Proof of Concept Awards

Ryosuke Okuno Efficient Carbon Management via Novel Pathways

Synopsis:

This award enables development of a modular, electrochemically driven carbon capture approach that replaces energy‑intensive thermal amine regeneration with bipolar electrodialysis operating at ambient conditions. By capturing CO₂ as bicarbonate and simultaneously regenerating amines, the technology has the potential to cut regeneration energy use and capture costs by more than half compared to conventional systems. Proof‑of‑concept funding supports bench‑scale optimization and pilot testing relevant to steam methane reforming and blue hydrogen production, advancing a scalable pathway for lower‑cost industrial decarbonization.

Ken Keiler New Antibiotics to Treat Emerging Lung Pathogens

Synopsis:

Researchers are developing a new class of small‑molecule antibiotics that target an essential bacterial process to treat non‑tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung infections, which are rising rapidly and lack effective FDA‑approved therapies. The team has identified novel oxadiazole compounds that kill the most common and drug‑resistant NTM species without the iron‑binding limitations that hinder prior candidates, positioning them for oral administration and improved patient outcomes. Proof‑of‑concept funding supports lead optimization and early pharmacology studies to advance these candidates toward animal efficacy testing and future clinical development.

Alex Huang CREST – Cellular Reagent Enabled Sustainable Testing

Synopsis:

CREST introduces a novel diagnostic reagent platform that replaces purified enzymes and antibodies with dried, engineered microbial “cellular reagents,” eliminating the need for complex purification, cold-chain storage, and expensive instrumentation. By enabling ready‑to‑use nucleic acid tests and expanding the approach to molecular recognition agents such as single‑chain antibodies, the technology significantly reduces reagent costs while maintaining performance comparable to commercial standards. Proof‑of‑concept funding advances validation of these low‑cost, locally manufacturable reagents, positioning CREST to improve access, resilience, and scalability across global diagnostic testing markets.

Alex Huang Ultra Compact AND Efficient Power Supply Unit (PSU) for AI Data Centers

Synopsis:

By leveraging a newly invented single‑stage AC‑to‑DC power conversion architecture, this project demonstrates an ultra‑compact 6 kW power supply unit designed to meet the rapidly growing energy demands of AI data centers. The approach eliminates conventional two‑stage conversion losses, enabling more than a 100% increase in power density and over 50% reduction in energy loss compared to state‑of‑the‑art PSUs. Proof‑of‑concept funding supports fabrication and testing of a high‑performance hardware prototype to validate efficiency gains and position the technology for licensing or commercialization with major server and power‑supply manufacturers.

Huiliang (Evan) Wang Wearable Neurostimulation System for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Synopsis:

A wearable, non‑invasive neurostimulation system called NEUSTIM is being developed to address the unmet needs of patients with drug‑resistant epilepsy, particularly those with temporal lobe epilepsy who are not candidates for surgery. The device uniquely integrates focused ultrasound neuromodulation with long‑term EEG monitoring to provide a lower‑cost, safer alternative to invasive treatments such as deep brain stimulation. Proof‑of‑concept funding supports device prototyping and early human validation to de‑risk the technology and position it for clinical trials, regulatory pathways, and commercialization.

Zachariah Page Multi-Material 3D Printing

Synopsis:

The awarded project advances a simple, one-step multi‑material 3D printing process that enables precise control over local mechanical and chemical properties within a single printed object, overcoming long‑standing challenges with weak interfaces and labor‑intensive post‑processing. By combining wavelength‑selective chemistries with commercially available materials, the approach produces parts with extreme stiffness contrast and rapidly dissolvable supports, significantly reducing manufacturing time and cost. This proof‑of‑concept funding supports scale‑up, cost reduction, and prototype demonstrations aimed at accelerating commercialization for applications such as wearable electronics, dental devices, soft robotics, and other high‑performance consumer and medical products.

Stanley Roux A New Approach to Improving Crop Yield and Stress Tolerance

Synopsis:

This project evaluates a new genetic strategy to improve crop yield and stress tolerance by co‑overexpressing the apyrase PS and its newly identified binding partner, PATL4, building on extensive prior greenhouse and field evidence that PS alone increases plant growth and yield. The proof‑of‑concept work generates Arabidopsis lines expressing both genes to test whether their combined activity produces synergistic gains in growth, nutrient uptake, drought tolerance, and seed yield compared to single‑gene approaches. Results from this study are expected to support new intellectual property and future field trials in major crops such as soybean, advancing commercialization pathways for high‑value agricultural traits.

Alex Hanson Differential Power Processing for Efficient Data Centers

Synopsis:

This project develops a novel differential power processing (DPP) architecture to dramatically improve power delivery efficiency in data centers by minimizing energy losses during power conversion. By delivering most power directly to computational loads and processing only small differential amounts, the approach targets efficiency gains that can reduce operating costs and help address growing power constraints in hyperscale and containerized data centers. Proof‑of‑concept funding supports modeling and control development to de‑risk the technology and advance it toward scalable, rack‑level demonstrations suitable for commercialization.

Hsin-Chih (Tim) Yeh Low-cost, Color-changing Nano Probes for Nucleic Acid Sensing

Synopsis:

This project advances low‑cost, color‑changing nanomaterial probes (“Subak” probes) for nucleic acid sensing that overcome the high cost and single‑color limitations of conventional FRET‑based reporters used in PCR and CRISPR diagnostics. The probes use fluorescent silver nanoclusters to generate a distinct ratiometric color change upon nuclease activity, enabling more reliable detection at dramatically reduced cost while maintaining high sensitivity. Proof‑of‑concept funding supports validation and optimization of these probes across PCR and CRISPR assay conditions and benchmarking against commercial products to position the technology for licensing and commercialization in molecular diagnostics.

James Tunnell A Novel Cervical Cancer Diagnostic Tool

Synopsis:

This award advances a minimally invasive, speculum‑free endoscopic device that uses laser‑ejection microbiopsy to collect multiple high‑quality cervical tissue samples in a single procedure, improving diagnostic sensitivity while reducing pain and procedural risks. By enabling targeted, point‑of‑care lesion assessment and increasing the number of biopsies without added harm, the technology addresses key limitations of Pap smears and colposcopy that contribute to missed high‑grade lesions and delayed treatment. Proof‑of‑concept funding supports endoscopic prototyping and preclinical validation to position the technology for commercialization as a more accurate, patient‑friendly cervical cancer diagnostic tool.

Donglei (Emma) Fan Point-of-Use Robotic Water Disinfection System: Efficient, All Weather, Scalable

Synopsis:

This proof‑of‑concept project supports the development of a portable, point‑of‑use robotic water disinfection system that enables rapid, chemical‑free treatment of contaminated water for individual users in everyday and emergency settings. The technology leverages a novel electrically driven disinfection approach to achieve high bacterial removal efficiency with extremely low energy consumption, while remaining scalable across different water volumes and usable in all weather conditions. The awarded funding advances prototype design, optimization, and validation, positioning the technology for future commercialization and deployment to improve access to safe drinking water.

Erin Reilly Camp Cura: AI Assisted Immersive Asthma Management

Synopsis:

This project supports the development of Camp Cura, an AI‑assisted immersive mobile platform designed to improve asthma self‑management and healthcare transition readiness for adolescents and young adults, with a focus on underserved and minority populations. By combining real‑time symptom tracking, personalized AI coaching, and a highly engaging, game‑based virtual environment, Camp Cura aims to increase adherence, self‑efficacy, and long‑term asthma control. Proof‑of‑concept funding advances the build and testing of a minimum viable product, positioning the technology for clinical validation and commercialization through a startup venture.