Minnesota gets NIH health shot

Minnesota University is set to benefit from a $3m grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to bolster the commercialisation of healthcare technologies from the institution.

Minnesota, which will provide a matching $3m, will use the cash to boost training researchers, develop partnership with businesses, and develop other initiatives. The money will also be used to support 10 to 20 new commercialisation projects per year centred around medtech and diagnostics.

The NIH money was made available through its Research Evaluation and Commercialisation Hubs (REACH) programme. Other awardees in the latest round include Louisville University, and the Long Island Bioscience Hub.

Brian Herman, vice president for research at Minnesota, said: “MIN-REACH will play a crucial role in providing the coaching, training and expertise needed to focus our research efforts on commercial markets and accelerate the tech transfer process. I am excited by this opportunity to expand our commercialisation efforts and maximize the health, economic and social benefits of university research and outreach to society. New pharmaceuticals and medical devices will lead to longer lives, lower costs in medical care and important strides in the battles against the most formidable diseases.”