2322382
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Sbir Phase I: A Cancer Diagnostic Instrument to Measure Empirical Treatment Response -The Broader Impact/Commercial Potential of This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project Is to Improve Personalized Cancer Care by Developing a First in Class Cancer Diagnostic Instrument That Can Deliver Clinically Actionable, Personalized, Drug Response Data from Individual Cancer Patients Using the E-Slice Assay.
The E-Slice Assay Is a Novel 3D Culture-Based Assay Which Has Been Shown to Accurately Predict Individual Cancer Patients? Responses to Treatments. The E-Slice Assay Is Currently Registered as a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments Laboratory Developed Tests (CLIA LDT).
The Cancer Diagnostic Market Is Expected to Grow from $56 Billion in 2022 to $162 Billion by 2027, and This Test and Automation Could Capture a Significant Share of This Rapidly Expanding Market. Beyond Improving Outcomes for Cancer Patients, the Automation of This Assay Could Have Far-Reaching Implications, Such as Accelerating and Economizing Drug Screening, Discovery, and Development for Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies, and Academia.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project Addresses the Most Challenging and Risky Portion of Automating the E-Slice Assay. The Novel Engineering Solutions That the Team Proposes to Develop Will Automate the Processing of Live Human Tissue Samples from a Needle Biopsy or Surgery, Generate Precision-Cut Slices, and Then Precisely Position Them in a Tissue Culture Plate for Downstream Culture and Analysis. The New Device Will Do So in a Manner That Maintains Sterility, Minimizes Thermal, Chemical, and Mechanical Stresses, and Performs in a Highly Reliable Way.
The Primary Technical Challenges Are Ensuring Reliable Performance That Is Equal to or Superior Than Manual Methods. The Technical Milestones Include Meeting Thresholds for Reliability, Sterility, and Tissue Viability Compared to Manual Processing.
This Award Reflects NSF's Statutory Mission and Has Been Deemed Worthy of Support Through Evaluation Using the Foundation's Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts Review Criteria.
The E-Slice Assay Is a Novel 3D Culture-Based Assay Which Has Been Shown to Accurately Predict Individual Cancer Patients? Responses to Treatments. The E-Slice Assay Is Currently Registered as a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments Laboratory Developed Tests (CLIA LDT).
The Cancer Diagnostic Market Is Expected to Grow from $56 Billion in 2022 to $162 Billion by 2027, and This Test and Automation Could Capture a Significant Share of This Rapidly Expanding Market. Beyond Improving Outcomes for Cancer Patients, the Automation of This Assay Could Have Far-Reaching Implications, Such as Accelerating and Economizing Drug Screening, Discovery, and Development for Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies, and Academia.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project Addresses the Most Challenging and Risky Portion of Automating the E-Slice Assay. The Novel Engineering Solutions That the Team Proposes to Develop Will Automate the Processing of Live Human Tissue Samples from a Needle Biopsy or Surgery, Generate Precision-Cut Slices, and Then Precisely Position Them in a Tissue Culture Plate for Downstream Culture and Analysis. The New Device Will Do So in a Manner That Maintains Sterility, Minimizes Thermal, Chemical, and Mechanical Stresses, and Performs in a Highly Reliable Way.
The Primary Technical Challenges Are Ensuring Reliable Performance That Is Equal to or Superior Than Manual Methods. The Technical Milestones Include Meeting Thresholds for Reliability, Sterility, and Tissue Viability Compared to Manual Processing.
This Award Reflects NSF's Statutory Mission and Has Been Deemed Worthy of Support Through Evaluation Using the Foundation's Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts Review Criteria.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "NSF SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR)/ SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAMS PHASE I", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF23515
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding Agency
Place of Performance
Houston,
Texas
77054-1953
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 07/31/24 to 08/31/25.
Empiri was awarded
Project Grant 2322382
worth $274,930
from in August 2023 with work to be completed primarily in Houston Texas United States.
The grant
has a duration of 2 years and
was awarded through assistance program 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Programs.
SBIR Details
Research Type
SBIR Phase I
Title
SBIR Phase I: A cancer diagnostic instrument to measure empirical treatment response
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve personalized cancer care by developing a first in class cancer diagnostic instrument that can deliver clinically actionable, personalized, drug response data from individual cancer patients using the E-slice assay.The E-slice assay is a novel 3D culture-based assay which has been shown to accurately predict individual cancer patients’ responses to treatments.The E-slice assay is currently registered as a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments Laboratory Developed Tests (CLIA LDT). The cancer diagnostic market is expected to grow from $56 billion in 2022 to $162 billion by 2027, and this test and automation could capture a significant share of this rapidly expanding market. Beyond improving outcomes for cancer patients, the automation of this assay could have far-reaching implications, such as accelerating and economizing drug screening, discovery, and development for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and academia._x000D_ _x000D_ This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the most challenging and risky portion of automating the E-slice assay. The novel engineering solutions that the team proposes to develop will automate the processing of live human tissue samples from a needle biopsy or surgery, generate precision-cut slices, and then precisely position them in a tissue culture plate for downstream culture and analysis.The new device will do so in a manner that maintains sterility, minimizes thermal, chemical, and mechanical stresses, and performs in a highly reliable way.The primary technical challenges are ensuring reliable performance that is equal to or superior than manual methods. The technical milestones include meeting thresholds for reliability, sterility, and tissue viability compared to manual processing._x000D_ _x000D_ This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Topic Code
BM
Solicitation Number
NSF 23-515
Status
(Complete)
Last Modified 10/8/24
Period of Performance
8/1/23
Start Date
8/31/25
End Date
Funding Split
$274.9K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$274.9K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to 2322382
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
2322382
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Funding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Awardee UEI
JFK5MSSBKH33
Awardee CAGE
8FRB7
Performance District
TX-09
Senators
John Cornyn
Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research and Related Activities, National Science Foundation (049-0100) | General science and basic research | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $274,930 | 100% |
Modified: 10/8/24