Awards support innovative research collaborations between academic faculty and regional bioscience companies.

The Center for Biotechnology at Stony Brook University has announced the recipients of the 2019-2020 Applied Research & Development (ARaD) awards. The ARaD Program is designed to help bridge the gap between the early-stage technology discovery and development capabilities of the academic community, and the later-stage commercial development interests of the bioscience industry.

The program currently provides matching funds on a competitive basis to support collaborations between Stony Brook University faculty and New York State corporate partners in all areas of medical biotechnology. The primary interest is in supporting development of technologies that will help companies hit commercially relevant milestones, and that have the potential to positively impact the New York State economy.

Projects supported this year include the further development of an Intensive Care Unit temporary pacemaker, a novel material platform to improve extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMOs) in heart-lung machines, further development of skin brightening agents, and a novel therapeutic to treat Lung Cancer.

“Through our participation in the Applied Research and Development Program at the Center for Biotechnology, we have been able to access the expertise of Dr. Wei Lin in the Department of Biomedical Engineering to collaborate on strategic research projects” stated Linda Towler, CEO of Avery Biomedical Devices, a global leader in high reliability diaphragm pacemakers. “This research and development collaboration has allowed us to considerably accelerate our product development and we expect it to generate significant new revenue for the company downstream.”

“The Center for Biotechnology is thrilled to be able to continue to collaborate with New York State companies to help them develop commercially promising technologies that will lead to strategic partnerships, investment, corporate revenues, and job creation” said Diane Fabel, Director of Operations for the Center for Biotechnology. “The projects supported by this year’s Applied Research and Development awards exemplify the innovative science happening all around us both in our academic institutions and bioscience companies. The Center for Biotechnology is excited to be an engine promoting interactions between the two to help fuel the overall bioscience ecosystem in the region.”

The ARaD Program is part of a suite of programs and services provided by the Center for Biotechnology (CFB) focused on accelerating the development of biomedical technologies in order to have a positive impact on human health and society.

2019-2020 Applied Research and Development Awards

“Temporary Pacemaker” Avery Biomedical Devices & Dr. Wei Lin, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University

“c-VACNT material bio-interaction studies” CVD Equipment Corporation & Dr. Srinivas Pentyala, Professor and Director of Translational Research, Anesthesiology, Stony Brook Medical Center

“Evaluation of Hydrogenated Curcumins as Skin Brightening Agents with Novel Antimelanogenic and Antioxidant” BioCogent, LLC & Dr. Sandford Simon, Professor, Biochemistrty & Cell Biology and Pathology, Stony Brook University

“Evaluation of small molecule Bax activators in mouse models of lung cancer” PHD Biosciences & Dr. Thomas Zimmerman, Assistant Professor, Director, Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, Stony Brook University; Attending Veterinarian, Brookhaven National Laboratory; Attending Veterinarian, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Click here for PDF version of announcement. 

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.