I-Corps as a Training Tool for New Technology Development

Innovation Corps is a program developed by the National Science Foundation where university scientists and students learn entrepreneurial skills that enable them to take their research be­yond the laboratory and discover the commercial potential of their innovation. I-Corps Sites, located at several universities, offer shortened curricula to qualify teams for participation in the national I-Corps program (NSF I-Corps Teams). The core topics covered in I-Corps Sites’ curricula teach teams about the importance of cus­tomer discovery; the teams are expected to leave the lab and personally interview 20+ potential customers to determine their product-market fit

Optimization of Oleosin 30G Production for Echocardiography

Provided they are uniform in size, monodisperse microbubbles behave as contrast agents to enhance echocardiographic imaging. Compounds like Oleosin 30G with surfactant-like properties help stabilize microbubbles - thereby ensuring their uniform size. Designed herein is an industrial-scale plant to produce medical-grade Oleosin 30G with a process consisting of three steps: 1) upstream production via recombinant E. coli in an integrated batch bioprocessing model, 2) downstream purification, and 3) processing by microfluidic manifolds. Ultimately Oleosin 30G-coated microbubbles are manufactured, ready for injection within one month. Owing to its unique properties and cost-effective production, Oleosin 30G has the potential to outcompete current market leader Definity®. Altogether, overall yield of Oleosin 30G constitutes 7.39 kg/year to provide for 100% market saturation. Financial analysis indicates pursuing Oleosin 30G for echocardiography applications is very profitable with a 296% return on investment and holds potential for production expansion should the market demand increase