MSUT Translational Grant Team

The MSU Technologies Translational Grant team works to manage grant awards given to researchers, from the application process to granting the award. Grants include the ADVANCE Grant, the MTRAC Starter and Full award, and TSGTD internal MSU grant. To grant these awards, the team works with the technology managers and university researchers.

“We are particularly proud of the positive dynamic and team mentality we have been able to build with our MTRAC funded research teams, technology managers, industry experts and other members of Michigan’s startup ecosystem,” said Joseph Affholter, MTRAC Commercialization Program Director and Associate Director of Technology Transfer.

The team oversees the entirety of the grant process, from the pre-proposal, the proposal, reviews, awards, drafting the subagreements and guidelines, collecting and reviewing reports from the grantees and submitting progress reports. Through this process, the team is able to help researchers obtain funding.

“I like that I get to help researchers (primary investigators) to commercialize their amazing new scientific findings and see how our life can be improved by these new products,” said Weian Ou, the Grant Manager for the MTRAC program and MSU SMART ZONE.

The MSUT Translational Grant team is always working to improve the programs they oversee, so researchers can continue to reap the benefits of the programs.

“I am proud of the relationships that have developed with MSU and the other universities’ technology managers, departments, and university administrators from being the Program Manager for the ADVANCE grant,” said Ann Spalding, Grant Manager. “It has been a rewarding experience to be able to help PIs manage their ADVANCE grants and TSGTD projects.”

Joseph Affholter

Commercialization Program Director MTRAC AgBio Innovation Hub

Weian Ou

Weian Ou

Grant Manager for the MTRAC program and MSU SMART ZONE

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