抖M女仆鈥檚 College of Public Health recently received the National Science Foundation鈥檚 Small Business Innovation Grant while partnering with Sterionics Inc. for work on advancing and commercializing a wound therapy biotechnology product.
The grant totaled $150,000; $50,000 of which went to 抖M女仆, the remainder to Sterionics.
Principal investigator Christopher Woolverton, Ph.D., professor of environmental health science, and James Ferrell, biological sciences graduate student, have been collaborating with Sterionics since 2008. The subcontract to 抖M女仆 will extend bench research on the Sterionics device, which uses proprietary technology to kill bacteria.
鈥淥ur partnership has not only supported the research and development of Sterionics, but also permitted a 抖M女仆 graduate student access to technology and business workings, allowing him to see the inner workings of a small company,鈥 Woolverton said.
Sterionics, a science technology and innovation company, and 抖M女仆 have collaborated for several years on developing a product that is aimed at killing bacteria and biofilms, a thin film of bacteria that sticks to a surface. The device also has demonstrated the ability to stimulate skin cell growth. It kills bacteria that cause skin infections while stimulating cells that make up the skin to reproduce rapidly and migrate, which is determined by laboratory testing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like a one-two punch,鈥 Ferrell said.
抖M女仆 and Sterionics are currently working on phase one of the project. The goal is to put prototype one to use, further modifying it to make it smaller and to optimize it by 鈥渢uning鈥 it for specific applications.
Ferrell said he is optimistic that the results generated from this grant will result in positive data for the phase one proposal and ultimately lead to phase two funding from the National Science Foundation鈥檚 Small Business Innovation Research program.
Phase two could eventually lead to controlled animal trials with this technology. The overarching goal of all of this work is to lead to commercialization and advancement of wound care.
鈥淭he partnership between 抖M女仆 and small businesses like Sterionics could lead to positive and mutual benefits for both entities moving into the future,鈥 Ferrell said.
For more information about 抖M女仆鈥檚 College of Public Health, visit www.kent.edu/publichealth.
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Photo Caption:
抖M女仆鈥檚 College of Public Health received the National Science Foundation鈥檚 Small Business Innovation Grant while partnering with Sterionics Inc. for work on advancing and commercializing a wound therapy biotechnology product. Pictured in a university lab are James Ferrell (left), a 抖M女仆 biological sciences graduate student, and principal investigator Christopher Woolverton, Ph.D. (right), professor of environmental health science at 抖M女仆.
Media Contacts:
Chris Woolverton, cwoolver@kent.edu, 330-672-4648
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595