Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

Empiri, Inc. received a $1,249,794 Cooperative Agreement from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084), awarded July 1, 2026, with completion targeted for June 30, 2028. The company is developing an Automated Tissue Slicer and Handler (ATSH) instrument designed to automate a three-dimensional tumor slice culture assay that measures individual cancer patients' sensitivity to anti-cancer drugs. The instrument will process fresh human tumor tissue samples and deliver treatment response predictions within eight days of biopsy or surgery, enabling physicians to make data-driven treatment selections for personalized cancer care.

Under this Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award, Empiri will refine and scale the ATSH prototype to meet production specifications, including expanding design functionality, developing customized consumables, and implementing programmable liquid handling applications for multiple assay types. The resulting system is intended to deliver consistent, high-capacity results while reducing human error, processing time, and operational costs. Upon successful completion, the production-ready instrument is expected to serve dual applications in both personalized oncology care and pharmaceutical drug development pipelines.