PHILADELPHIA -- (February 20, 2017) – Researchers developing technologies to improve therapeutic success among radiotherapy patients, prevent chest wall collapses in pre-term infants with respiratory distress, and assist surgeons with pre-operative planning for femur fracture alignments will receive a total of $600,000 in funding through the ninth round of the University City Science Center’s QED Proof-of-Concept Program. The program, started in 2009, funds novel university technologies with market potential, bridging the gap between academic research and product commercialization. The awardees were selected from a pool of 64 applicants from 15 academic and research institutions in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
The QED grants will support researchers at Penn State College of Medicine, Rowan University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Each team will receive $200,000; half of which will be contributed by the Science Center and half by the researchers’ institutions. Each project will also receive guidance from the Science Center’s experienced team of Business Advisors.
Round 9 awardees:
Mohammad Abedin-Nasab, Ph.D. of Rowan University is improving patient outcomes with Robossis™, a robotic surgery device designed to assist surgeons with pre-operative planning and alignment of long bone fractures, leading to faster surgeries.
David Cormode, D.Phil., M.Chem. of the University of Pennsylvania is revolutionizing cancer treatment options with a biodegradable gold nanoparticle-based technology that increases radiation absorption in tumors, creating improved therapeutic efficacy in cancer.
Charles Palmer, MB, ChB, FCP, FAAP of Penn State College of Medicine is transforming neonatal care though a noninvasive assisted breathing device for pre-term infants with respiratory distress that uses negative pressure to prevent chest wall collapse.
“Now in its ninth year, the QED program continues to highlight the treasure trove of technologies at our region’s universities. But as last year’s study into the impact of QED shows, the program’s value lies in its people,” says Science Center President & CEO Stephen S. Tang, Ph.D., MBA. “QED matches some of our region’s most accomplished scientists with Business Advisors and industry and investor professionals. This carefully facilitated connectivity and awareness among academic, entrepreneurial, and investor communities leads to more collaboration, research and commercialization throughout the region.”
“The quality of proposals and teams coming through the QED program is a testament to the robust research coming out of Greater Philadelphia’s academic institutions” says QED Selection Team member, Jeannie Rojas, Ph.D., MBA, Portfolio Leader at Johnson & Johnson. “The powerful combination of innovative researchers matched with QED Business Advisors is bridging the gap between academic research and product commercialization – all with the potential to positively impact the region and the world.”
Since the program’s inception in 2009, QED has screened 539 proposals from 21 participating academic and research institutions. Of the technologies screened, 105 projects have been accepted into the competitive program and paired with scientists and industry professionals. QED has awarded a total of $5.45 million to 31 projects, primarily in the therapeutic/biologic, device/diagnostic, and digital health sectors. Of these 31 projects, eight technologies have been licensed, while five have gone on to form startup companies. Projects awarded funding by the QED program have raised over $19 million in follow-on funding. A study of the impact of the program was completed by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia in 2016.
QED has received support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Health, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, William Penn Foundation, and Wexford Science and Technology.
About the Science Center
Located in the heart of uCity Square, the Science Center is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that catalyzes and connects innovation to entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. For 50+ years, the Science Center has supported startups, research, and economic development in the life sciences, healthcare, physical sciences, and emerging technology sectors. As a result, graduate firms and current residents of the Science Center’s incubator support one out of every 100 jobs in the Greater Philadelphia region and drive $13 billion in economic activity in the region annually. By providing resources and programming for any stage of a business’s lifecycle, the Science Center helps scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators take their concepts from idea to IPO – and beyond. For more information about the Science Center, go to www.sciencecenter.org
