Biolocity is thrilled to announce the awardees for the 2024-2025 cycle, which recognizes groundbreaking innovations in biotechnology and medical research. This year, our awardees represent some of the most promising advancements in their respective fields, each with the potential to significantly impact healthcare and biomanufacturing.  

Biolocity identifies projects through an annual, multi-stage application process designed to support university innovators with pitch coaching, market assessments, and competitive analysis, fostering commercial success. Throughout the application stages, faculty members collaborate with entrepreneur advisors to mitigate risks associated with their technology. An oversight committee comprising venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, clinicians, biomedical engineers, and university technology transfer experts makes the final selection of the cohort. 

This year’s cohort features: 

Bright QCEST Imaging
Principal Investigator: Phillips Sun, Ph.D. (Emory) 

Bright QCEST Imaging is at the forefront of molecular imaging, developing QCEST MRI technology to standardize and quantify molecular imaging. Dr. Phillips Sun’s project aims to revolutionize MR spectroscopy, offering unparalleled precision and reliability in diagnostic imaging. This innovation can potentially transform the landscape of medical diagnostics, enabling more accurate detection and monitoring of various diseases. 

Cytodit
Principal Investigator: A. Fatih Sariouglu, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech) 

Cytodit introduces an autonomous, cell analytical quality-control platform for biomanufacturing workflows. Under the guidance of Dr. A. Fatih Sariouglu, this technology promises to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of cell analysis in biomanufacturing processes. By automating quality control, Cytodit aims to ensure higher consistency and reliability in biomanufactured products, paving the way for advancements in regenerative medicine and cell therapy. 

MCATS for HIT
Principal Investigators: Khalid Salaita, Ph.D. and Roman Sniecinski, MD (Emory) 

MCATS for HIT represents a novel diagnostic test for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), utilizing cellular traction forces. Dr. Khalid Salaita and Dr. Roman Sniecinski lead this innovative project, which seeks to simplify and improve the accuracy of HIT diagnostics. This test can be performed in any clinical lab, making it a valuable tool for widespread clinical use and ensuring timely and accurate diagnosis of HIT, a potentially life-threatening condition. 

Water Bear Bio
Principal Investigators: Jesse Waggoner, MD & David R. Myers, Ph.D. (Emory) 

Water Bear Bio is developing a unique solution for RNA and DNA extraction and ambient temperature storage. Led by Dr. Jesse Waggoner and Dr. David R. Myers, this project aims to simplify genetic material handling and preservation, crucial for research and clinical diagnostics. By enabling ambient temperature storage, Water Bear Bio could reduce costs and logistical challenges associated with cold storage, making genetic testing and research more accessible worldwide. 

Urearetics for HFpEF
Principal Investigators: John Calvert, Ph.D., Eric Otlund, Ph.D.,  & Yanhua Wang, Ph.D. (Emory) 

The Urearetics for HFpEF project focuses on developing a new treatment option for Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF). This multi-disciplinary team, including Dr. John Calvert, Dr. Eric Otlund, Dr. Jeff Sands, Dr. Janet Klein, and Dr. Yanhua Wang, is pioneering the use of Urearetics to address this challenging and often treatment-resistant condition. Their work holds promise for improving the quality of life and outcomes for HFpEF patients. 

Biolocity is proud to support these visionary projects and their dedicated investigators. These innovations exemplify our commitment to advancing biomedical technologies and improving healthcare outcomes. We look forward to the progress and breakthroughs these projects will undoubtedly achieve in the coming year. 

Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting projects and other Biolocity initiatives. Together, we continue to break boundaries in biotech and pave the way for a healthier future. 

Congratulations to all the 2024-2025 Biolocity awardees! 

Biolocity is proud to announce the exceptional 2023-2024 cohort awardees for funding and commercialization support through Biolocity Launch. These cutting-edge technologies are poised to revolutionize the field of biotech, bringing forth groundbreaking advancements that have the potential to reshape healthcare, drug delivery, and cancer therapies. We want to highlight the four outstanding awardees and explore their remarkable contributions to the future of biotechnology. 

 “There is an increasing pipeline of technologies impacting human health at Emory University and Georgia Tech. This year’s applicant pool was very competitive, and the projects selected to be a part of this cohort have a strong potential for commercialization,” says Courtney Law, Ph.D., managing director of Biolocity. “We are excited to work with this year’s awardees to advance their technology development toward the market and ultimately patient impact.” 

Biolocity selects projects through an annual, multi-stage application process that allows university innovators to receive pitch coaching, market assessments, and competitive analysis to cultivate commercial success. Faculty members work with entrepreneur advisors to de-risk their technology through each application stage. The final cohort is determined by an oversight committee of venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, clinicians, biomedical engineers, and university technology transfer experts. 

Since 2015, the program has awarded more than $10.5 million across 67 projects, generating over 16.6 times that much follow-on investment. 

This year’s cohort includes: 

Cellcue Bio:  A 3D microfluidic platform with improved prediction of clinical outcomes for cell therapies leveraging the power of advanced microfluidic technology. This innovation could enhance the efficacy and safety of cell-based treatments, opening new avenues for personalized medicine and regenerative therapies. Project Leads: Andrés Garcia, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech) and Wilbur Lam (Emory University) 

Mageia Therapies:  A therapeutic enzyme to reverse immunosuppression in solid tumors.  By leveraging their expertise in immunology and oncology, Mageia Therapies seeks to unlock the full potential of the immune system in combating cancer. Their breakthrough approach directly targets a key signaling pathway in cancer immunosuppression, enabling immunotherapy for a variety of solid tumor types. Project Lead: John Blazeck, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech) 

Next-Gen 5-FU:  Safer and more effective next-generation 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) based therapeutics. By leveraging novel prodrug strategies and innovative formulations, they seek to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of 5-FU-based compounds while minimizing adverse side effects. Project Leads: Dennis Liotta, Ph.D., Eric Miller, Ph.D., Nicole Pribut, Ph.D., and John Petros, MD (Emory University) 

OZ-Link:  A generalizable delivery platform that enables extended and precise drug delivery. By utilizing cutting-edge technologies and advanced formulation strategies, OZ-Link seeks to overcome the challenges associated with targeted drug delivery. Their groundbreaking platform has the potential to revolutionize various therapeutic areas. Project Leads: M.G. Finn, Ph.D. and Kasie Collins, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech) 

Biolocity continues to foster a culture of innovation and support for these pioneering scientists and entrepreneurs, inspiring and empowering them to bring their visionary technologies to fruition. Together, they will shape the future of biotechnology and positively impact countless lives. 

Learn more about Biolocity and our growing portfolio at biolocity.org.