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CFB BEIR Receives $1.9M SBIR Fast-Track

Avanti Biosciences, Inc. a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company lead by Center for Biotechnology BioEntrepreneur-in-Residence Dr. Gian Luca Araldi, has announced that the National Institute of Aging (NIA) has awarded the Company an SBIR fast-track grant of up to $1,930,000 to support the company’s small molecule treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) over the next 3 years.

The award will enable the preparation and testing of Avanti’s proprietary compounds derivatized from natural catechins, which inhibit DYRK1A, an enzyme that modulates tau phosphorylation. Working with NY Institute for Basic Research and the University of California San Diego (UCSD), the company hopes to attenuate and potentially reverse pathogenesis for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

“This award marks a significant milestone for Avanti Biosciences and an important step for their research into a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease” stated Dr. Clinton Rubin, Director of the New York State Center for Biotechnology at Stony Brook University. “The Center for Biotechnology is thrilled to see another success for one of the emerging bioscience companies fueling our regional bioecosystem and we proudly support Dr. Araldi’s work as one of our BioEntrepreneurs-in-Residence.”

Dr. Gian Luca Araldi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Avanti, stated, “We are delighted to have been granted this funding from the NIA as it underscores the great need for innovative, effective treatments for this disease, and recognizes the potential benefits that our compounds may provide for patients with AD. The continuous support of Center for Biotechnology and the BioEntrepreneur-in-Residence program has been critical force in the development of our technology and the company as whole.”

More than five million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive, irreversible, neurodegenerative disease that destroys memory and other cognitive abilities. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and as the aging population in the country grows, the incidence rate is expected to rise dramatically.

Learn more about Avanti Biosciences: avantibiosciences.com

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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] => 1475 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2015-03-26 16:37:02 [post_date_gmt] => 2015-03-26 16:37:02 [post_content] => Eavesdropping on Investors' Closed Door Discussions" 1st Pitch Life Sciences Meeting Tuesday, April 14, 2015 5:30pm - 8:30pm Hear what happens after a start-up company presents to an investor group. Usually after the company representatives leave the room the investors have a private discussion to decide whether the opportunity merits further investigation and possible investment. 1st Pitch Life Science offers presenters and audience members the chance to hear what happens in those closed-door discussion, and to learn what really matters to investors. 1st Pitch Life Science is organized by MABA (Mid Atlantic Bio Angels www.bioangels.net), a life science investor group, to encourage and educate aspiring life science entrepreneurs who know they may be too early or not fully prepared to seek investment but want the opportunity to practice their pitch and to receive constructive criticism from experienced and knowledgeable professionals. To Register: https://1stpitchapril2015.eventbrite.com When: Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 5:30pm : Registration & Networking 6:00 - 8:00pm : Program 8:00 - 8:30pm : Networking Where:** Please note new location** New York Genome Center 101 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10013   [post_title] => 1st Pitch Life Sciences Meeting - April 14 [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 1st-pitch-life-sciences-meeting-april-14 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2016-03-02 18:13:17 [post_modified_gmt] => 2016-03-02 18:13:17 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://centerforbiotechnology.org/new/?p=1475 [menu_order] => 207 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 4703 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2025-02-20 10:15:58 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-02-20 15:15:58 [post_content] =>

CFB Client Haptic Heart Solutions has been accepted to present "Haptic Feedback System for Cardiovascular Interventions" at the Heart Rhythm 2025 Meeting taking place April 24-27 in San Diego, California. The annual Heart Rhythm meeting is the must-attend event for anyone involved in researching or delivering arrhythmia care or services

HapticHeart Solutions is building a system that takes signals from various systems within the cardiac cath/electrophysiology lab and translates them into haptic feedback that is delivered to operators in near real-time via a wearable. This device-agnostic solution can be customized for multiple use cases in catheter-based interventional cardiology, cardiac electrophysiology, and structural heart procedures.

[post_title] => Haptic Heart Solution to Present at Heart Rhythm 2025 [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => haptic-heart-solution-to-present-at-heart-rhythm-2025 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-05-01 12:40:14 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-05-01 16:40:14 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=4703 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 2700 [post_author] => 4 [post_date] => 2017-05-19 18:26:24 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-05-19 18:26:24 [post_content] => Center for Biotechnology BioEntrepreneur-in-Residence and Founder and CEO of Traverse Biosciences, Joseph Scaduto, recently penned a powerful article discussing the importance of human capital to the growth and sustainability of New York’s bioscience ecosystem. "...the prospect of “jumping ship” into a new bioscience venture is not just risky, it is downright scary, if not financially impossible, exacerbated further by the frightening lack of alternative job opportunities in the high-probability event of failure. In my opinion, this seemingly insurmountable and geographic “barrier to entry,” defined by the comparatively excessive risk of bioentrepreneurship, is a primary reason why New York continues to struggle to develop, cultivate and grow a vibrant, dynamic and self-sustaining bioscience industry cluster." Read the full article here.   [post_title] => Getting Serious About BioEntrepreneurship in New York [post_excerpt] => "The prospect of “jumping ship” into a new bioscience venture is not just risky, it is downright scary, if not financially impossible, exacerbated further by the frightening lack of alternative job opportunities in the high-probability event of failure." [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => getting-serious-about-bioentrepreneurship-in-new-york [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-08 15:53:19 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-08 15:53:19 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=2700 [menu_order] => 145 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ) [post_count] => 4 [current_post] => -1 [before_loop] => 1 [in_the_loop] => [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 5031 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2026-08-10 12:17:19 [post_date_gmt] => 2026-08-10 16:17:19 [post_content] =>

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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