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] => 3214 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2019-03-22 15:00:07 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-03-22 15:00:07 [post_content] => The Center for Biotechnology (CFB) announces a Request for Proposals under its Applied Research and Development Program (ARaD). Through this program, the CFB provides matching grants for Stony Brook University affiliated faculty and industry partners to collaborate on applied research and R&D projects. Projects will be evaluated based upon their potential to positively impact the corporate partner, the potential for economic impact in NYS, and the scientific and commercial merit of the proposal. The maximum award from the Center for Biotechnology will be $40K and will require a minimum 1:1 financial match from the corporate partner. Smaller projects are also encouraged. All awards, including the funding provided by the corporate partner, will be established on campus in the name of the faculty collaborator and will be governed by a corporate-sponsored research or testing agreement, depending upon the circumstances. Projects are expected to start on or about July 1. The application guidelines and forms can be found here. Deadline for submission is April 15, 2019, 5 pm. Please contact the team at the Center for Biotechnology with any questions (Project Questions: william.hanes@stonybrook.edu; Budget Questions: annette.depietri@stonybrook.edu) [post_title] => Funding Opportunity: Faculty/Industry Collaborations [post_excerpt] => Announcing a Request for Proposals under our Applied Research and Development Program (ARaD) which provides matching grants for Stony Brook University affiliated faculty and industry partners to collaborate on applied research and R&D projects. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => arad2019 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-03-22 15:01:10 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-03-22 15:01:10 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=3214 [menu_order] => 99 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 183 [post_author] => 4 [post_date] => 2013-07-12 12:31:58 [post_date_gmt] => 2013-07-12 12:31:58 [post_content] => CFB Client Company Codagenix has joined the crowd-funding site microryza to help fund their latest research endeavor. Learn more about the project and this innovative way of funding scientific discoveries here: https://www.microryza.com/projects/synthetic-flu-vaccine-for-rapid-global-use [post_title] => Translating Science into Opportunity [post_excerpt] => The Center for Biotechnology has been successfully bridging the gap between basic science and commercial application, fueling economic growth, and impacting human health for the past 30 years. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => mint-condition [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2014-09-02 18:42:48 [post_modified_gmt] => 2014-09-02 18:42:48 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://centerforbiotechnology.org/new/?p=183 [menu_order] => 230 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 2350 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2016-07-19 19:15:50 [post_date_gmt] => 2016-07-19 19:15:50 [post_content] => Rosyln Heights, NY-based Ortek Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded a patent for new methods to use new compositions to prevent or treat drug-resistant bacteria and suppress body odor. U.S. Patent 9,370,476, was issued to The Research Foundation of State University of New York, an Ortek licensing partner, and is directed to topical application of a zinc and arginine-based composition. Ortek holds exclusive international licensing rights to this patent, which was developed at Stony Brook University. Ortek has a long-standing relationship with Israel Kleinberg DDS, PhD, DSc, who led the development of this new technology and is the Director of the Division of Translational Oral Biology at Stony Brook University. [post_title] => Ortek Therapeutics Announces New Patent for Microbiome Technology [post_excerpt] => Ortek Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded a patent for new methods to use new compositions to prevent or treat drug-resistant bacteria and suppress body odor. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => ortek-therapeutics-announces-new-patent-for-microbiome-technology [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2016-08-04 17:24:47 [post_modified_gmt] => 2016-08-04 17:24:47 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://centerforbiotechnology.org/?p=2350 [menu_order] => 170 [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] => 286 [max_num_pages] => 96 [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

Funding Opportunity: Faculty/Industry Collaborations

More Information

Translating Science into Opportunity

More Information

Ortek Therapeutics Announces New Patent for Microbiome Technology

More Information