Award Data

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I proposal seeks support to evaluate the feasibility of developing an extracellular matrix (ECM) biologic scaffold as a repair device for atrial septal defects (ASD). ASDs are one of the most common forms of congenital heart disease and account for approximately 30-40% of all congenital heart defects seen in adults. Closure of an ASD can be performed ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Abstract Indwelling catheterization is a leading cause of nosocomial infections that present an enormous drain of health care funding in the US. Clinical infections associated with urinary catheterization have been estimated to add more than $1000 to patient care. Those that occur with central venous catheterization escalate the cost to between $35,000 and $50, ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The development of clinically effective cancer vaccines requires reliable analytical methods to evaluate the immune response to vaccination. Immunoassays are among the most sensitive and specific analytical methods that have been used widely in cancer vaccine research, most commonly to monitor the release of cytokines from T-cells in response to vaccination. A ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the US; with less than one-year median survival, it accounts for approximately 30,000 diagnoses and deaths per year. Multimodality therapy, including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, have not made a significant impact on the outcome and serve mostly as palliation. Thus, new treatment ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Summary/Abstract Diabetic foot ulcers are a significant health problem that imposes high costs on both patients and society (Boulton, Vileikyte et al. 2005). A large proportion of foot ulcers remain unresponsive to available conventional treatment and their associated complications and costs have prompted extensive research that has led to promising breakthroug ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There are over 6.3 million fractures each year in the United States of which approximately 700,000 are difficult to heal. The available treatment options for fractures that do not heal or are slow to heal are limited. Bone morphogenetic proteins are growth factors that stimulate new bone production and have received FDA approval for bone fracture repair and spi ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Two recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMP's), rhBMP-2 and rhBMP-7, are currently used in clinical applications to promote spinal fusion and fracture healing (Mont, Ragland et al. 2004). Over 6.3 million fractures occur each year in the United States alone (Praemer, Furner et al. 1999). Approximately 15% of fractures have delayed or impaired healing ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Tendon injuries are quite common and the frequency of these injuries is expected to rise as the population ages, yet continues to remain active. Long periods of immobilization and rehabilitation are required because tendon healing is a relatively slow process. Innovations that can shorten this time period by improving healing rates and increasing the strength o ...

We propose a new trace explosive collection and detection technique comprising Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) sampling chip and cell design of permeable/porous polymer matrix embedded with multi-layered gold nano-particles. The approach leverages the leading-edge micro-optical component development and manufacture at Agiltron and extensive experience in nano-material engineering within t ...

Agiltron proposes to demonstrate a breakthrough detector for readout of scintillators for gamma ray detection that overcomes the quantum efficiency and high voltage limits of current PMTs and APDs. It holds the promise to improve the current scintillator detector resolution by at least 30 percent without the need for a high voltage power supply, and can be fabricated at a low cost. This new photom ...