We Are Cortex | Nichole Mercier

How does an idea move from a university lab to a viable product that can save lives, power science, generate revenue or fill a niche in the marketplace? Usually, it doesn’t just happen by itself.

That’s where Nichole Mercier and her team at WashU’s Office of Technology Management can step in. “We assist faculty in transferring the research that's happening in these labs to make them think about a product in the commercial space,” said Mercier, who has risen through the ranks since 2008 to become that office’s assistant vice chancellor and managing director.

The result? Washington University has launched 115 companies — about two-thirds of them in only the last decade. Those companies have pioneered nanofiber mesh medical devices to aid patient healing (Acera Surgical). They’ve developed drugs to supercharge a patient’s immune system against cancer (Immunophotonics). They’ve forged off-the-shelf, cell-based cancer treatments by adapting healthy donor cells (Wugen). And they’ve launched non-invasive blood tests to give doctors early and accurate signs of Alzheimer’s disease (C2N Diagnostics) — just to name a few.

“C2N was one of the first licenses I ever did, so it's near and dear to me,” Mercier said. What started as a way to forestall distracting inquiries from other researchers around the world turned into a full-fledged product and a separate company. “This is a leaps and bounds opportunity and advancing the field of Alzheimer's detection — and they sit right here in the Cortex district.”

That location is critically important to Mercier, who herself is based in Cortex. The proximity to so many similar innovative startups and the resources available to companies in the district becomes, to her mind, a virtuous circle. It is about the walkability of the community, the easy access by MetroLink between campuses, ability to collaborate among scientists with similar specialties — even the existence of a dedicated WashU neuroscience building in the district.

“It's been wonderful to see how St. Louis has really grabbed hold and built a community around innovation,” she said. “By seeing our startups stay here in the region, stay here in Cortex, it does build pride for us. We know that we are contributing to a robust ecosystem for St. Louis, for WashU, and for our researchers.”

We Are Cortex celebrates the individuals who power our vibrant district. Join us on Tuesday, October 28, for #WeAreCortex – an inspiring and interactive event highlighting the thinkers, builders, creators, and doers who are shaping the future of St. Louis and beyond. Click here to learn more and RSVP!