Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering
One step closer to ‘market’ - Invention associated with
drug testing receives tech transfer funds
By Tom Butler, University Communications, FSU
Four innovative research projects were awarded a total of $158,000 by the Florida State
University Research Foundation to help move them from the laboratory to the marketplace.
The projects range in scope from a web-based autism detection and treatment system to new
biosensors designed to quickly and accurately detect diseases such as cancer. Selected in the
latest round of awards from Florida State’s biannual $250,000 Grant Assistance Program (GAP),
the awards are intended to help each project reach new milestones on the road to real-world
implementation. The winners of the GAP awards are researchers or teams of researchers who
can most clearly identify the commercial viability of a product, process or license that will come
from their efforts.
“Our latest GAP winners present some truly unique and tremendously beneficial technologies
that could have a significant impact on society,” said Vice President for Research Gary K.
Ostrander. “Although they are still in the proof-of-concept phase, they help prove that the GAP
competition is an excellent opportunity for our researchers to pitch their product ideas and seek
out funding that is not often available at this stage of development.”
Yan Li — Faster drug discovery using living tissue test environments — $43,000.
Li, an assistant professor in
the Department of Chemical
and Biomedical Engineering, is
developing a new tissue-based
testing method that would enhance
the ability of researchers to test the
effects of pharmaceutical drugs and
their ability to help treat and cure
diseases. Using the GAP award, Li
will be able to hire the necessary
staff and purchase the equipment
needed to move the project to its
next stage of development.
For more information about
GAP, visit www.research.fsu.edu/ Dr. Yan Li, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and
Biomedical Engineering
foundation.gap
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Faculty in the News
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