POCsparc GRANT PROGRAM
Proof of Concept: Short Proposal to Accelerate Research CommercializationGraphic LineRamdom Graphic Image

The POCsparc Grant Program provides awards of up to $25,000 to faculty of the four STTM-served institutions to advance UT inventions towards successful commercialization. The STTM Proof of Concept grants are intended to support short-term, tightly focused projects to help bridge the gap between promising invention and market-ready innovations.

Effective September 1, 2009, funding for POCsparc grants has been made available through the San Antonio Life Sciences Institute (SALSI), a joint program of UTHSCSA and UTSA formed to promote greater scientific collaboration between the two institutions.

Proposals eligible for a POCsparc award must support:
1) Collaborative projects between faculty from UTHSCSA and UTSA, or
2) Collaborative projects between UTHSCSA or UTSA faculty and UTB or UTPA faculty.

For POCsparc awards, PIs at both institutions must be tenured or on the tenure track.

Proposals received from UTSA faculty may also be considered for POCroadrunner (POCrr) grants, which are funded through a supplement to the Emerging Technology Fund award that established the UTSA Institute for Cyber Security.

POCsparc Announcements

Feb. 5, 2010
Sep. 2, 2009
Aug. 17, 2009
Jun. 24, 2009

UTSA Researcher Leverages Proof of Concept Grant to Win NIH Grant.
[ See UTSA Press Release ]

Jun. 23, 2009
Mar. 13, 2009
Feb. 4, 2009



The Process

POCsparc RFPs will be issued spring and fall each year. Applications will be selected for funding by STTM based on the value proposition for the use of the funds, i.e. validating the commercial opportunity and advancing the technology to the marketplace. [ Press Release ]

Invention Disclosure Form [ MS Word .DOC]
POCsparc Application [ MS Word .DOC ]
Application Instructions [ Adobe .PDF ]

Upon completion of the project, the PI will present the results to STTM in writing and in person. STTM encourages faculty to publish the project results and views favorably using the results as a basis for seeking additional funding though TIF, SBIR, STTR, or private capital.

Eligibility

  • Proposals must be based on technologies for which an invention disclosure form (IDF) is on file at STTM and for which a Case Manager has been assigned;
  • Principal investigators must be UT Brownsville, UTHSCSA, UTPA, or UTSA faculty;
  • Proposals must support:
    • Collaborative projects between faculty from UTHSCSA and UTSA, or
    • Collaborative projects between UTHSCSA or UTSA faculty and UTB or UTPA faculty;
  • For POCsparc awards, PIs at both institutions must be tenured or on the tenure track;
  • Proposals received from UTSA faculty may also be considered for POCroadrunner (POCrr) grants, which are funded through a supplement to the Emerging Technology Fund award that established the UTSA Institute for Cyber Security;
  • Grants from STTM will support solely projects of commercial interest.

Selection Criteria
Favorable consideration will be given to the following:
  • Inventions that have the potential to become novel "core" or "platform" technologies for multiple products;
  • Inventions for which a likely commercial partner has been identified;
  • Inventions with the potential for significant financial return;
  • Inventions that command a strong proprietary position;
  • Projects likely to benefit significantly from an investment, e.g. create a working prototype or extend in vitro data to animal model studies;
  • Projects with specific objectives that can be completed within six (6) months;
  • Projects that are likely candidates for follow-on funding, e.g. TIF, SBIR/STRR, or VC/Angel.
STTM Tech ID UT Institution Primary Investigator Project Title Amount Awarded
April 2009 Awards
POCsparc Grant Awards
2008.023
UTHSCSA
Murat Digicaylioglu, M.D., Ph.D.
Applicator for transcribrosal application of neuroprotectants $9,490
2008.034
UTHSCSA
Thomas Zgonis, DPM, FACFAS
Foot, ankle, and lower extremity compression and fixation system $25,000
2008.038
UTHSCSA
John P. Stokes. M.D.
Gamma Spiral Irradiating Device $14,651
2009.030
UTHSCSA
Ethan Rosenberg, M.D. and Samuel Klem, M.D.
A device to improve the safety and cost-effectiveness of peripheral nerve blocks. $23,750
2009.022
UTB
Hansheng Lei, Ph.D.
Special Sound Detection Sensor $16,300
2008.040
Multi
Brent Nowak, Ph.D. (UTSA) and Jonathon Jundt (UTHSCSA)
UGADO (Ultrasound Guided Automated Distraction Osteogenesis) $25,000
POCroadrunner Grant Awards
2005.011
UTSA
Sos S. Agaian, Ph.D.
Simultaneous Compression and Encryption of Digital Data $25,000
2009.015
Multi
Brent Nowak, Ph.D. (UTSA) and
Mary Jacks, M.S., RDH (UTHSCSA)
A Sensable Dental Scaler $25,000

*2008 Grant recipients
STTM Tech ID UT Institution Primary Investigator Project Title Amount Awarded
October 2008 Awards
POCsparc Grant Awards
2009.003 UTHSCSA Whang, Kyumin, PhD Development of an Antimicrobial Resin $25,000
2009.011 UTB Garrido, Emilio, MD, PhD Neurotargeting via cell-type specific neurotropic ligands $25,000
2008.022 Multi Bastos, Renata, MD Inflatable Aortic Shunt $25,000
2007.024 Multi Lopera, Jorge, MD Hand-held device to measure angulations during CT guided procedures $9,000
POCroadrunner Grant Awards
2003.001 UTSA Tsin, Andrew, PhD Adaptive Optics and Retinal Imaging: Constructing a Prototype for a Diagnostic Instrument $25,000
 
April 2008 Awards
POCsparc Grant Awards
2000.003 UTHSCSA Rawls, H. Ralph, PhD Development of Nanostructured X-ray opaque composite resins for dental repair and restoration $20,400
2005.023 UTHSCSA McKenzie, Shirlyn B., PhD Scopolamine to reduce or eliminate hot flashes and night sweats $16,688
2008.003 UTHSCSA Whang, Kyumin, PhD Development of a low-color, color-stable dual-cure restorative resin with enhanced degree of cure and reduced shrinkage stress $19,750
2003.019 UTHSCSA Sun, LuZhe, PhD Large scale purification of a recombinant pan TGFB inhibitor for preclinical studies $10,000
2008.027 UTHSCSA Bunegin, Leonid Fluidics based, pulsatile perfusion organ preservation device (FOPD) $25,000
2003.007 UTHSCSA DeArmond, Daniel, MD Intracorporeal impedance and leak monitoring device $5,010
1998.012 UTHSCSA Nalty, Theresa, PhD Exchangeable cams for controlling limits of three-dimensional movement in an apparatus for performing hippotherapy $5,000
2008.002 UTSA Garcia, Carlos, PhD Lab-on-a-Robot: building a second prototype and performing in-field tests $25,000
2008.024 UTSA Chen, Chonglin, PhD Multilayered YSZ/GCO structure for intermediate temperature fuel cell applications $20,000
2005.011 UTSA Mani, Gopinath, PhD Self-Assembled Monolayers for Use in Drug-Eluting Stents $10,000
POCroadrunner Grant Awards
2000.001 UTSA Renthal, Robert, PhD New Method for Pheromone Discovery $25,000

 

RELATED ARTICLES

To view an article click on a link below:

Daniel DeArmond, MD, assistant professor of cardiothoracic surgery at UTHSCSA invented a device intended to detect leaks following a surgical anastomosis. Anastomoses are performed when surgeons need to join of the viable ends of one or more hollow organs.
[ read more .DOC .PDF]

A new approach to perfusing and oxygenating donor organs during transport has been developed at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and a newly engineered prototype has been created with the use of POCsparc funds. Researchers Leonid Bunegin and Edward F Gelineau have reengineered this device, which has resulted in a dramatic reduction in both size and weight – lending true portability to organ preservation technology.
[ read more .DOC .PDF ]

For more information about POCsparc and to identify your invention as a candidate for this grant, please speak to one of our STTM Licensing Associates listed in our Contact Us page.

Note: PDF documents require the Adobe READER® plug-in.