we knew we were scientists, not businesswomen.”
They relied on the revamped UVA Innovates for help finding spaces, services and opportunities and that helped make them a hot startup. Their company, Avant Genomics, was one of seven that recently participated in an investment event in Green Bay, Wisconsin, that offered $2 million in investments.
Nouwairi and Turiello stand in the locker room at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. The helmets festooned with logos of seven startup companies represent the businesses invited to a capital investment event. (Contributed photo.)
Although Avant wasn’t chosen, it brought attention to the Charlottesville startup, slated to move out of its UVA lab to become one of the first tenants in the new Commonwealth Bio Accelerator at North Fork Research Park in Albemarle County.
“Rachelle and Renna are a shining example of the things you can accomplish as both a scientist and entrepreneur, if you take advantage of all the available resources,” Richard W. Chylla, executive director of Licensing & Ventures Group, said.
Darden School of Business professor Michael Lenox, who serves as a special adviser to the provost for UVA Innovates, said there was a time at UVA when Turiello and Nouwairi’s work may not have made it out of the lab.
“We are building a robust ecosystem of support for researchers looking to take their discoveries out of the lab and into the world,” Lenox said.
Turiello and Nouwairi’s entrepreneurial journey began in the Ph.D. Plus program, headed by UVA Associate Vice Provost Phil Trella. Then they interned at UVA Licensing & Ventures Group, which helps patent inventions, license technology, and, in some cases, invests via UVA’s Seed Fund.
Turiello and Nouwairi served as student members of the angel investment group Cav Angels.
