The Seed Grants are funded by the Translational Research Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Science (TRIBES) and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). The Seed Grant Program was launched in hopes of fostering collaboration between Georgia Tech and the GTRI investigators with the focus of healthcare needs, promoting the rapid transfer of new knowledge and inventions based on that knowledge to the commercial sector, and translating technologies that are at a basic science/research phase into a prototype, “Coulter-ready” grant proposal.

The type of project sought for these awards is one where sufficient basic research has been done to indicate a technology has commercialization potential but a commitment to a commercialization path has not been made and a focused proof of concept study is required. The intent of the seed grant program is to develop a research initiative built upon strong collaborations between faculty at Georgia Tech and investigators at the GTRI.

There is no limitation on topics that can be addressed through this funding mechanism. However, successful applications must demonstrate that the problem to be studied is of significance to healthcare and that the project is translational. All applications were reviewed by TRIBES Review Committee, which was composed of clinicians, faculty, scientists and business experts.

Awards total $25,000-$40,000 direct costs per pilot project, available for one year.

2012 Competition Finalists

1. "A Sixty Minute Rapid Polymerase Chain Reaction Handheld (SMRPH)for Virus Detection in Children," PI: Craig R. Forest, PhD. Co-Investigators: Andi L. Shane, MD, MPH, MSC, and Brent Tillery, PhD.

2. "Wireless Device to Improve and Monitor Hand Sanitizer Compliance," PIs: Franklin Bost, MBA Russell McCrory, MSEE Co-Investigators: Christopher Hermann, MSME, Jana Stockwell, MD, FAAP, FCCM, and Kate Ellingson, PhD.

3. "Computational-based Optimization of Recombinant Therapeutic Uricase Production," PI: Eric Gaucher, PhD. Co-Investigators: Andrew Morris and David Landgren.

4. "Exploring Short-Range Intra-Body Communication Techniques with Very High Bandwidth for Wireless Ultrasonic Monitoring and Imaging Application," PIs: F. Levent Degertekin, PhD and Maysam Ghovanloo, PhD