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Aculight
Bothell
http://www.aculight.com
Researcher: Ann Mescher, UW Mechanical Engineering Dept.
Year project began: 2000
Aculight designs, develops, and manufactures solid-state lasers for new applications in industries as diverse as medicine, semiconductor processing, and telecommunications. As solid-state lasers get smaller and power output increases, cooling the laser becomes a significant challenge. In collaboration with Ann Mescher of the UW Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aculight is investigating MEMS processes at WTC's Microfabrication Laboratory to achieve a novel thermal management system that efficiently removes high heat flux from the laser's package. Aculight, one of the top 100 fastest-growing private companies in Washington, forecasts overall sales in excess of $20 million by 2004.
Labels: Bothell, District_1, King_County, MEMS_and_Nanotechnology, Microfabrication_Lab_Support, Puget_Sound_A-K, RTD_Grant_Program_A-K, UW
ATL Ultrasound (now Philips)
Bothell
Researcher: Amit Bandyopadhyay, WSU School of Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Year project began: 2000
ATL is a worldwide leader in the manufacturing, distribution, and service of diagnostic medical ultrasound systems. The project will design and develop high element count, high frequency micro-machined medical ultrasound transducers for skin, eye, and heart imaging.
Labels: Bothell, District_1, King_County, Life_Sciences, Puget_Sound_A-K, RTD_Grant_Program_A-K, WSU
EKOS Corporation
Bothell
http://www.ekoscorp.com
About EKOS Corporation
EKOS® Corporation pioneered the development and clinical application of microsonic technologies in medicine, introducing its first system for the treatment of vascular thrombosis in 2005. Today, interventional radiologists, cardiologists and vascular surgeons at leading institutions across the nation use EKOS MicroSonic™ Accelerated Thrombolysis to provide faster, safer and more complete dissolution of thrombus. In 2008, the company introduced its next generation EkoSonic™ Endovascular System with Rapid Pulse Modulation. The EkoSonic system is FDA cleared for controlled and selective infusion of physician-specified fluids, including thrombolytics, into the peripheral vasculature. It is currently used to treat patients with peripheral arterial occlusions (PAO) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and additional applications are being investigated. For more information visit www.EKOScorp.com.
Research & Technology Development (RTD) Award: Phase I
Project Title: "Development of an algorithm to accurately predict 'end of therapy' in ultrasound-facilitated Thrombolysis"
Research Partner: Hong Shen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Washington
Project Began: 2008
EKOS Corporation, a Bothell-based medical device company, is teamed with the University of Washington Department of Chemical Engineering to improve the company's proprietary catheter-based drug-delivery system.
UW will receive $30,000 in Phase I Research and Technology Development funding from Washington Technology Center and $6,000 from EKOS for the project titled "Development of an algorithm to accurately predict 'end of therapy' in ultrasound-facilitated Thrombolysis."
Catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) is a therapy for patients with vascular diseases such as deep vein thrombosis. However, current use of CDT is associated with high costs. These costs are due to technology limitations that result in doctors prescribing larger than necessary drug dosages and longer durations of therapy.
In this Phase I project, the collaborative team of EKOS and UW Assistant Professor Hong Shen plan to analyze patient data to develop an algorithm that will better predict the end of CDT therapy. Follow-on projects will involve the development and launch of the resulting software upgrade. EKOS plans to add this new technology to its current product line, potentially making CDT a more attractive and economical treatment option for doctors and patients.
"Investing in our communities and businesses through economic development really does enhance people's lives and our business climate. This research and development funding to EKOS is geared to develop ways to lower costs of essential medical treatment for those with vascular problems. To these people and their families, this work quite possibly can make a world of difference. These continued funding grants are targeted investments that help a lot of people."
State Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe (D-Bothell).
"This is great news for the research industry in the Bothell area. I'm very happy to hear about the partnership, and I hope that there are many more like it."
State Rep. Al O'Brien (D-Mountlake Terrace)
Focused Technology Initiative (FTI) Award
Research Partner: Fatih Dogan, UW Dept. of Materials Science & Engineering
Project began: 2001
Founded in 1995, EKOS is focused on developing proprietary ultrasound-based systems and devices for local drug delivery. Highly reliable piezoelectric ceramic transducers are crucial to the success of the devices developed by EKOS. This project works towards the development of such transducers by identifying the failure mechanisms of the ceramic material and developing improved material strength.
Labels: Bothell, District_1, King_County, Life_Sciences, Puget_Sound, RTD_Grant_Program, UW
Labels: Bothell, District_1, Focused_Technology_Initiative_Award, King_County, Life_Sciences, Puget_Sound_A-K, RTD_Grant_Program_A-K, UW
Infometrix, Inc.
Bothell
http://www.infometrix.com
RTD Award: Phase II
Project Title: "Robust Process Gas Chromatography"
Research Partners: Professor James B. Callis, Department of Chemistry, University of Washington; Mel Koch, Director, Center for Process Analytical Chemistry, University of Washington
Project Began: 2008
Infometrix, a Bothell-based developer of scientific software, is teamed with Professor James Callis of the University of Washington Department of Chemistry to develop software for improved process monitoring technology.
UW received $100,000 in Phase II Research and Technology Development funding from Washington Technology Center for the project titled "Robust Process Gas Chromatography."
Current use of Gas Chromatography (GC) as a process monitoring technology suffers from problems of cost, maintenance and deployment. By taking advantage of recent developments in instrumentation, data treatments and sampling systems, the utility of GC could be extended across a diverse cross section of industries.
In this Phase II project, Infometrix and Dr. Callis will extend their development of the base technologies by focusing on both practical deployment issues and implementation of real-time processing of GC data. By making gas chromatographers easier to deploy and maintain, Infometrix's work will lead to increased applications in sectors such as petroleum and biofuels, agriculture, biotechnology and the life sciences.
"I congratulate Infometrix on their project. It has seemingly limitless applications for areas in public policy and its work will lead to increased applications in sectors like petroleum and biofuels, agriculture, and biotechnology. State funding enables partnerships between companies and non-profit research institutions on technology projects with potential for commercializing and creating new jobs. It's also a great illustration of the public and private sectors teaming together for the next big breakthrough."
State Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, (D-Bothell)
"Congratulations. I am very happy that state funding has been awarded to Infometrix, a Bothell company. Combined with the biotech cluster of businesses and institutions located in Seattle, Bothell has helped to make Washington State one of the top 5 or 6 biotech centers in the nation."
State Rep. Al O'Brien (D-Mountlake Terrace)
RTD Award: Phase I
Project Title: "Robust Process Gas Chromatography"
Research Partners: Jaromir Ruzicka, Ph.D. and Mel Koch, Ph.D., Center for Process Analytical Chemistry, University of Washington
Project Began: 2006
Process analytical instrumentation is a major business, generating $5 billion in corporate revenue annually. The chemical industry is clamoring for better performance for process analyzers - asking for smaller, modular, more technically-advanced components that can handle high volumes of data. Infometrix, a Bothell-based company, has teamed with Drs. Jaromir Ruzicka and Mel Koch with the University of Washington's Center for Process Analytical Chemistry (CPAC), to advance and improve the handling of data for sensors and other multivariate instrument systems. Gas chromatographs (GC) are the most common instruments used in monitoring and control. Infometrix and CPAC are looking to develop a robust GC that can be more easily integrated into the analysis process. This type of instrument is highly in demand in both laboratory analysis and for the commercial monitoring and control market. Infometrix has already received endorsement for this technology from several industry leaders including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Dow Chemical and Honeywell. Grant funding will be used to develop and build a prototype for commercial use by chemical and petroleum companies.
Labels: Bothell, District_1, King_County, Life_Sciences, Puget_Sound_A-K, RTD_Grant_Program_A-K, UW
Microvision, Inc.
Redmond (Located in Bothell for a previous WTC affiliation)
http://www.microvision.com
Microvision in the WTC news forum
Research Partner: Dr. Kannan M. Krishnan, UW Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Project Began: 2004
Micro-electro-mechanical-system(MEMS)-based scanners are a natural choice for the scanning mirror requirements of scanned beam displays (SBDs). SBDs offer unique advantages for near-to-eye applications, such as head-worn displays for DVD players, or image-capture applications, including bar code scanners and endoscopes.
Current MEMS technologies offer scanners that are small and relatively low-cost to manufacture. However, many consumer market applications require lower cost, smaller packaging, and lower battery drain. Achieving these goals will open up numerous high-volume consumer product opportunities, as no other display technology, such as LCDs, can compete in the area of performance. Improving the MEMS actuation means (controlling the motion of a MEMS scanner) is one way to achieve these goals.
Microvision has teamed with Professor Krishnan to investigate the development of materials and processes for fabrication of hard micromagnets for actuation of MEMS devices. These new materials can reduce size, power, and costs, opening up the growing consumer market.
Labels: District_1, King_County, MEMS_and_Nanotechnology, Microfabrication_Lab_Support, Puget_Sound_L-Z, Redmond, RTD_Grant_Program_L-Z, UW
Sonus Pharmaceuticals
Bothell
http://www.sonuspharma.com/
Researchers: Marc Fariss and Jin-Gang Zhang, Washington State University Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Year project began: 2002
Sonus Pharmaceuticals develops therapeutic drugs using its drug delivery technology platform, which features a vitamin-E-based oil-in-water emulsion to promote the solubility of lipophilic (fat-soluble, non-water soluble) drugs that require novel drug delivery formulations for effective delivery into the body. Encapsulating injectable cancer-killing drugs in a vitamin E emulsion may lower the toxicity of the formulation, which could lead to a product that can be administered more easily to patients with fewer side effects and better efficacy. Dr. Marc Fariss of WSU has discovered a class of vitamin E derivatives that have the ability to selectively kill human tumor cells while protecting normal tissue. This project teams Drs. Fariss and Zhang of WSU with Sonus to investigate the ability of Sonus' platform, as well as its vitamin E components, to selectively enhance the antitumor activity of chemotherapeutic agents. Dr. Zhang has expertise in the mechanisms of vitamin-E-derivative-mediated cytoprotection and antitumor activity.
Labels: Bothell, District_1, King_County, Life_Sciences, Puget_Sound_L-Z, RTD_Grant_Program_L-Z, WSU
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