Administered by Michigan State University and the Michigan Strategic Fund, through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the ADVANCE Grant Proof of Concept Fund provides an incentive for faculty with early stage technologies at Michigan public universities to engage with their university’s technology transfer office to advance their technologies toward commercialization. 

Detailed below, the fund committee selected innovative translational research projects from four different universities in the state in May, June and August, and represent the most recent awards distributed.  

Awarded August 16, 2018

Awarded August 7, 2018

Awarded June 20, 2018

Torque Sensing for Automotive Applications
Dr. Muralidhar Ghantasala, Western Michigan University 
$30,000 ($15,000 MEDC; $15,000 match)

Novel Method to Make Bicyclic Peptides for Agricultural and Pharmaceutical Applications
Dr. John Walton, Michigan State University 
$76,734 ($38,367 MEDC; $38,367 match)

In Vivo Screening of Potential Neuroprotective Compounds by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technique
Dr. Aloke Dutta, Wayne State University  
$11,250 ($5,635 MEDC; $5,625 match)

Awarded May 31, 2018

Reducing the Production Cost of Diamond Substrates for Gemstone, Optical and Electronic Uses
Dr. Timothy Grotjohn, Michigan State University
$80,000 ($40,000 MEDC; $40,000 match)

Clinically Viable Magnetic Particles (SLIPs) for MRI-based Cell Tracking
Dr. Erik Shapiro, Michigan State University  
$60,122 ($30,061 MEDC; $30,061 match)

Dr. Richard Chylla, Program Director, and Ann Spalding, Program Manager, are available to visit (or conference call) Technology Transfer offices to present a short overview of the grant and to answer questions. Contact msugrant@msu.edu to set up an appointment. An initial review of draft proposals is available (budget review and suggestions, proposal review for eligibility, etc.) prior to a formal application.  

Application information for ADVANCE GRANT Proof of Concept Fund