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Two University start-up companies are among those singled out in a new report from the Science Coalition. The report, “American-Made Innovation Sparking Economic Growth,” identifies 102 companies that trace their roots to federally funded university research.

“The innovation that drives economic growth in the U.S. is based, in large part, on the scientific discoveries made in research universities and funded by the federal government,” said Rob Clark, University provost and senior vice president for research. “As a nation, it is imperative that we continue to support the fundamental science that leads to new technologies and improves lives.”

One of the companies is Adarza Biosystems was founded in 2008 by University of Rochester researchers Ben Miller and Christopher Striemer. The company, which has operations in Rochester and St. Louis, is developing a microchip device that can be used to detect proteins in biological samples such as blood. The technology is being developed for both the lab and the clinic and could be used to improve cancer diagnostics and allergy testing, drug and vaccine development, and research on infectious diseases. The technology was developed with the support of a $1 million grant from the NIH.

A new Defense Department project will help researchers develop sensors that can be employed by photonics-based systems. The sensors – which could be used in a wide range of applications, such as environmental monitoring, disease diagnosis, detection of chemical and biological weapons, and to ensure food safety – represent a key component of the AIM Photonics initiative.

The $900,000 U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) project, along with an additional $1.41 million in matching funds from AIM Photonics industrial members, will support a consortium of partners led by the University of Rochester that includes the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy Research Lab, Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Analog Photonics, the University of Tulsa, Phoenix, the University of California-Santa Barbara, and OndaVia.

“When you consider the impact these sensors will have in immediately diagnosing illness, rapidly detecting foodborne pathogens, instantly assessing water and air quality, and ensuring the security of our citizens, you then realize the significance of AIM Photonics and how the technology we are developing is nothing short of a revolution,” said John Maggiore, chairman of the New York State Photonics Board of Officers.

“Sensors represent the interface between the real world and data,” said Ben Miller, Ph.D., the principal investigator of the project. “Developing a universal set of protocols to design, manufacture, modify, and integrate sensors into photonics systems will not only advance this technology, but also present a tremendous economic opportunity—integrated photonics sensors represent a large and rapidly growing market, potentially reaching more than $15 billion globally by 2020.”