Life science projects with legs for business win grants

A new project aims to engineer ear cartilage to treat children with microtia, a congenital deformity where the external ear is underdeveloped. And an initiative to develop a science kit lending library for K-12 teachers so that students might participate in “real science” in class, rather than watching videos or observing experiments, is also in the works.

These are two of 10 projects led by Cornell life science researchers in Ithaca and at Cornell Weill Medical College. They received one-year grants from the Center for Advanced Technology (CAT), a NYSTAR (New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation) program at Cornell’s Institute of Biotechnology.

The awards will advance research for life science technologies that have potential commercial applications. Each project – in human and animal health, agriculture and the environment – takes advantage of matching funds from New York-based companies. The 2014 grants together total $431,356 in direct funds and $546,501 in matching funds.

 The other eight projects include:

  • An internship program that matches students with small New York biotech companies.
  • Topical compounds that enhance the natural DNA-repair mechanism in cells, with applications ranging from anti-aging and skin enhancement creams to skincare prescriptions for diseases related to DNA damage.
  • Gloves that warm hands to encourage sleep for people who have difficulty falling asleep (sleep onset insomnia). If marketed, it will be the first device of its kind for treating insomnia.
  • Understanding the surface properties of exosomes, naturally produced nanoparticles made by all cells for intracellular communication. This knowledge could lead to developing biosensors for disease detection.
  • Physiologically appropriate tissues to restore, maintain or improve function in clinical contexts, and provide platforms with which to study basic biological processes and screen drug candidates and drug delivery strategies.
  • Create novel strains of Aspergillus, a fungus that can cheaply produce commercial enzymes for chemical decontamination, detecting chemical warfare agents and for lab use.
  • An instrument that detects changes in cell properties for use in labs that grow cell lines. The purpose of this instrument is to detect possible contamination and changes in cell growth, the latter of which could indicate presence of disease.
  • Investigating how vermiculture aids plants by describing the microbiota that are generated in the soil by worm manure, vermicompost and other products, and in related crop microbiomes. This knowledge will be used to develop a product for organic plant protection and growth.

This year saw continued evidence of creative collaborative ventures involving researchers on the Ithaca campus and those at Weill Cornell Medical College, said Jocelyn Rose, director of the Institute of Biotechnology.

The CAT program has funded more than 1,000 projects over 30 years and has helped launch, on average, two to three companies each year. Seed funding has also increased the number of viable fledgling companies that eventually qualify to participate in the Kevin M. McGovern Family Center for Venture Development in the Life Sciences, the on-campus business incubator that opened in 2011.

Media Contact

Melissa Osgood