Cornell's Center for Advanced Technology Promotes Life Sciences Innovation
Cornell CAT convenes researchers, industry to accelerate life sciences innovation
Cornell Chronicle
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Cornell University's Center for Advanced Technology (CAT) in Life Science Enterprise held an event to foster collaboration between academia and industry, aiming to accelerate life sciences innovation. The initiative, supported by New York State, aims to connect researchers and entrepreneurs to enhance commercialization of discoveries, with funding opportunities available through competitive grants.
- 01Cornell's CAT is one of 15 Centers for Advanced Technology funded by New York State's Empire State Development.
- 02The CAT Grants provide $75,000 awards to principal investigators, matched by industry partners for collaborative projects totaling $150,000.
- 03The event featured keynote addresses from Iwijn De Vlaminck, co-founder of Kanvas Biosciences, and Kate Rochlin, COO of IN8bio, discussing the journey from research to commercialization.
- 04Cornell launched 20 technology-based companies last year, maintaining over 500 industry partnerships and nearly 1,000 technology licenses.
- 05Networking sessions facilitated direct connections among attendees, fostering potential collaborations in the life sciences sector.
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Cornell University's Center for Advanced Technology (CAT) in Life Science Enterprise recently hosted an event aimed at fostering collaboration between academic researchers and industry professionals to accelerate innovation in the life sciences sector. The event, held on April 29, 2023, brought together faculty, postdoctoral and graduate researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry partners from across New York State. Marcus Smolka, associate vice provost, emphasized the importance of building a community that spans various sectors, while Krystyn Van Vliet, vice president for innovation, likened the program's role to a catalyst that facilitates connections and reduces barriers to collaboration. Keynote speakers Iwijn De Vlaminck and Kate Rochlin shared insights on transforming academic discoveries into successful companies. The CAT supports this mission through competitive grants, offering $75,000 awards matched by industry partners for collaborative projects. Last year, Cornell launched 20 technology-based companies and maintains over 500 active industry partnerships, highlighting its commitment to bridging the gap between research and real-world application. The event concluded with networking opportunities to explore potential collaborations.
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The collaboration between academia and industry through Cornell's CAT could lead to more successful commercialization of life sciences innovations, benefiting local economies and healthcare advancements.
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