Author Archives: Center for Biotechnology

NYSTAR Visits SBU

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In early February, we welcomed leadership from Empire State Development (ESD), including its Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) and New York Ventures, for a two-day visit focused on applied research, industry collaboration and economic development across New York State.

The visit spotlighted key teams throughout Stony Brook University, including the Center’s role in driving innovation through supporting hundreds of patents, licenses, and commercialization efforts to help translate breakthrough discoveries into real‑world medical and biotechnology applications. As our very own Clinton Rubin remarked, “We are excited by NYS’s commitment to harnessing Stony Brook’s research enterprise for economic impact, and building the life sciences innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem here on campus, on Long Island and in our State.”

We’re excited to share more soon about how our Center is bringing its vision to life by accelerating the path from academic research to marketplace solutions.

CFB Advisor to Helm Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe

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Kara Cannon, a member of the Center for Biotechnology, NYS Center for Advanced Technology’s Strategic Advisory Board, has been appointed Executive Director of the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe (TSCW).

Located on Long Island at the site of Nikola Tesla’s only remaining laboratory, TSCW advances innovative learning, fosters emerging technologies, and preserves Tesla’s legacy through the future Nikola Tesla Museum.

Ms. Cannon, former CEO of Enzo Biochem and a nationally respected life sciences executive, has been a prominent member of the Long Island bioscience community for more than three decades. Her expertise helped strengthen Long Island’s innovation economy and her executive experience has positioned her to continue the expansion and impact that TSCW will have as a hub for innovation and STEM learning on Long Island.

Read more about the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe (TSCW) and Ms. Cannon’s role in advancing it’s mission here: https://teslasciencecenter.org/announcements/new-executive-director-kara-cannon/

Stony Brook Researchers Secure Seed Funding from SUNY TAF

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Dr. Gurtej Singh, Research Associate Professor of Surgery at the Renaissance School of Medicine, was awarded seed funding through the SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund (TAF) to advance DEVA — a vascularized, shelf-stable skin substitute for advanced wound care. This bio-printed, multilayered construct integrates embedded vascular networks and antimicrobial features to enhance healing for chronic and hard-to-treat wounds — with the potential to shorten healing timelines and improve patient outcomes.

Additionally, Dr. Anurag Purwar, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in Stony Brook’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, was one of four SUNY Mission TAF awardees for his research, MotionGen — An AI Platform for Intelligent Mechanism Design in Robotics. Purwar is launching an enterprise version of MotionGen, a cloud-based AI platform that automates the robot mechanism design, reducing costs and improving quality through enhanced visualization and intelligent synthesis tools.

The SUNY TAF supports early-stage innovations with strong commercial potential, helping faculty move technologies from the lab toward real-world impact. This funding — part of a competitive award portfolio — underscores how translational research at Stony Brook continues to bridge discovery science and high-impact biotechnology solutions. Read more about these innovators and the TAF awards on SBU News.

NYS Governor Hochul Announces $300M Investment in SUNY at Stony Brook’s Quantum Research and Innovation Hub

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New York State is making a major investment in the future of technology with a $300 million commitment to Stony Brook University to establish a first-of-its-kind Quantum Research and Innovation Hub. Building on Stony Brook’s leadership as home to the nation’s largest quantum network, the new hub will advance research and education in quantum communication, computing, and networking—critical components for developing a faster, smarter, and more secure internet. The 150,000-square-foot facility, expected to open in 2029, will bring together a new Quantum Institute, a hybrid Quantum Data Center, and a Quantum Education Consortium to integrate research, computing, and workforce development.

This investment is part of a broader push by New York State to strengthen its position as a global leader in emerging technologies. By expanding research capacity and cultivating top talent, the hub aims to accelerate breakthroughs that address complex societal challenges while driving economic growth across the region. With strong support from state leadership and continued funding for higher education, Stony Brook is poised to become a premier global center for quantum science and technology.

Read more about the investment, it’s impact and Stony Brook’s role as a leader in the field on Stony Brook News here.

SBU Cancer Center Team Receives $11M NIH Grant

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Dr. Yusuf Hannun and his team at Stony Brook Medicine Cancer Center have been awarded a competitive $11 million NIH Program Project Grant to advance groundbreaking research on sphingolipids in cancer biology and therapy.

This is a major milestone for the institution and a testament to the team’s innovative work in understanding how lipids drive cancer development and how that knowledge can lead to new treatments, especially for breast and liver cancer—the two leading causes of death both locally and nationwide.

Dr. Hannun’s legacy continues to shape the future of cancer research at SBCC, and this award reflects the growing global impact of our work with promising life science companies.