UB Technology Incubator New Home of Nanogenesys

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The University at Buffalo Technology Incubator is the new home of Nanogenesys, a technology start-up company founded by a University at Buffalo professor to produce miniaturized devices for conducting biomedical analysis.

The company produces nanospray emitters, a revolutionary, cost-effective deposition method for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications that was developed by Troy Wood, Ph.D., UB associate professor of chemistry and vice president of Nanogenesys.

Licensed from UB, the new deposition process creates extremely durable polymer coatings for emitters used with commercial electrospray mass spectrometry.

The method developed by Wood and his colleagues deposits minute levels of liquid polymers onto solid surfaces at far less expense than the metal coatings -- usually gold -- that now are used. Metal-coated nanospray emitters tend to have very short usable lifetimes, usually only a few minutes. The polymer-coated nanospray emitters licensed by Nanogenysis have useable lifetimes ranging from a few hours to a few days.

Using capillary action, nanospray produces a fine mist through the Niagara Flow, a glass tip also developed by Wood and his colleagues, that emits polymer liquid droplets containing sample molecules into an electrical field. These droplets undergo a "coulombic explosion," which releases sample molecules in the form of ions, which are then injected into a mass spectrometer for detection.

"We're a spin-off of the university," said Marie Moy, Nanogenesys president. "The incubator facilitates start-ups to become profitable and marketable. It's perfectly suited, convenient to UB, with low overhead. We didn't even have to install laboratory hoods."

Since 1988, the UB Technology Incubator has assisted technology start-ups by providing affordable business services, flexible rental terms and office and laboratory space. It is currently home to 16 technology-based companies, most of which have close links to UB. To learn more about the incubator visit http://www.uballiance.buffalo.edu or call 716-636-2568.