Innovation doesn’t rest.
A group of five Pitt innovation teams proposing solutions ranging from improved diagnosis and treatment of cranial aneurysms to a more efficient and user-friendly system for performing endoscopic surgeries have spent the first half of the summer working to determine if their discoveries have the potential to translate from the lab to the market where they can improve, or even save lives.
The most recent cohort of the Innovation Institute’s Pitt Ventures First Gear commercialization program worked one-on-one with an experience mentor and conducted interviews with potential customers to fine tune their ideas and hone their go-to-market strategies.
“First Gear teams had strong presentations that reflected their customer diligence and market analysis. I enjoyed learning about the innovations coming out of Pitt through the faculty/student partnership model,” said Meghan Shaw, Director of Life Sciences for Innovation Works, the state-sponsored new technology investment and accelerator organization, who served as one of three panelists who gave feedback to the Pitt innovation teams as they gave their first investor pitches to close out the program.
Below is a summary of the teams from the summer 2021 cohort. Teams are comprised of a Principal Investigator (PI), Entrepreneurial Lead (EL) and Business Mentor (M).
Nanosecond Machine Learning Algorithms
The team is developing a machine learning platform designed to make intelligent decisions quickly without relying on highly complex algorithms. It is initially targeting the financial industry for handling high frequency stock trades.
The team’s next steps after First Gear are to produce a graphical interface for its software and make upgrades to the machine learning algorithm.
PI: Tae Min Hong, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy
EL: Steve Roche
M: Rao Vasu and Evens Augustin
I-SpI
Current practice in endoscopic surgery has not advanced in many years. This team is developing novel hardware and software to provide improved depth perception and real-time perspective. The new system is designed to make surgery more efficient, saving operating room time, and improve the user experience.
The team is currently seeking $150,000 non-dilutive funding for securing intellectual property and software development. It hopes to finalize product development in 2022.
PI: Carl Snyderman, Professor, Department of Otolaryngology
EL: Lauren Grace
M: Don Morrison
IGenSig
Immunotherapy for cancer is providing people with many cancers a new treatment option that alone, or when combined with traditional therapies, can greatly enhance survival by manipulating the body’s natural immune response. This team is providing gene sequencing for kidney cancer to provide oncologists with a predictive score to determine which immunotherapy drugs may be effective against a particular person’s cancer.
The team is preparing to develop a prototype and be prepared to validate it using retrospective data by early 2022.
PI: Xiaosong Wang, Associate Professor, Pathology and Biomedical Informatics
EL: Han Zhang
M: Mukesh Rustagi
Small Molecule Inhibitor to Prevent Aneurysms - Replacing the Knife With a Pill
Current treatments for cranial aneurysms are invasive, expensive and dangerous. This team is developing two projects. One is a small molecule drug that can reduce the progression of aneurysms by nearly 90 percent. The other is a blood-based test to detect aneurysm formation, progression and risk of rupture that could help avoid costly scans.
The team is working to obtain additional NIH funding to continue development with the goal of licensing the technology to an existing company.
PI: Robert Friedlander, Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery
EL: Kamil Nowicki
M: Robert Huemmrich and Ian Magazine
Additive Manufacturing for Dentistry Training
Current anatomical models for pre-doctoral dental education do not accurately represent what dentists see in the clinic as it pertains to material density, color and maxillofacial features. This team is proposing additive manufacturing of anatomical models that better mimic real-life scenarios.
The team is exploring partnerships with a 3D printing company to co-develop the product.
PI: Suvendra Vijayan
EL: Matthew Palmer and Brian Schafer
M: John Inserra
Paul Petrovich, assistant director of business development at the Innovation Institute, encouraged the teams to explore additional funding and education opportunities through the University, such as the Pitt Innovation Challenge competition, the Michael G. Wells Competition, the Center for Medical Innovation and the Chancellor’s Gap Fund and more. He also pointed to the national NSF I-Corps program, which provides $50,000 to teams that have completed regional I-Corps programs like First Gear in order to continue on the commercialization pathway.
The next First Gear program will be beginning September 2, 2021. Learn more about the program.