The University's Department of Biomedical Engineering has been awarded a $2.9 million Walter H. Coulter Foundation Translational Partners award, University spokesperson Kathleen Valenzi said yesterday.
During a three-stage review process, 63 universities applied for the grant; nine, including the University of Michigan and Stanford University, were awarded funding, Biomedical Engineering Prof. Tom Skalak said.
The grant will support multiple research ventures at the University over the next five years, including combined projects undertaken primarily by the Darden School, Engineering School and the Health System, Skalak said, adding that the partnership will allow research to flourish due to the schools' complementary sets of ideals.
"This grant is about changing the culture at U.Va. to better harness our talents towards a clinical impact," Skalak said.
The purpose of the research is to take current engineering and medical research and turn it into something tangible that can be used in a hospital, Skalak said.
Skalak noted that the engineering researchers could develop software for research projects and Darden participants could then develop the product into a marketable form, Skalak said.
Skalak noted that after only two months of planning, about 50 University faculty members are involved with the projects.
In April, three to five of the University's 18 current proposals will be approved for one-year funding from the grant by a panel which includes faculty experts from Darden, the Engineering School and Health Systems, Skalak said. Five hundred thousand dollars will be available to fund the chosen projects during the upcoming year.
Skalak said the research possibilities could range from research on repairing proteins in order to heal wounds to research about radial imaging and software development in order to improve therapy treatments.
Skalak noted that the University could gain further financial benefit from the award.
"These [projects] can be for [profit] or non-profit, as long as they help people," Skalak said.
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