UB CAT funds ten life sciences research projects

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo Center for Advanced Technology in Big Data and Health Sciences (UB CAT) has awarded 10 life sciences companies a total of $555,000 to support the development of new life and health science technologies during the 2023-24 fiscal year.

UB CAT is one of 15 centers statewide funded by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). Each project pairs a faculty researcher with a New York State business, with the goal of driving growth for life and health sciences businesses across New York State. Through UB CAT, life and health science companies gain access to matching funds for collaborative product development and proof-of-concept research and development projects in four main areas: drug development, diagnostics, medical devices and health care information technology.

In 2023, companies partnered through UB CAT are working on projects to develop wireless biosensors, aneurysm treatment devices and a database to advance computational pathology, among other technologies.

“We believe that university and industry collaborations are essential to keep the innovation pipeline alive and thriving,” says Venu Govindaraju, UB vice president for research and economic development. “However, the road to commercializing biomedical technologies is often arduous and cost prohibitive. UB CAT fills this gap for small and mid-sized companies by providing critical early-stage, non-dilutive funding and connections to university experts and student talent to support R&D efforts.”

The companies awarded UB CAT support for the 2023-24 fiscal year include:

Ampullae

• Ampullae, Inc., a medical device startup working to develop a flexible guidewire sensor that gives real-time sensory feedback during endovascular surgery.
• Faculty: David Zlotnick, MD, interventional cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
• Project: Developing guidewire to assist robotic navigation in neurovascular procedures.

Cytocybernetics

• Cytocybernetics, Inc., a UB spinoff biotechnology research company developing a range of equipment to enable electrophysiology research and development.
• Faculty: Randall Rasmusson, PhD, professor in the department of physiology and biophysics at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
• Project: Developing optical techniques to impact drug discovery and safety testing.

Efferent Labs

• Efferent Labs, Inc., a biotechnology company working to develop a live-cell device and platform for continuous data acquisition in preclinical animal research.
• Faculty: Albert Titus, PhD, professor of biomedical engineering, a joint program of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
• Project: Testing the CytoComm® platform for use with development of new drug candidate.

FormaPath

• FormaPath, Inc., a medical manufacturing company working to revolutionize the cancer staging process through cutting-edge laboratory automation equipment.
• Faculty: John Tomaszewski, MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor and the Peter A. Nickerson, PhD, Professor and Chair in the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
• Project: Developing automated lymph node capture to improve quality and consistency of diagnosis.

Immco Diagnostics

• Immco Diagnostics, Inc., a company and UB licensee specializing in advanced diagnostics for autoimmune diseases.
• Faculty: Julian L. Ambrus, Jr. MD, professor of medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
• Project: Development of next-generation diagnostic tests for Sjogren’s Syndrome.

Meditati

• Meditati Inc., a UB spinoff therapeutic discovery startup focused on developing and applying holistic drug discovery and design platforms to produce smart drugs for mental health.
• Faculty: Ram Samudrala PhD, professor and chief of the division of bioinformatics at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
• Project: Designing nonaddictive pain relievers using artificial intelligence to confront the opioid crisis.

Neurovascular Diagnostics

• Neurovascular Diagnostics, Inc., a UB spinoff developing a low-cost blood test to screen high-risk patients for unruptured brain aneurysms.
• Faculty: John Kolega, PhD, associate professor of pathology and anatomical sciences at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
• Project: Validation of a blood-based diagnostic assay for rupture risk assessment of intracranial aneurysms.

POP Biotechnologies

• POP Biotechnologies, Inc., a UB spinoff developing vaccine platform technologies addressing needs in oncology and infectious disease.
• Faculty: Jonathan Lovell, PhD, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor in the department of biomedical engineering at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at UB.
• Project: Developing targeting strategies to impact the field of mRNA delivery.

QAS.AI.                                 

• QAS.AI., a UB spinoff focused on the development and commercialization of predictive artificial intelligence software to optimize neurovascular treatment by assisting decision making during surgery.
• Faculty: Swetadri Vasan Setlur Nagesh, PhD, research assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
• Project: Personalized brain aneurysm surgery with advanced artificial intelligence analysis.

Vicora

• Vicora, Inc., a startup working to develop a device to improve clot aspiration during vascular surgery.
• Faculty: David Zlotnick, MD, interventional cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
• Project: Developing a catheter with vibrating tip to facilitate aspiration of clot during vascular intervention for stroke, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

For more information on the UB CAT program and details on the upcoming application cycle, visit: https://www.buffalo.edu/partnerships/landing-pages/cat-apply-2024.html