SYRACUSE — The six winners of Upstate Medical University’s medical device innovation challenge (MDIC) are moving on with their products’ development. 

Upstate MIND (medical innovation and novel discovery center) at Upstate’s Central New York Biotech Accelerator (CNYBAC) sponsored the initiative, the medical school said in a news release.

The six-month program seeks to “promote understanding of and build networks for innovative and technology-driven biotech product and service development and commercialization” per Upstate Medical.

The winners include a shoulder-mounted intravenous (IV) system; urinary catheters with improved infection control; the transformation of well-known video games into respiratory therapy exercise; and an inconspicuous breast pump for moms, Upstate Medical said. 

With their wins, Upstate Medical provides the firms six months of free work space at the “creation garage” at the CNYBAC. They’ll also have access to Upstate Medical research and clinical experts along with use of Upstate’s research facilities. 

Participants also have access to “intensive mentorship” from a group of medical-device product development, regulatory, commercialization, and legal experts. Collaborative partners involved in the program include Blackstone LaunchPad, which has a program at Syracuse University (SU); Innovation Law Center at SU’s College of Law; and Upstate Venture Connect of Syracuse.

Additionally, teams are invited to apply to student engineering capstone programs at Syracuse University and Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

“The innovators in our region continue to find new ways and opportunities to enhance the health and well-being of patients or those with medical conditions,” Kathi Durdon, executive director of the Central New York Biotech Accelerator, said in the release. “Through this program, these innovators will find a ready supply of expertise, support and encouragement to move their products and ideas forward.”

Additional support for the program comes from the Empire State Development (ESD) New York State certified business incubator grant.

The Central New York Biotech Accelerator, which is located at 841 E. Fayette St., is part of Upstate Medical University. The 52,300-square-foot facility offers wet and dry labs, services, coordinated resources, targeted mentorship and education to individuals and startup companies involved in the commercialization of biotech innovation.

Winning businesses

Companies selected as MDIC winners include MedUX, of Syracuse, which is creating a shoulder-mounted portable IV system (called L-IV, for Liberating Intravenous) that allows people in hospital settings or disaster situations to get IV treatment “comfortably and efficiently” without being tethered to an IV pole, per the Upstate Medical release.

They also include Megan Thomas of Syracuse, who is developing a breast pump that can be used while women engage in daily activities, whether at the workplace or at home. The product’s goal is to eliminating the time women must spend solely on pumping. Thomas wants to enable women to pump in the physical workplace without the social stigma of having to seek a storage or break room.

In addition, Halamine Inc. of Ithaca is working to develop a new category of “hydrogel skin” coated urinary catheters with improved infection control. This coating innovation is based on a new composition of hydrogel materials (named HalaGel) that combines antimicrobial and anti-immunoreaction chemistries, which were invented by Cornell University biological engineering researcher Mingyu Qiao, co-founder of Halamine Inc.

The winning firms also include ZephyRx of Albany, which designs breath-powered video-game controllers so popular video games can be used in respiratory therapy for conditions, such as pneumonia, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Revital Therapeutics of New Jersey, which is a tissue engineering company dedicated to creating off-the-shelf tissue grafts for a wide range of conditions and surgical procedures; and CathBuddy Inc., of Woodbury, which is making reusable urinary intermittent catheters system for people with neurogenic bladder (the loss of bladder control due to brain or spinal cord or nerve problem).

UTICA — The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties announced that in this year’s second quarter it awarded grants totaling more than $507,000 to 22 nonprofit organizations through its competitive grants process. 

In addition to competitive grants, the foundation’s donor-advised funds awarded 98 grants in the second quarter totaling nearly $633,000 to 72 organizations. So, the total amount awarded from both grant programs exceeded $1.1 million.

Competitive grants are awarded to local nonprofits to support projects and initiatives, primarily within the foundation’s strategic investment areas of education, economic development, health and wellness, and arts and culture.

The following organizations were awarded competitive grants:

• American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) – Utica Region — $2,500 to replace soccer goals and nets

• City of Little Falls — $6,000 for new playground equipment for the city pool playground

• City of Rome — $100,000 to support paving expenses associated with the downtown pedestrian art plaza construction

• City of Sherrill — $5,000 to install a new multi-function scoreboard at Noyes Park

• Dolgeville Forward — $10,000 for improvements and upgrades to a basketball court

• Erwin Library and Institute — a $2,300 emergency grant for building maintenance 

• Handshake.City — $15,000 for purchase of a portable stage and inflatable bandshell

• Herkimer County Historical Society — a $2,350 emergency grant for roof repairs

• Jordanville Public Library — $10,000 for building-rehabilitation projects

• Oneida Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) — $930 to restore an antique curio cabinet 

• On Point for College — $20,000 to expand outreach efforts 

• Project Fibonacci Foundation — $25,000 to fund scholarships for students to attend Project Fibonacci STEAM Leadership events

• Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL) — $150,000 to assist with renovations to RCIL’s new location

• Rising Stars Soccer Club of CNY — $5,000 to purchase new soccer and lacrosse goals 

• Rome Baseball Association — $2,000 for the addition of protective dugout netting 

• Rust2Green — $79,400 to advance place-making projects in downtown Utica

• The New York Community Trust — $10,000 to support the New York State Census Equity Fund’s efforts to ensure an accurate 2020 Census count

• Utica Curling Club — $15,000 for expenses related to paving the curling club parking area

• Utica Monday Nite Corporation — $25,000 to support the 2019 Levitt AMP Utica concerts, park improvements, and place-making activities

• Waterville Historical Society — an $850 emergency grant for furnace repairs

• Woods Valley Alpine Ski Racing Foundation — $6,500 for the purchase of a race-timing system

• YMCA of the Greater Tri-Valley — $15,000 to fund development and design services for its new facility

The Community Foundation’s donor-advised funds awarded 98 grants in the quarter to 72 organizations. Some of the area groups receiving funding included:

American Cancer Society, Central Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired (CABVI), Central New York Conservancy, Chamber Music Society of Utica, Clinton Youth Foundation, Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind, Glimmerglass Opera, Hamilton College, Herkimer County Humane Society, Hospice & Palliative Care, Humane Society of Rome, ICAN (formerly Kids Oneida), Landmarks Society of Greater Utica, Madison-Oneida BOCES, Mohawk Valley Frontiers Club, Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees, Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, On Point For College, Oneida County History Center, Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, Rescue Mission of Utica, Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL), Stanley Center for the Arts, The House of the Good Shepherd, Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, Utica College, Utica Monday Nite Corporation, Utica Public Library, Utica Zoological Society, Women’s Fund of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, and the YWCA of the Mohawk Valley.           

Rome Hospital Foundation says it provides “vital philanthropic support” to the hospital. The foundation is a separate 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit that accepts gifts on behalf of Rome Memorial Hospital and works to fund both present and future equipment and program needs. 

Rome Memorial Hospital provides care to more than 100,000 residents of the community.

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