Gerngross, Sporn win Dartmouth innovation awards

Michael Sporn, emeritus professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Geisel School of Medicine. (Photo by Jon Gilbert Fox)

Biotechnology entrepreneur Tillman Gerngross and research physician Michael Sporn, emeritus professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Geisel School of Medicine, have been named the winners of Dartmouth’s Entrepreneurs Forum’s Technology Innovation and Commercialization awards.

The Entrepreneurs Forum has usually been a one-day event held each fall in San Francisco, but due to the pandemic, the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship shifted to a virtual forum featuring 25 online events spread over the month of September.

The all-online month of events attracted more than 1,000 registrants and included 138 alumni contributors, official said. The roster of speakers and attendees came from across the country and from more than 21 countries.

“Our awards highlight individuals who, through their inventive and entrepreneurial talents, have made strong contributions to Dartmouth and society,” Eric Fossum, associate provost for entrepreneurship and technology transfer, said.

During the event, he called Gerngross and Sporn examples of innovators who are dedicated to improving human health.

“Honestly, it was an easy choice in selecting Tillman and Michael. I am amazed by their energy, productivity, and success, and I am proud to have them as colleagues at Dartmouth.”

Gerngross has founded many companies in the medical field, most recently Adagio Therapeutics, which is beginning clinical trials of antibodies engineered to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

Sporn leads a biomedical research laboratory that has done research leading to the development of important therapeutic drugs. Most recently, Sporn co-founded a new company, Triterpenoid Therapeutics, which is planning to start clinical trials with a new generation of compounds for the treatment of cancer.