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Robert Coleman - Farmingdale State College. Farmingdale, NY, UNITED STATES

Robert Coleman

Assistant Professor, Department of Biology | Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, NY, UNITED STATES

Dr. Coleman is both a research scientist and an entrepreneur. He is a founding member of Codagenix, a biotech start-up company.

Biography

Dr. Coleman has been a faculty member at Farmingdale State College since 2011. His work focuses on rational gene design for vaccine construction - developing vaccines using a software-platform he co-developed. Dr. Coleman’s work successfully applied synthetic gene customization to seven distinct viruses including: poliovirus, Influenza A virus, as well as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Enterotoxigenic E. Coli., controlling their gene expression and constructing live-attenuated vaccine candidates.

He has multiple high-impact publications, is the primary investigator on externally funded research projects, and has project management skills in small business and biotechnology.

Dr. Coleman completed his MBA in finance while simultaneously co-founding Codagenix Inc., and teaching/researching as an assistant professor. Dr. Coleman possess unique knowledge of synthetic biology combined with a cross-functional skill that is strong in science and start-ups companies.

Areas of Expertise (12)

Biotechnology

Start Up Companies

Infectious Diseases

Vaccines

Biology

Small Business

Microbiology

Molecular Biology

Grant Funding

Biofuel

Vaccine Development

Synthetic Biology

Industry Expertise (2)

Biotechnology

Education/Learning

Accomplishments (4)

BioBricks Foundation, Synthetic Biology 5.0, Young Researcher Travel Award (professional)

2011-06-01

BioBricks Foundation, Synthetic Biology 5.0, Young Researcher Travel Award

American Foundation for Aging Research (professional)

2006-07-01

American Foundation for Aging Research

Theresa Santmann Award – Farmingdale State College (professional)

Theresa Santmann Award – Farmingdale State College

Top 15 Young Entrepreneur of Long Island – Long Island Launch Pad (professional)

2013-10-01

Top 15 Young Entrepreneur of Long Island – Long Island Launch Pad

Education (3)

Stony Brook Unviersity: PhD, Molecular Biology

New York Institute of Technology: Masters of Business Administration in Finance, MBA

Tulane University: BS, Cell Biology

Social

Languages (2)

  • English
  • Spanish

Event Appearances (5)

Emerging Vaccine Technologies

ImVacs  Boston, MA

2014-08-12

Applications of Synthetic Biology

Synthetic Biology 5.0  Stanford University

2011-06-05

Recoding Viral RNA Genomes through Chemical Synthesis: Novel Genetics and Practical Applications

Workshop 3: Synthetic Biology  Ohio State University

2010-01-25

Rapid Development of Vaccines Against Emerging Threats Using DNA Synthesis and Gene Customization

Gordon Research Conference: Chemical and Biological Terrorism Defense  Galveston, Texas

2008-01-18

Whole Viral Genome Synthesis in Synthetic Biology

Synthetic Biology 4.0 Conference  Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

2010-10-08

Style

Availability

  • Keynote
  • Moderator
  • Panelist
  • Workshop Leader
  • Host/MC
  • Corporate Training

Media Appearances (5)

Codagenix snags $322,000 to fund vaccine research

Newsday  online

2014-12-15

Codagenix, a Stony Brook biotech company, has closed on $322,000 in public and private funding, including the latest round from a coalition promoting Long Island startups. The company, which digitally simulates viruses to produce vaccines, received $100,000 through a joint investment from Accelerate Long Island and the Long Island Emerging Technology Fund. Codagenix also won a $222,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health.

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Codagenix snags grant to develop vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease

Newsday  online

2015-06-01

Codagenix Inc., a Stony Brook biotech company researching new vaccine-making methods, has been awarded nearly $100,000 to help develop a vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease.

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LI biotech Codagenix receives $2M equity investment

Newsday  online

2015-06-12

Codagenix, a biotechnology startup working on commercializing a new flu vaccine-making method, has received a $2 million investment from venture capital firm Topspin Partners of Roslyn Heights.

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Codagenix, A Tiny Start-Up Ready To Take On The Goliaths Of The Vaccine Industry

Life Science Leader  online

2015-11-01

One egg per person. That is what it takes to produce a flu vaccine. The standard, predominant method has not changed in more than 70 years. What has changed dramatically, however, is the per-unit cost of goods, price, and scarcity of the product; all have risen steadily, to the point now where the old model of universal vaccination seems more antiquated than the aforementioned egg. Arguably, newer, recombinant and cell-based production technologies have only compounded the cost/supply dilemma for vaccines, without a commensurate rise in mass efficacy. What if a company had a technology that could sharply lower CoG (cost of goods) and ensure the highest possible availability and effectiveness of an influenza vaccine — even though the company were a David up against the flu-shot Goliaths?

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LI wins $98.3M in state business aid

Newsday  online

2015-12-10

There also was $2.3 million for a vaccine development center at Farmingdale State College that is centered on Codagenix Inc., a flu vaccine developer born at Stony Brook University. Farmingdale State president W. Hubert Keen said faculty, scientists and students are working to create “immunity in biological systems and this funding will assist us enormously in advancing this research.”

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Research Grants (4)

NIH Small Business Technology Transfer

NIH $600,000

Live-attenuated ETEC Anti-Diarrhea Vaccine Construction via Synthetic Biology. The goal of this project is to develop live-attenuated vaccines candidates against the enteric microbial pathogen ETEC.

EAGER: Algorithms for Synthetic Gene Library Design

NSF $199,999

A grant for the construction of single iterations (i.e. small changes) of a target gene. The goal of this project is to develop a method for high throughput gene design.

NIH Small Business Technology Transfer

NIH $600,000

Co-wrote a successfully funded STTR “Rational Design of Live Attenuated Influenza A Vaccine Candidates"

Biomedical Research Grant

American Lung Association $74,816

Serve as PI to study the application of synthetic gene design to Streptococcus vaccine construction.

Published Articles (5)

An Ahemolytic Pneumolysin of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Manipulates Human Innate and CD4+ T-Cell Responses and Reduces Resistance to Colonization in Mice in a Serotype-Independent Manner.


J Infect Dis

2014-06-13

An Ahemolytic Pneumolysin of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Manipulates Human Innate and CD4+ T-Cell Responses and Reduces Resistance to Colonization in Mice in a Serotype-Independent Manner.


Tailoring of the Cellular Immune Response by Synthetic Customization of Pathogen Gene Expression


J Pathog

Tailoring of the Cellular Immune Response by Synthetic Customization of Pathogen Gene Expression


Antibodies to Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide enhance pneumococcal


MBio

2011-11-01

Antibodies to Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide enhance pneumococcal


Designed Reduction of Streptococcus pneumoniae Pathogenicity via Synthetic Changes in Codon-Pair Bias


J Infect Dis

2011-02-21

Designed Reduction of Streptococcus pneumoniae Pathogenicity via Synthetic Changes in Codon-Pair Bias


Harnessing DNA Synthesis to Develop Rapid Responses to Emerging and Pandemic Pathogens


J Pathog

Harnessing DNA Synthesis to Develop Rapid Responses to Emerging and Pandemic Pathogens


Courses (3)

Biological Principles I

This course deals with biological processes primarily at the molecular and cellular level, and develops the foundations of evolutionary and ecological concepts. There is a study of cell structure, and an examination of cellular composition and metabolic processes including enzyme activity, respiration, and photosynthesis. Principles of genetics are studied at the cellular and molecular level, with reference to current techniques in molecular biology. Evolutionary mechanisms are introduced and ecological concepts are presented as a unifying theme.

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Introduction to Bioscience

Moving beyond the basic concepts of general biology, this class explores how biology is used in both academic and commercial settings within the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceutical and clinical sciences. Topics will include: applications of biotechnology in microbes, plants, and animals, the human genome project and its relation to medical biotechnology, DNA forensics, and pharmaceutical drug discovery, delivery, and FDA approval. The debate surrounding subjects such as cloning, stem cells, and genetically modified foods will also be discussed.

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Medical Microbiology

The role of microbes as causative agents of disease in human hosts; the morphological characterization of pathogenic species, classification of communicable diseases and epidemiological aspects. Host-parasite relationship, infection, and host-resistance mechanisms; sero-diagnostic methods in medical practice. Chemotherapy, mode of action of antibiotics, sterilization, disinfection methods and contamination control.

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