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Vitatex Awarded NCI Contract

Vitatex, a Stony Brook-based biotechnology company located in the Long Island High Technology Incubator, has announced that it was awarded an SBIR Phase I/II Fast Track contract in September 2015 from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for its Vita-Cap™ CTC Capture and Preservation tubes. A modification to exercise the option for a two-year SBIR Phase II of the contract was executed on June 8, 2016.

Vitatex Inc. provides proprietary invasive circulating tumor cell (iCTC) enrichment technology and products to develop revolutionary cancer genetic and cell tests. These “liquid biopsies” focus on next generation sequencing (NGS) detection, gene expression profiling and flow cytometry and have recently been adopted by the clinical laboratory community to characterize cancer cells and/or their RNA/DNA in blood samples non-invasively and serially, and to acquire genetic alternations and drug resistance information, which have the potential to replace tests run on surgical biopsies.

Clinical metastasis of solid tumors is linked to blood-borne dissemination of viable tumor cells in the circulation and clinical instrumentation is now available to isolate, enumerate, culture, generate metastatic mouse models and perform molecular analyses on these circulating tumor cells (CTCs). However, CTCs are fragile and tend to degrade within a few days when collected in standard blood collection tubes.

“The functional CTC preparation tube is designed to collect, enrich and preserve the viability/functionality of cancer cells in blood all within a closed system” said Wen-Tien Chen, PhD., Chief Scientific Officer of Vitatex. “The goal is to define conditions of Vitatex CTC preparation tubes for capturing and preserving cancer cells in the blood of patients with breast, ovarian and other types for up to 96 hours of transit.”

Specific terms of the contract were not disclosed.

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Attention Stony Brook University Faculy and Staff: Applications for the second cycle of the President’s Fast Impact Fund (FIF) opened August 3, 2026. Open to all Stony Brook faculty and staff, this special initiative supports immediate-impact projects that can be launched quickly and deliver results within six to ten months.

The FIF provides awards of up to $300,000 focused on low‑investment, high‑reward initiatives that create visible, positive change. Examples of projects that would be considered include specialized equipment or technology acquisitions, pilot programs or proof‑of‑concept initiatives, targeted renovations or seed funding, among other opportunities.

All proposals must include a customized, high-level budget and be endorsed by the relevant vice president or dean with authority to implement the project. Applications for the August cycle will be available beginning August 3 with submissions due Friday, August 21 by 5 pm, ET. Please visit the Fast Impact Fund website for additional information and to submit an application.

[post_title] => SBU President’s Fast Impact Fund (FIF) [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => sbu-presidents-fast-impact-fund-fif [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-08-19 08:30:44 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-08-19 12:30:44 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=5031 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 3242 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2019-04-22 15:32:30 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-04-22 15:32:30 [post_content] => The next round of Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund Manufacturing Grants will open on May 1, 2019!  Manufacturing Grants are designed to encourage collaboration between companies and non-profit organizations in New York State that work with the manufacturing industry. Eligible applicants include New York State not-for-profit organizations and applicants must partner with a New York State small or medium sized (SME) manufacturer or other early-stage company with a project relevant to the manufacturing sector. For the purposes of this grant, SME is defined as a business with at least one physical establishment in New York State, and no more than 500 employees across the entire firm or enterprise worldwide. Eligible projects will include those that are used by the applicant to assist companies with the following types of projects: adoption of new technology to enhance a process and/or product, Prototype development, Design for manufacturing, Proof-of-concept manufacturing, Manufacturing scale-up Manufacturing-related equipment purchases [4] [5], and other projects to advance manufacturing or manufacturing capabilities Awards will be selected in July. Visit https://fuzehub.com/manufacturing-grants/ for full details.   [post_title] => Innovation Manufacturing Grants [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => innovation-manufacturing-grants [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-04-22 15:32:30 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-04-22 15:32:30 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=3242 [menu_order] => 96 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1455 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2015-03-16 19:45:43 [post_date_gmt] => 2015-03-16 19:45:43 [post_content] => Traverse Biosciences, founded by Joseph Scaduto - one of the Center for Biotechnology's first BioEntrepreneurs-in-Residence, announced today that it has executed an exclusive, worldwide license agreement with the Research Foundation for the State University of New York (RF/SUNY) for access to the animal health applications of a proprietary library of polyenolic zinc-binding agents. The license agreement also extends Traverse Biosciences the exclusive option to license the human health applications of these promising drug candidates. The drug compounds were invented by Lorne Golub, DMD, MD (Honorary), Distinguished Professor in the Department of Oral Biology and Pathology in the Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine, and Francis Johnson, PhD, President of Chem-Master International Inc. and Professor of Chemistry and Pharmacology at Stony Brook. The drugs were developed in concert with the the Center for Biotechnology at Stony Brook University. The Center provided financial support to help the inventors develop their lead compound and for follow-on animal studies. Click to read the press releases from Stony Brook University and Traverse Biosciences. [post_title] => Traverse Biosciences Executes Exclusive, Worldwide License Agreement [post_excerpt] => Traverse Biosciences, founded by Joseph Scaduto - one of the Center for Biotechnology's first BioEntrepreneurs-in-Residence, has executed an exclusive, worldwide license agreement with the Research Foundation for the State University of New York (RF/SUNY). [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => traverse-biosciences-executes-exclusive-worldwide-license-agreement [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2015-03-16 19:46:46 [post_modified_gmt] => 2015-03-16 19:46:46 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://centerforbiotechnology.org/new/?p=1455 [menu_order] => 209 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1015 [post_author] => 4 [post_date] => 2014-02-20 06:06:51 [post_date_gmt] => 2014-02-20 06:06:51 [post_content] => Springboard Enterprises is recruiting for Springboard: Life Science 2014 - a community-driven accelerator designed to promote and support women-led, life-science companies seeking equity investments or strategic partnerships. Companies that apply will undergo a rigorous screening process before being selected to participate in the program which includes a targeted, hands-on coaching process with industry experts and a two-day intensive Bootcamp workshop in Boston in May. Participants gain unique exposure to Springboard's nationwide network of VCs, angels, corporate investors, seasoned entrepreneurs and strategic partners through a variety of virtual and in-person events, and presentation assessment opportunities. Application Deadline: March 12, 2014 Cost: $100 application fee; if accepted: $2,000 program fee, 1-2% warrants (contribution of warrants to Springboard is optional but encouraged in recognition of the value of the Springboard network) Location: Virtual + in-person events Event Website: http://sb.co/programs/lifescience-2014/ [post_title] => Springboard: Life Science 2014 — Call for Applications [post_excerpt] => Springboard Enterprises is recruiting for Springboard: Life Science 2014 - a community-driven accelerator designed to promote and support women-led, life-science companies seeking equity investments or strategic partnerships. 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Attention Stony Brook University Faculy and Staff: Applications for the second cycle of the President’s Fast Impact Fund (FIF) opened August 3, 2026. Open to all Stony Brook faculty and staff, this special initiative supports immediate-impact projects that can be launched quickly and deliver results within six to ten months.

The FIF provides awards of up to $300,000 focused on low‑investment, high‑reward initiatives that create visible, positive change. Examples of projects that would be considered include specialized equipment or technology acquisitions, pilot programs or proof‑of‑concept initiatives, targeted renovations or seed funding, among other opportunities.

All proposals must include a customized, high-level budget and be endorsed by the relevant vice president or dean with authority to implement the project. Applications for the August cycle will be available beginning August 3 with submissions due Friday, August 21 by 5 pm, ET. Please visit the Fast Impact Fund website for additional information and to submit an application.

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