COLUMBIA, MD – The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) says five Maryland university-based research teams have received $75,000 total in funding. Each receives $15,000 TechStart grants to determine the commercial viability of specific technologies.
TechStart helps university-based teams determine the commercial viability of specific technologies, and is designed to increase the number of university startups, elevating Maryland’s national standing.
“The TechStart Program provides opportunity and potential for premier technologies developed in Maryland academic research facilities to be commercialized,” said Renée Winsky, president and executive director of TEDCO.
The five university-based research teams that received the funding are as follows:
•Michael Zilliox, Ph.D., biologist at JHU; Rafel Irizarry, Ph.D., biostatistician at JHU; Karen Olson, entrepreneur; and Steve Kubisen, technology transfer manager at JHU, are developing the Gene Expression Barcode which can compare the gene expression patterns of tumor cells to define previously undiscovered subsets in heterogeneous tumor populations.
The team received funding to conduct a freedom to operate analysis of key patents, market studies and a business plan.
•Daniel Hahn, optical engineer at APL; Kevin Baldwin, supervisor in the air and missile defense department at APL; Gerard Eldering, founder and president of InnovateTech Ventures; and Heather Curran, technology transfer manager at APL, received funding to further develop a high resolution, digital, 3D scanning technology that quickly acquires the detail and reflectance of an object which can be stored, changed, shared and copied.
Funding will also be used to identify markets and a business niche for this technology.
•Greg Payne, Ph.D., scientist at UMBI; Colleen Nye and Loleta Robinson founders of Syan Biosciences; and Jonathan Gottlieb, technology transfer manager at UMBI , are working to commercialize a chitosan chip biosensor technology comprised of a novel material modified from crustacean cells.
The technology, developed by Greg Payne and William Bentley, Ph.D., both scientists affiliated with UMBI, UMCP, and University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), can be used to build hand-held protein detectors for scientific research, point-of-care diagnostics and applications in biodefense. Funding will be used to support intellectual property due diligence and to conduct market research.
•Marino diMarzo, Ph.D., engineering professor at UMCP; Phyllis Kolmus and Sherry McCray, graduates of the entrepreneurial ACTiVATE program; and Gayatri Varma, acting director of the office of technology commercialization at UMCP, are working to commercialize the Fire Protection for Vehicles Technology (FPVT) developed by di Marzo.
The FPVT technology is a compact nozzle that produces fire-suppressing foam that can be installed in the engine compartment area of a car. The FPVT is designed to deploy on impact releasing nitrogen-based, fire-choking foam which will put out a fire in the vehicle or prevent a fire from starting.
Funding will be used to conduct market research and analysis on the Fire Suppression Systems industry and contract legal services to perform a freedom to operate analysis.
•Subroto Chatterjee, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics at JHU; Kollol Pal, CEO of Armani Therapeutics; and Leigh A. Penfield, tech transfer manager at JHU’s technology transfer office, the office responsible for technology management, licensing and startups, received funding to further a business focused on developing inhibitors useful in treating cell proliferative disorders.
Myocardial infraction and coronary artery disease are often treated by performing a balloon angioplasty. Studies have shown that cells in the vascular wall can proliferate rapidly in response to the injury caused by the angioplasty, leading to a blockage of the blood vessel, or restenosis.
Existing FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of restenosis have limitations due to a high degree of clot formation or thrombosis. Funding will be used to develop a strategic plan for the business and perform a freedom to operate analysis.
On the Web:www.marylandtedco.org
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