CWRU Technology and Validation Start-Up Fund Program awards four new projects in its third funding round

The Case Western Reserve University Technology and Validation Start-Up Fund Program (CTP) recently selected four projects for its third funding round. CTP is awarded by the Ohio Third Frontier and managed through the CWRU Technology Transfer Office. The project aims to accelerate and fund the translation of promising technologies into the marketplace through Ohio-based companies with the eventual goal of creating greater economic growth. The $500,000 fund supports technologies that require validation/proof that will directly impact and enhance commercial viability and the ability to support a start-up company. The four CTP award recipients for Round 3 are:

Aaron Weinberg, School of Dental Medicine

Point-of-Care Device for Diagnosis and Monitoring of Oral Cancer

The technology: A non-invasive oral cancer biomarker test that collects cells from questionable oral lesions and objectively determines if they are cancerous within 15 minutes .

Jerry Silver, School of Medicine, Isabelle Deschenes, Metro Health Medical Center

IND enabling experiments for Intracellular Sigma Peptide in Acute Myocardial Ischemia

The technology: Novel therapeutic approach in the treatment of myocardial ischemia/infarction using a peptide that can regenerate cardiac nerves into the infarcted myocardium.

Anant Madabhushi, Department of Biomedical Engineering

LunIRiS: Decision Support for Lung Cancer Screening

The technology: Image analysis software on CT scans to determine whether lung nodules are benign or cancerous to prevent unnecessary surgical interventions.

Andrew M. Rollins, Department of Biomedical Engineering

OCT Image Guidance for RFA Therapy of Atrial Fibrillation

The technology: Catheter that combines Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) with guided cardiac radiofrequency ablation therapy to provide direct visualization of critical intra-cardiac structures.