From potential new therapies for arthritis and Alzheimer's disease to converting poultry feathers into animal feed protein supplements and using worm-composted manure for preventing plant diseases, 13 projects were awarded grants this year from Cornell's Center for Life Science Enterprise, one of 15 Centers for Advanced Technology (CAT) designated by New York state.

The 2010-11 CAT grants, which are intended to support technology development, innovation and commercialization leading to economic growth in New York, totaled more than $530,000 and included funds from the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) and Cornell. NYSTAR matched investments in projects where industrial co-sponsors partner with faculty to bring innovative Cornell research to a prototype stage. Cornell provided funds to those projects without industry partners.

"We are pleased to catalyze these innovative faculty projects, which were selected for their promising science and potential economic impact to New York state," said Jocelyn Rose, director of the Center for Life Science Enterprise.

Awards were given to a diverse cross-section of Cornell projects, including therapeutics, bioremediation, drug delivery, bioengineering and plant production. Also, this year's applicants represented 18 departments from five colleges.

"In partnership with New York companies, the Center for Life Science Enterprise supports Cornell faculty research and development programs that lead to economic development for the state," said Rose. "Such projects have resulted in almost 200 new or retained jobs, more than $26 million in economic impact over the last three years and an average of three company startups a year," he added.

The project results will be showcased at the annual Public Engagement and Science Communication Symposium May 12, 2011. The full list of projects receiving 2010-11 grants is available at http://www.biotech.cornell.edu/index.cfm/page/cat/rd/10-11_projects.htm.