Back to News & Events

SBU Student & CFB Fundamentals Program Alum
Wins NIH Pitch Competition

Christopher Ashdown, a Stony Brook University MD/PhD student and alumnus of the CFB’s Fundamentals of the Bioscience Industry Program, has won the Innovator Showcase Pitch Event at the 2022 Proof of Concept Network (POCN) Annual Meeting hosted by National Institutes of Health SEED (Small business Education and Entrepreneurial Development). Chris pitched on behalf of Lahara Bio.

Chris advanced through multiple rounds of pitching and was selected to present at the POCN Innovator Showcase with two other exceptional POCN innovators. Congratulations Chris!

Related Stories

WP_Query Object
(
    [query] => Array
        (
            [post_type] => post
            [posts_per_page] => 3
            [post_status] => publish
            [orderby] => rand
        )

    [query_vars] => Array
        (
            [post_type] => post
            [posts_per_page] => 3
            [post_status] => publish
            [orderby] => rand
            [error] => 
            [m] => 
            [p] => 0
            [post_parent] => 
            [subpost] => 
            [subpost_id] => 
            [attachment] => 
            [attachment_id] => 0
            [name] => 
            [pagename] => 
            [page_id] => 0
            [second] => 
            [minute] => 
            [hour] => 
            [day] => 0
            [monthnum] => 0
            [year] => 0
            [w] => 0
            [category_name] => 
            [tag] => 
            [cat] => 
            [tag_id] => 
            [author] => 
            [author_name] => 
            [feed] => 
            [tb] => 
            [paged] => 0
            [meta_key] => 
            [meta_value] => 
            [preview] => 
            [s] => 
            [sentence] => 
            [title] => 
            [fields] => all
            [menu_order] => 
            [embed] => 
            [category__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [category__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [category__and] => Array
                (
                )

            [post__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [post__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [post_name__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag__and] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag_slug__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag_slug__and] => Array
                (
                )

            [post_parent__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [post_parent__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [author__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [author__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [search_columns] => Array
                (
                )

            [ignore_sticky_posts] => 
            [suppress_filters] => 
            [cache_results] => 1
            [update_post_term_cache] => 1
            [update_menu_item_cache] => 
            [lazy_load_term_meta] => 1
            [update_post_meta_cache] => 1
            [nopaging] => 
            [comments_per_page] => 50
            [no_found_rows] => 
            [order] => 
        )

    [tax_query] => WP_Tax_Query Object
        (
            [queries] => Array
                (
                )

            [relation] => AND
            [table_aliases:protected] => Array
                (
                )

            [queried_terms] => Array
                (
                )

            [primary_table] => wp_posts
            [primary_id_column] => ID
        )

    [meta_query] => WP_Meta_Query Object
        (
            [queries] => Array
                (
                )

            [relation] => 
            [meta_table] => 
            [meta_id_column] => 
            [primary_table] => 
            [primary_id_column] => 
            [table_aliases:protected] => Array
                (
                )

            [clauses:protected] => Array
                (
                )

            [has_or_relation:protected] => 
        )

    [date_query] => 
    [request] => SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS  wp_posts.ID
					 FROM wp_posts 
					 WHERE 1=1  AND wp_posts.post_type = 'post' AND ((wp_posts.post_status = 'publish'))
					 
					 ORDER BY RAND()
					 LIMIT 0, 3
    [posts] => Array
        (
            [0] => WP_Post Object
                (
                    [ID] => 5065
                    [post_author] => 4
                    [post_date] => 2026-09-01 14:03:32
                    [post_date_gmt] => 2026-09-01 18:03:32
                    [post_content] => 

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] => 4863 [post_author] => 4 [post_date] => 2025-05-01 12:34:41 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-05-01 16:34:41 [post_content] =>

Pragma Bio, a venture highlighted at the Center for Biotechnology's 2024 Life Sciences Summit this past fall, has signed a $3.1M deal with Syntekabioto to co-develop drug candidates sourced from gut microbiota. Pragma, which mines microbiome-based therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases, will provide the compounds and Syntekabio will handle the algorithmic optimization.

Read more about the Pragma, Syteka and their partnership here: https://www.koreabiomed.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=27024

[post_title] => Pragma Bio Inks Co-Development Deal with Syntekabio [post_excerpt] => Life Sciences Summit 2024 Venture Spotlight Company Pragma Bio signs 3.1M co-development deal. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => pragma-bio-inks-co-development-deal-with-syntekabio [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-03-10 14:20:26 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-03-10 18:20:26 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=4863 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 3592 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2020-07-24 11:40:47 [post_date_gmt] => 2020-07-24 11:40:47 [post_content] => The RADx Tech initiative aims to speed the development, validation, and commercialization of innovative point-of-care and home-based tests, as well as improve clinical laboratory tests, that can directly detect the virus. RADx Tech will expand the Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network (POCTRN) established several years ago by NIH’s National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). All scientists and inventors with a rapid testing technology are invited to compete in a national “shark tank”-type COVID-19 testing challenge for a share of up to $500 million over all phases of development. The technologies will go through a highly competitive, rapid three-phase selection process to identify the best candidates for at-home or point-of-care tests for COVID-19. Finalists will be matched with technical, business, and manufacturing experts to increase the odds of success. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Visit program website for full details on the RADx Programs and application process. https://www.nih.gov/research-training/medical-research-initiatives/radx/radx-programs [post_title] => Update: NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Programs [post_excerpt] => Scientists and inventors with a COVID-19 rapid testing technology: RADx Tech initiative challenge awarding shares of up to $500 million over all phases of development. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => update-nih-rapid-acceleration-of-diagnostics-radx-programs [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-12-03 14:59:29 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-12-03 19:59:29 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=3592 [menu_order] => 59 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 4725 [post_author] => 4 [post_date] => 2025-02-27 14:06:04 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-02-27 19:06:04 [post_content] =>

Stony Brook University faculty member and CFB supported researcher, Eric Brouzes, is leading a research to develop new testing methods for cervical cancer that do not require expensive equipment. The project has received a two-year grant of $50K per year from the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Read more from SBU News: https://news.stonybrook.edu/university/new-test-for-cervical-cancer-tackles-healthcare-inequalities/

[post_title] => Stony Brook Research News: New Test for Cervical Cancer Tackles Healthcare Inequalities [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => brouzes-cervical-cancer-test [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-03-16 14:27:42 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-03-16 18:27:42 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=4725 [menu_order] => 0 [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] => 5065 [post_author] => 4 [post_date] => 2026-09-01 14:03:32 [post_date_gmt] => 2026-09-01 18:03:32 [post_content] =>

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 ) [comment_count] => 0 [current_comment] => -1 [found_posts] => 285 [max_num_pages] => 95 [max_num_comment_pages] => 0 [is_single] => [is_preview] => [is_page] => [is_archive] => [is_date] => [is_year] => [is_month] => [is_day] => [is_time] => [is_author] => [is_category] => [is_tag] => [is_tax] => [is_search] => [is_feed] => [is_comment_feed] => [is_trackback] => [is_home] => 1 [is_privacy_policy] => [is_404] => [is_embed] => [is_paged] => [is_admin] => [is_attachment] => [is_singular] => [is_robots] => [is_favicon] => [is_posts_page] => [is_post_type_archive] => [query_vars_hash:WP_Query:private] => 325c4f9f1aebaa5ec90666fa54175ba0 [query_vars_changed:WP_Query:private] => [thumbnails_cached] => [allow_query_attachment_by_filename:protected] => [stopwords:WP_Query:private] => [compat_fields:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => query_vars_hash [1] => query_vars_changed ) [compat_methods:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => init_query_flags [1] => parse_tax_query ) [query_cache_key:WP_Query:private] => )

BioREACH: Translational Research Funding Opportunity

More Information

Pragma Bio Inks Co-Development Deal with Syntekabio

More Information

Update: NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Programs

More Information

Stony Brook Research News: New Test for Cervical Cancer Tackles Healthcare Inequalities

More Information