Published October 23, 2018
Research into the treatment of Alzheimer's disease using a component of virgin olive
oil, which the process of extracting was developed by researchers at the University
of Louisiana Monroe, will continue thanks to a $350,000 grant. The grant was announced
Monday at a press conference at ULM. The funding is from the National Institutes of
Health and the National Institute on Aging.
ABOVE: Attending the press conference were, from left, Dr. Eric Pani, ULM Vice President
of Academic Affairs; Dr. Jim Cardelli, Oleolive CTO and Segue Science Management co-founder;
Kylie Grant, Oleolive CEO and SSM financial consultant; Dr. John Sutherlin, ULM Director
of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research; Dr. Alana Gray, Oleolive COO and
SSM co-founder; Dr. Glenn Anderson, ULM Dean of the College of Pharmacy; and ULM President
Dr. Nick J. Bruno.
Jeanette Robinson/ULM Photo Services
“Research is very important. ULM is positioned to do some significant research in
every college. So the call has gone out and the response has been very positive –
73 new awards this year, 65 last year,” said ULM President Nick J. Bruno. “Patenting
research that has economic value, that is the priority here at ULM. But also the research
that improves the standard of living for the citizens of this region and the state.
We are very well positioned to help in so many areas of need. Not only here in north
Louisiana, but throughout the Delta Region.”
The grant went to the company Oleolive, which licensed the ULM technology of extracting
oleocanthal from virgin olive oil. The process was discovered by Dr. Khalid El Sayed
of the ULM School of Pharmacy and his former research partner Dr. Amal Kaddoumi. Kaddoumi
is now at Auburn University and will conduct the continuing research.
Revenue from Oleolive and future licensed technologies returns to ULM as royalties.
Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Dr. John Sutherlin said,
“One of the things that we wanted to do was make sure that we were investing the precious
dollars that we had, whether in the forms of grants or matching funds, whatever it
was, into programs that could make money for the university. That is the purpose of
a licensing agreement, to get our products out there. Certainly to impact the quality
of life and also to provide a steady revenue stream over time. Nothing is developed
overnight. We all wish it would happen immediately and that’s not the way success
becomes sustainable. We’re committed to the long term.”
Sutherlin continued, commenting on other profitable possibilities for the university
saying, “We had meetings last week for everything from nursing to radiotechnology
and other pharmacy applications. So there are lots of things going on and very exciting
times for us.”
Coincidentally, the press conference was held on the one year anniversary of ULM signing
an agreement with Segue Science Management, the company which negotiated the licensing
of the olive oil research with ULM.
Attending from Oleolive were CTO Dr. Jim Cardelli, COO Dr. Alana Gray and CEO Kylie
Grant. Cardelli and Gray are co-founders and facilitators of Segue Science Management
and Grant is financial consultant. Both companies are located in Shreveport.
