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Long Island Biomentoring Initiative Established

Program Established to Foster Vibrant Bioscience Cluster in the Region

On Friday, November 18th at the Long Island High Technology Incubator, the Long Island BioMentor Initiative (LIBMI) will be hosting its first full-day mentor training session for the founding mentors of the new initiative. Led by the Center for Biotechnology at Stony Brook University and Accelerate Long Island, the LIBMI has been established on behalf of the Long Island Bioscience Hub – an NIH-designated Research, Evaluation, and Commercialization Hub. The LIBMI is a platform to bring highly qualified, volunteer mentors together with motivated, early-stage bioentrepreneurs to provide guidance and support as they advance their business strategy.

The LIBMI is based on the successful mentoring model developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Venture Mentoring Service (VMS), and created in collaboration with Stony Brook University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Hofstra University, and the Feinstein Institute at Northwell Health Systems. Through MIT VMS’s team mentoring approach, the LIBMI aims to provide objective and unbiased advice that will help entrepreneurs navigate the challenging landscape that growing bioscience ventures face. Mentors participating in the November 18th training session led by a MIT VMS Co-Director will benefit from curriculum and interactive teachings along with a mentoring session with one of the first entrepreneurs chosen to serve as mentee.

“There is an abundance of innovation on Long Island as well as a growing pool of entrepreneurs looking to create ventures that will take root and grow in the region” said Mark Lesko, Board Member, Accelerate Long Island. Diane Fabel, Director of Operations for the Center for Biotechnology added “Establishing a formal mentoring program, specifically for the bioscience sector, is critical as these companies need diverse support in order for them to thrive.”

The initiative employs the team mentoring approach and brings together experts with great depth and a range of experiences. The members of the founding mentor team include Dr. Linda Amper, Chief People Officer of Clever Devices; Dr. Gian Luca Araldi, founder and principal of US Pharma Services; Kara Cannon, Global Head of Sales & Marketing of Enzo Life Sciences, Inc.; Dr. Anil Dhundale, former Executive Director of the Long Island High Technology Incubator; Dr. Wayne Koff, President and CEO of Human Vaccines Project; Ric Overton, President of Overton Operations Advisors; Jeff Peacock, VP Global Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs at Henry Schein, Inc.; Dr. Saied Tousi, Managing Director for NW Advisors; and Edward Travaglianti, Market President of Long Island for TD Bank.

The entire process is guided by a statement of principles to ensure confidentiality and a conflict free environment. The initiative will build upon a suite of services and resources provided by the NIH-designated Research, Evaluation, and Commercialization Hub (LI Bioscience Hub), Accelerate Long Island and the Emerging Technology Fund, the New York State Center for Advanced Technology in Medical Biotechnology.

“It’s important to me to help support the entrepreneurial ecosystem on Long Island” founding mentor Ed Travaglianti stated, “and the team approach expands our capacity, allowing us to mentor more than one entrepreneur.”

Learn more about the Long Island BioMentor Initiative here.

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Applications are now open for the 12th BioREACH Award Program from the Center for Biotechnology, which provides $50,000 in translational research funding for Stony Brook faculty and postdoctoral researchers to generate the evidence needed to advance promising innovations to the next stage of development.

BioREACH funds milestone-driven studies and welcomes biomedical innovations as well as platforms, tools, computational technologies, and other enabling technologies with the potential to contribute to solutions addressing unmet needs in health.

Application deadline: October 29, 2026, 5:00pm ET

For info sessions, eligibility and deadlines visit our REACH Website and FAQ.

The Center for Biotechnology (CfB) has helped advance some of Stony Brook University’s most impactful biomedical innovations, among them the yeast two-hybrid system, Xiaflex®, ReoPro®, Oracea®, and 3D virtual colonoscopy. The CfB has supported more than 475 faculty-led translational research projects and contributed to 306 license agreements generating $51 million in royalty returns to the University.

Questions? Reach out to our program contacts or sign up for office hours:

Dee Dao, PhD, Associate Director, dee.dao@stonybrook.edu
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 2–3:30 PM | Sign up Here

Zelda Mendelowitz, PhD, Venture Associate, zelda.mendelowitz@stonybrook.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 8–11 AM | Sign up Here

[post_title] => BioREACH: Translational Research Funding Opportunity [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => bioreach-translational-research-funding-opportunity [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-09-04 11:55:36 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-09-04 15:55:36 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=5065 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 3507 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2020-04-15 11:13:50 [post_date_gmt] => 2020-04-15 11:13:50 [post_content] => In early April, CFB Intern and Stony Brook University Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Peter Saenz was awarded second place and a price of $10,000 in the Stony Brook Entrepreneurs Challenge. The prize money will be used to advance the prototype of his “Ripple Band”, a wearable device to prevent viral transmission. He will be competing in the region finals on April 16 with the hopes of advancing to the statewide competition on April 24th. Congratulations and best of luck Peter! [post_title] => CFB Intern Places in Entrepreneurs Challenge [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => cfb-intern-places-in-entrepreneurs-challenge [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-04-15 11:13:50 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-04-15 11:13:50 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=3507 [menu_order] => 70 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 3290 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2019-07-18 19:14:24 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-07-18 19:14:24 [post_content] => Phase 0 Proof-of-Concept Partnership pilot program demonstrates effectiveness for transitioning basic science discoveries into the commercialization pipeline. The Long Island Bioscience Hub (LIBH), a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub (REACH), is pleased to announce it has demonstrated significant impact as outlined in a recent evaluative report presenting the results and activities of the NIH REACH program over the pilot period of three years. The LIBH, a collaboration between Stony Brook University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and the Feinstein Institute at Northwell Health, led by the Center for Biotechnology, was formed in March 2015 with a mission to help commercialize biomedical technologies emerging from the region’s research institutions. The report, prepared independently by RTI International on behalf of the NIH, outlines multiple outcomes from the REACH program, and documents the successes that the LIBH has had during the relatively short pilot phase of its work. The LIBH engaged 600 innovators in training sponsored or co-sponsored by the REACH Program. Fifty technology development projects have been funded by LIBH over the course of three years, including technologies focused on biologic drugs, diagnostic devices, small molecule drugs, therapeutic devices, and Health IT among others. As a result of the NIH investment in the LIBH, ten startup companies have been formed and two license agreements have been executed. In addition, the initial investment made by NIH in the region has generated follow on funding of more than $10 million, $2.8 million coming from five funded SBIR/STTR proposals based on LIBH technologies. This impact from the REACH program contributes to the overall economic impact of Center for Biotechnology, notably $1.2B over a recent fifteen year period. “We are thrilled with the outcomes reported in the RTI evaluation for the Long Island Bioscience Hub’s efforts thus far under the REACH program” said Clinton T. Rubin, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Director, Center for Biotechnology. “Through the REACH program we’ve been able to expand on the region’s efforts to commercialize more innovation locally, thereby capturing more of the economic impact within the region. While the pilot program will end in mid-2019, these impacts clearly demonstrate the potential of the model to make significant contributions to our innovation ecosystem.” “The RTI evaluation reinforces our knowledge that the Long Island Bioscience Hub model has already had a significant, positive impact on technologies and innovators embedded in our research community” stated Dr. Richard Reeder, Vice President for Research at Stony Brook University. “It is imperative we continue to fuel the activities of the LIBH as it is an essential part of innovation economy, and is a significant engine in bringing lifesaving technologies to patients.” The Center for Biotechnology, in collaboration with other partners in the region, will continue to explore how the model might be continued and expanded. Click here for PDF version. 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The Long Island Network for Clinical and Translational Science (LINCATS) will award two $25,000 pilot grants to fund innovative translational science research projects. Each project should address a critical issue in translational science, and be performed over one year. The awards are intended to facilitate new research directions and ultimately result in competitive external proposals.

Postdoctoral fellows and faculty affiliated within LINCATS Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, Northport VA Medical Center and Stony Brook University are eligible. Single or multi-investigator teams are invited to apply. Submission Deadline 16 October 2023. Application pdf must be uploaded online.

Visit stonybrookmedicine.edu/LINCATS/LINCATSPilots for the Submittable submission link and more details.

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Applications are now open for the 12th BioREACH Award Program from the Center for Biotechnology, which provides $50,000 in translational research funding for Stony Brook faculty and postdoctoral researchers to generate the evidence needed to advance promising innovations to the next stage of development.

BioREACH funds milestone-driven studies and welcomes biomedical innovations as well as platforms, tools, computational technologies, and other enabling technologies with the potential to contribute to solutions addressing unmet needs in health.

Application deadline: October 29, 2026, 5:00pm ET

For info sessions, eligibility and deadlines visit our REACH Website and FAQ.

The Center for Biotechnology (CfB) has helped advance some of Stony Brook University’s most impactful biomedical innovations, among them the yeast two-hybrid system, Xiaflex®, ReoPro®, Oracea®, and 3D virtual colonoscopy. The CfB has supported more than 475 faculty-led translational research projects and contributed to 306 license agreements generating $51 million in royalty returns to the University.

Questions? Reach out to our program contacts or sign up for office hours:

Dee Dao, PhD, Associate Director, dee.dao@stonybrook.edu
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 2–3:30 PM | Sign up Here

Zelda Mendelowitz, PhD, Venture Associate, zelda.mendelowitz@stonybrook.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 8–11 AM | Sign up Here

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