Fast Forward Medical Innovation

We offer resources, support, and mentorship to world-class biomedical researchers at the University of Michigan, and across the state. 

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The Front Door to Biomedical Commercialization

Our mission at Fast Forward Medical Innovation (FFMI) is to provide the expertise and knowledge to help access and navigate the unparalleled biomedical innovation resources at the University of Michigan.

Whether you’re a student, faculty, potential collaborator, or industry partner, we encourage you to connect with a Fast Forward Medical Innovation team member to explore our program's unique offerings and find your path to groundbreaking innovation.

FFMI is part of a rich ecosystem of opportunities available to biomedical researchers at the University of Michigan. Together with our collaborators, we work to create a robust network of resources that help drive innovation to successful commercialization. The FFMI team is here to provide mentorship and guidance to the abundant funding, education, and support structure resources that will benefit your research. We look forward to working with you!

Frequently Used Links
  • FFMI fastPACE
  • Partner Program - Frankel Cardiovascular Center
  • Biotech Career Development Program
  • Innovation Partnerships
  • Center for Entrepreneurship
  • MTRAC Innovation Hub for Life Sciences
  • Frankel Innovation Initiative
  • Zell Lurie Institute
  • MICHR
    • FFMI Mukesh Nyati lab
    Spotlight On

    Register Today for the Rogel Cancer Center Innovation Program Project-based Course

    Begins January 2027! The Rogel Cancer Center Innovation Program is an educational initiative designed to help faculty, clinicians, and research scientists develop novel therapeutics and successfully build a business case for their research to secure commercialization resources, including non-traditional funding.

    The project-based course will conclude with a finale pitch event in which project teams will compete for project funding.

    Commercialization Education

    Dynamic educational resources for biomedical innovators to nurture entrepreneurship and groundbreaking research

    Mentorship & Funding

    Idea consultations to explore how your research can translate out of the university, including opportunities for funding

    Innovation Portfolio

    Searchable database of research expertise across the University of Michigan

    Business Development

    Business catalyst, building successful relationships between U-M biomedical researchers and corporate partners

    Michigan Biomedical Venture Fund

    Investments in biomedical startup companies with U-M licensed IP in the domain of therapeutics, devices, diagnostics, or health IT

    Meet the Team

    Experienced team members provide support, mentorship, and guidance

    FFMI fastpace
    Spotlight On

    Registration Open! FFMI fastPACE

    FFMI fastPACE is a virtual, project-based, experiential course designed to help academics launch new innovations, including medical devices/diagnostics, digital solutions, drugs, educational/training interventions, research tools, and many others
    Photo of a woman sitting in front of a laptop looking at the large team grant sharepoint website
    Spotlight On

    Frankel Cardiovascular Center Innovation Webinars

    Presented by the Frankel CVC and FFMI, the this webinar series aims to educate on topics of interest regarding cardiovascular innovation, encourage innovative thinking, and connect the community with resources to help further the advancement of ideas.
    FFMI Cagri Besirli lab
    Spotlight On

    Tool Helps Facilitate Collaboration with Industry

    The FFMI BD team's Collaborator Hub is designed to showcase faculty to potential industry partners. Collaborators can use this searchable database to find U-M faculty members whose expertise aligns with their needs.
    aerial photo of the medical school campus

    Fast Forward Medical Innovation

    Our Impact
    2025 was another record-breaking year of biomedical innovation at the University of Michigan, and Fast Forward Medical Innovation is thrilled to be part of the rich ecosystem of innovation resources that contributed to this impressive accomplishment.
    View Our 2025 Impact Report
    918
    faculty, staff, and trainee participants in commercialization education programs from U-M and across the state
    $147M
    Industry Research Awards
    286
    Invention Reports
    350M+
    follow-on investment (in 21 portfolio startups)
    Subscribe

    Newsletter

    Get a monthly digest of medical research and innovation, straight to your inbox.

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    Questions?

    Contact Us

    Fast Forward Medical Innovation
    University of Michigan Medical School
    Ann Arbor, Michigan

    Phone: 734-615-5060

    About Us
    Fast Forward Medical Innovation is a unit of the Medical School Office of Research, where our mission is to foster an environment of innovation and efficiency that serves the Michigan Medicine research community and supports biomedical science from insight to impact.

    Upcoming Research Events

     All Office of Research Events
    9 30 2026 12:00 pm 9 30 2026 - 1:00 pm

    Research Computing Modernization Project Update, Featuring Great Lakes 2 HPC
    Join the BRCF Advanced Genomics Core (AGC) and ITS Advanced Research Computing (ARC) to learn about the transition to Great Lakes 2 High Performance Computing. Enjoy a complimentary lunch.
    NCRC building exterior
    10 8 2026 9:00 am 10 8 2026 - 1:00 pm

    Ask the Experts: Advanced Genomics Core - 10x Genomics
    Join the BRCF Advanced Genomics Core (AGC) and 10x Genomics for an interactive, small-group discussion series designed around the questions, challenges, and opportunities that matter most to your research, whether you're planning your first single cell experiment or troubleshooting an ongoing spatial transcriptomics project.
    NCRC building exterior
    10 8 2026 1:00 pm 10 8 2026 - 5:00 pm

    Hands-On Workshop: Analyzing Xenium In Situ Spatial Data
    Join the BRCF Advanced Genomics Core (AGC) and 10x Genomics for a hands-on workshop covering key considerations and approaches for analyzing Xenium In Situ Gene Expression data.
    A diverse group of adults engages in a discussion around a table with laptops.
    10 8 2026 2:00 pm 10 8 2026 - 4:00 pm

    Central Biorepository Open House
    Get an inside look at a state-of-the-art facility at Michigan Medicine that helps researchers access, collect, manage, process, protect, and share human biospecimens. Join the Central Biorepository (CBR) for an upcoming Open House and tour our molecular and biorepository facilities, where we process and safely store more than 900,000 biospecimens.
    Photo of a woman standing in front of a long term storage freezer pulling out a rack of biospecimen
    10 12 2026 8:00 am 10 12 2026 - 6:00 pm

    Dean's Lecture Symposium
    The Dean's Lecture Symposium will offer a day of panel sessions, a poster session, and keynote speaker Sean Morrison from UT-Southwestern.
    stem cells
    10 13 2026 10:00 am 10 13 2026 - 3:00 pm

    10x Genomics Office Hours
    Get your questions answered, troubleshoot challenges, or walk through your experimental design to find the platform that best fits your research needs with 10x Genomics and the BRCF Advanced Genomics Core.
    Event runs September 08, 2026 - December 08, 2026
    The U-M North Campus Research Complex
    10 13 2026 12:00 pm 10 13 2026 - 1:00 pm

    Quality Control + Genotyping: A necessary step in model validation
    Join the BRCF Transgenic Animal Model Core for a complimentary lunch while you learn how to make your own model.
    A cell being engineered
    10 15 2026 2:00 pm 10 15 2026 - 3:00 pm

    The Funding Forum
    Join the Grant Services and Analysis Research Development (RD) team on Zoom every third Thursday at 2:00 pm for the Funding Forum – a 60-minute session designed to help UMMS faculty gain an advantage in grant seeking and proposal development.
    Event runs May 21, 2026 - December 17, 2026
    A person sits at a laptop at BSRB.
    10 22 2026 8:00 am 10 22 2026 - 5:00 pm

    Write Winning NIH R01 Grant Proposals
    This full-day workshop is an annual event for R01 Boot Camp participants, and will be open again this year to U-M faculty members, postdoctoral researchers and administrative staff interested in gaining a competitive edge in grantsmanship.
    Faculty and Dr. Robertson in the auditorium at Palmer Commons

    Featured Research News

     All Office of Research News     A view of the U-M Medical School and surrounding buildings on a partly sunny day.
    Office of Research

    Reinvest Your Core’s Rent Budget with the Recharge Core Support Plan (RCSP)

    University of Michigan Medical School department-based recharge cores can now secure some financial relief through the Recharge Core Support Plan (RCSP).
         researcher at microscope in a lab
    Office of Research

    Eligibility Extended for Supporting Scientific Excellence Fund

    Supporting Scientific Excellence Fund extended, federal research projects proposed with begin dates through December 31, 2026, are eligible to request funds through the Medical School program.
         Photo of Mathew Innes
    Office of Research

    Mathew Innes Appointed Director for Clinical Research

    The Medical School Office of Research (OoR) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mathew Innes, MBA, as the Director for Clinical Research in the Medical School Office of Research, effective Tuesday, September 1, 2026.