OCAST board approves seven Applied Research projects for $1.6 million

Friday, July 1, 2011

The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) has awarded $1.6 million to seven research applicants who are required to match the funding. The research and development projects will be completed within the next three years.

OCAST applied research funds target accelerated and proof of concept technology that has significant potential for producing a commercially successful product, process or service with high potential to benefit the state’s economy.

External peer reviewers evaluate the applied research applications and collectively place them in order of the project’s expected ability to achieve commercialization through sound scientific investigation.

The applied research award winners include the following:

Computer Software

Oklahoma City

• Max Doleh, principal investigator, “Blood Bank Integrated Management System-Optimizing Operations, Collections and QC” – Blood banking organizations will realize a five percent increase in revenue and a corresponding amount in cost savings through development of technologies that will collect data and create decision points for blood recruitment, collection, processing and transfusions. This blood banking information management system is expected to save 11,000 hours of wasted effort per year when compared to the manual processes now being used. Potential revenue growth for organizations such as the Oklahoma Blood Institute could range from $3 million to $5 million. Sigma Blood Systems – $251,980 for one year

Biotechnology

Oklahoma City

• Michael Centola, principal investigator, “A Sjogrens Syndrome Diagnostic” – Primary Sjogren’s Syndrome is a chronic inflammatory disease that may affect as many as 3.1 million people in the United States. The purpose of this project is to develop and validate a gene expression-based biomarker index that will augment current methods of diagnosis. The tool will be marketed from Oklahoma. Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – $300,000 for three years
• Russell Rother, principal investigator, “Development of Pharmacodynamic Bioassays for Preclinical and Clinical Studies” – The project purpose is to build, test and implement a dedicated lab for the conduct of GLP pharmacodynamic assays in support of preclinical and clinical programs at Selexys. Scientists from Selexys and ICx Nomadics will work together to develop the assay. Selexys Pharmaceuticals – $300,000 for two years

Computer Hardware

Stillwater

• Matthew Green, principal investigator, “Commutational Ramp Load Actuator for Hard Disk Drives” – The objective of the project is to build test and validate a prototype disk drive that incorporates a commutational ramp load actuator. The device increases performance and reduces cost through reduced power consumption. Bluewater Technology will use the developed technology for a ramp load actuator for the hard disk drive industry. Bluewater Technology – $300,000 for two years

Photonics

Norman

• Zhisheng Shi, principal investigator, “An Integrated Laser Sensor for Medical and Environmental Applications” – The mid-infrared laser sensor to be developed in this project is key to success in all mid-infrared gas sensing systems. A light-weight, hand-held sensing system is made possible through an expected breakthrough. Graduate and undergraduate students from OU will work with nano-scale material science, op-electronics processing technology and optical and electrical measurements and sensor applications. The products will be used in homeland security applications and explosive detection and pollution monitoring. Multiple Department of Defense grants will provide match for the project. University of Oklahoma – $90,000 for two years

Pharmaceuticals

Oklahoma City

• Ted Bader, principal investigator, “Licensing Simvastatin for Use against Hepatitis B” – The project will investigate the anti-hepatitis B virus activity of simvastatin alone and in combination with either tenofovir or entecavir in Phase I trials. The cholesterol lowering drug has shown potential when combined with other pre-approved drugs for fighting hepatitis B. University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – $299,692 for three years

Biotechnology

Stillwater

• Jeanmarie Verchot, principal investigator, “Drug Preparation of Virus-free Canna Stocks for Commercial Distribution” – Canna lily production is negatively impacted by the spread of diseased rhizomes and current practices of propagation are causing severe economic issues with growers. Horn Farm in Carnegie is the primary canna producer in the nation and sells $3.5 million in bulbs each year. The goal is for OSU to help provide virus-free cannas to Horn Farms as an Oklahoma solution to canna production. Oklahoma State University – $85,978 for two years