UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Four projects led by researchers in the Penn State Eberly College of Science have been selected to receive Lab Bench to Commercialization (LB2C) grants in 2024. This competitive program provides funding for researchers in the college, enabling them to enhance the commercial potential of ongoing Penn State research and prepare them to translate their intellectual property to the marketplace.
Marco Archetti, associate professor of biology, and John Liechty, professor of marketing and statistics, will focus on advancing their COVID-19 antiviral biotechnology through critical pre-clinical studies. This projected is supported by the Smeal College of Business, the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Eberly College of Science.
Ken Keiler, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, will use structure-aided design to generate improved compounds that target a ribosome rescue pathway and will result in a lead optimization campaign for a novel gram-negative antibiotic. This project is supported the Eberly College of Science and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.
Xiaojun "Lance" Lian, associate professor of biology and of biomedical engineering, will focus on reprogramming in vivo neutrophils into CAR-Neutrophils using exosome-mediated modRNA vectors to effectively reduce tumor growth and increase survival rates in mice with glioblastoma. This project is supported by the Eberly College of Science.
Sally Mackenzie, Lloyd and Dottie Huck Chair for Functional Genomics and professor of biology and plant science, will focus on the use of a cloud-based methylome analysis platform to support an autism spectrum disorder early diagnostic assay and various deliverables that will bridge the gap to venture capital investments. This project is supported the Eberly College of Science and the Smeal College of Business.
Application criteria and awards
The Eberly College of Science is committed to the concept of innovation to impact by bringing academic research to the marketplace. The Lab Bench to Commercialization Grant Program provides competitive funds for researchers within the college to explore translation of their research, for example by testing a novel idea and generating a proof of concept. The intent of the program is to stimulate and foster a strong pipeline of ideas that may progress to future invention disclosures.
Research and inventions include tangible products, therapeutics, processes/methods, software or improvement of a current market product. After being reviewed for scientific merit and commercialization potential, awardees are granted funds to be used within one year.
In addition to funding, researchers also have the added benefit of working with the college’s Office for Innovation and the Technology Advisory Board, which assist grantees in critically evaluating their technology, find market applications, and provide development and commercialization plan feedback. These services, along with the funding, provide inventors with the opportunity to take their inventions from the lab bench to the public sector where they can see real societal benefits.
Eberly College of Science researchers who are interested in learning more about the opportunities available through the Office for Innovation should contact Technology Licensing Officer Emily Kuhns.