Illinois Ventures Portfolio Company Founders and Proof of Concept Awardees

Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) named three Illinois Ventures funded scientists to the 2020 Researchers to Know list. Martin Burke is the Academic Co-founder of Revolution Medicine, an Illinois Ventures portfolio company.

Dr. Burke is Professor for Chemical Innovation in the Department of Chemistry and Associate Dean for Research in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Prof. Burke studies molecules that have protein-like functions for potential use as substitutes for missing or dysfunctional proteins in a medical setting. In his most recent publication, Prof. Burke identified a molecule that could potentially address respiratory problems in patients with cystic fibrosis. He has also spearheaded the UIUC campus response to the COVID-19 pandemic, developing new approaches for testing through an integrated response known as SHIELD. He and the SHIELD team have developed new technology that does not require traditional nasal swabs to test for the virus, allowing for large-scale testing on campus.

In addition to Prof. Burke’s academic research roles, he is a highly successful serial entrepreneur and innovator. Burke was recently awarded iBIO’s iCON Innovator Award,the region’s most prestigious honor for life sciences educators, researchers and civic visionaries. He is the founder of four biotechnology companies: Revolution Medicines, Ambys Medicines, Sfunga Therapeutics and Cystetic Medicines. Prof. Burke is also a dedicated educator, and has received the Nobel Laureate Signature Award for Graduate Education in Chemistry from the American Chemical Society.

Bellur Prabhakar and Maria Siemionow received pre-seed funding from Illinois Ventures’ Proof of Concept Program.

Dr. Prabhakar is Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Associate Dean at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) College of Medicine. Prof. Prabhakar has spent over 30 years dedicated to research in the areas of autoimmune diseases and oncology. His most recent research is focused on a receptor found in key immune system cells. This research has the potential to lead to better treatment options for different autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid), myasthenia gravis (weakness of muscles), and Type 1 Diabetes. Prof. Prabhakar and his colleagues are also leading a UIC effort to produce 160,000 vials of Virus Transport Medium (VTM)—a crucial testing material for COVID-19 currently facing a national shortage—and make them available to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Dr. Siemionow is Professor and Director of Microsurgery Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) College of Medicine. Her research is aimed at reducing organ and tissue transplant rejection and the need for lifelong immunosuppressive drugs typically used by transplant patients. An additional focus for Prof. Siemionow is developing new surgical techniques to enhance nerve regeneration after tissue or organ transplants. She is working to determine whether cells made by fusing donor and recipient bone marrow stem cells affect the success of tissue and organ transplants. Prof. Siemionow and her son, Prof. Kris Siemionow, Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery in the UIC College of Medicine, are co-founders of Dystrogen Therapeutics SA. Dystrogen Therapeutics aims to advance the use of blended cells to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

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