LabTV Harnesses University of Colorado, Boulder's Talent in Film, Medical Research

    STAMFORD, CT, July 02, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- LabTV announced that the University of Colorado, Boulder in Boulder, CO has agreed to work with LabTV filmmakers to create human-interest video profiles of young working medical researchers at labs on the university's campus. Inspiring innovations in research requires new, creative minds to enter the field, and LabTV's partnership with University of Colorado, Boulder will foster the next generation's interest in research careers.

Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), has repeatedly stated that America needs visible role models in medical research who can encourage more of our best and brightest young people - especially women and minorities - to join this crucial profession. LabTV seeks to create these role models in the online video platform that attracts new talented students with short, human interest video profiles of current researchers.

"The entire world is in a race against time as the global population gets steadily older and sicker, and as the demands on healthcare systems in every country become more unsustainable," said LabTV Executive Producer David Hoffman. "Now more than ever, the world needs today's outstanding students to become future heroes of medical research, cracking the code of health and disease to improve and lengthen billions of lives."

With outstanding universities such as Colorado University, Boulder being profiled by LabTV, students are getting a look at some of the countries top researchers. With 11 research institutes, funding in 2012 of over $380.07 million, and as of September 2013, 101 National Science Foundation Fellows, this university was especially important to profile. University of Colorado, Boulder has been ranked among the top research schools in the United States and has received a total of over $21 million in 2014 from the National Health Institutes, which is a firm supporter of LabTV.

However, that is not the extent of the activity, having allowed students from their Media Department to come in and interview the researchers has shed more light on the work they are doing everyday. Igniting interest in future generations through LabTV has been awarded in the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City with the University of Colorado, Boulder's student filmmakers taking home awards.

"The University of Colorado Boulder's Journalism & Mass Communication program was excited to take part in LabTV's inaugural filmmaking contest. It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to showcase one of Boulder's world-class research facilities. This is just the beginning of our involvement in LabTV, as Boulder has so many labs to showcase and as many students to tell the stories," said Christine Mahoney Internship and Career Coordinator at the Journalism & Mass Communication Department of University of Colorado, Boulder.

Emilie Johnson, student filmmaker at University of Colorado, Boulder, was a Finalist Award Winner for her profile of University of Colorado Boulder graduate student Emi Tokuda. Tokuda is trying to find effective ways to battle melanoma, a notoriously drug-resistant disease that is responsible for 75 percent of all skin cancer related deaths..

When asked about her experience Johnson said, "LabTV's efforts to show high school students that science doesn't have to be intimidating, and that scientists are people, too, is a brilliant idea!" People are recognizing the power of these researchers in part by getting to know them as people, Johnson continued, "After working with LabTV, I would encourage fellow student journalists and filmmakers to be part of this program because not only is it a great cause, but it was a lot of fun to meet the scientists."

In an effort to magnify the impact of LabTV, the NIH is encouraging America's labs to open their doors to LabTV so that both professional and student filmmakers can create the videos that will celebrate young scientists and excite today's students.

To that end, LabTV is sending amateur and professional filmmakers to 40,000 NIH-funded medical research labs across America, and filmmakers are creating short video profiles of tens of thousands of young scientists.

"Our goal," said LabTV founder Jay Walker, "is to help students find role models they can identify with - young scientists who are people just like themselves, and who share their dreams and passions."

Universities that wish to have their young scientists profiled on LabTV at no cost to the university or the lab may contact LabTV's Debbie Pranckitas at (415) 813-8100 or by email at [email protected].

David Hoffman is an Emmy award-winning filmmaker of more than 150 television documentaries and multi-part series for PBS, Turner, A&E and Discovery. Mr. Hoffman has produced more than 200 television programs, five feature-length documentaries, and hundreds of YouTube "movies" that together have over 10 million views.

Jay Walker, the founder of LabTV, is also the chairman of Patent Properties and curator of TEDMED, the health and medicine edition of the famous TED conference. A noted entrepreneur, Mr. Walker has founded three companies that serve more than 50 million customers. He is best known as the creator of Priceline, which brought a new level of value to the travel industry.

LabTV, in cooperation with the National Institutes of Health, inspires STEM-oriented students, particularly women and minorities, to consider a career in medical research. LabTV does this by having filmmakers, primarily undergraduates, interview young medical scientists, and post their interviews on LabTV.com where viewing students can find and connect with successful young medical scientists just like them.

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