Cooperative Agreement N00173162C006

The National Science Foundation awarded $256,000 to Optave Diagnostics LLC through the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) to develop a prototype endoscopic probe for molecular imaging and diagnosis of cancerous prostate pathologies. The 12-month project grant will support the creation of a medical device using photoacoustic imaging and acoustic lens technology to aid in the detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer. The proposed endoscopic probe offers an alternative...

This Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) provides $275,000 to Dcan Biosciences LLC to develop an advanced microfluidic system for cancer diagnosis and monitoring. The system aims to isolate and assess circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and CTC clusters (CTCCs) from patient blood samples to enable highly sensitive and accurate liquid biopsies. Key objectives include designing a hybrid microfluidic device for...

Federal Grant Award Summary Pace Diagnostics, Inc. received a $600,000 Project Grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of the Director under the CDC Investigations and Technical Assistance program (CFDA 93.283) for the development and delivery of an ultrasensitive urine tuberculosis (TB) antigen rapid detection test. The award, effective September 30, 2025, with a completion date of March 31, 2026, supports the creation of an innovative diagnostic technology...

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) awarded a $449,996.00 Project Grant to the Regents of the University of Minnesota, Office of Sponsored Projects Administration, to develop a highly sensitive, low-cost sensor platform to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), a biomarker for early cancer diagnosis. This project, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Cambridge, aims to combine microwave photonics (MWP) with polymer-based micro-ring resonator...

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) Project Grant award of $275,000 to Quarksen LLC provides funding to develop an affordable, point-of-care diagnostic device for detecting viral and non-viral sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis C, and trichomoniasis. The project aims to create a device with an array of sensors that can rapidly and accurately detect STI biomarkers from cervical...

This $270,128 SBIR Phase I award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) program (CFDA 47.084) supports the development of a low-cost, field-use DNA-based rapid diagnostic device for detecting plant diseases. The project aims to create a user-friendly, battery-operated testing kit that allows farmers to quickly identify diseases like citrus greening in their fields, enabling early intervention and more sustainable farming practices. The 9-month...

This federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) provides $308,000 in funding to Purdue University to develop new diagnostic technologies for detecting the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite, which often contaminates produce and can lead to disease outbreaks. The key objectives are to: (1) discover DNA aptamers that can specifically recognize and bind to Cyclospora cayetanensis, and (2) integrate these aptamers into a paper-based...

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) Project Grant award supports the development of a novel device that can rapidly and automatically extract pathogen DNA from whole blood samples to enable faster diagnosis of sepsis. The $274,858 award to New England Hemolytics, Inc., with a project period from September 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025, will fund the testing and optimization of this technology across common sepsis-causing pathogens. The...

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) Project Grant award of $275,000 to Macula Vision Systems Inc., a for-profit organization, supports the development of a novel microscopy platform to automate the interpretation of microbiology lab tests performed in hospitals. The project aims to address the shortage of trained lab technicians by engineering a specialized light source, customized camera, and AI-enabled algorithms to analyze...

This $402,222 National Science Foundation Project Grant, funded through the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), supports the development of a new class of simple, inexpensive, portable, and rapid molecular diagnostic platforms. The awardee, University of Cincinnati, will engineer an instrument that can reliably and quickly detect infectious diseases in human samples using a combination of biochemistry, magnetism, fluid physics, and machine learning insights. Specifically, the university will...