New Jersey Health Foundation/The Nicholson Foundation award $300,000 for innovative projects at major NJ universities

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Dec. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Through the jointly sponsored Innovation Grants Program,  New Jersey Health Foundation and The Nicholson Foundation have awarded six grants to  faculty members at Rowan University, Rutgers University and Stevens Institute of Technology, announced James M. Golubieski, president of New Jersey Health Foundation.

Each recipient has received a $50,000 grant to support an innovative project that could lead to the development of promising healthcare treatments and technologies.

A total of $500,000 has been allocated for the program; several other grant applications are currently being evaluated for funding. Faculty members and personnel at universities affiliated with New Jersey Health Foundation—Princeton University, Rowan University, Rutgers University and Stevens Institute of Technology—were eligible to apply.

"There is an abundance of outstanding work being done by scientists and others throughout the state of New Jersey," noted George F. Heinrich, M.D., vice chair and CEO of New Jersey Health Foundation.   "We are delighted to be able to advance these projects by supporting potentially breakthrough science at these prestigious organizations." 

Awardees include:

• Vikki Hazelwood, PhD, professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry and Biological Sciences at Stevens Institute of Technology, who is working with a team to develop a novel catheter that may prevent frequent complications for patients following a variety of surgical procedures;
• Antonio Valdevit, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry and Biological Sciences at Stevens Institute of Technology, who has identified a mechanism that uses vibratory motion to loosen teeth, allowing for less traumatic tooth removal; 
• Richard Howells, PhD, professor, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, is working with William Welsh, PhD, professor in Bioinformatics, Department of Pharmacology at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, to evaluate lead compounds that can be used as novel therapeutics to treat multiple myeloma and melanoma;
• M. Maral Mouradian, M.D., professor, Department of Neurology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, who is attempting to reduce an abnormal key protein in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease that could slow the degeneration of neurons responsible for symptoms;
• Shivakumar Ranganathan, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rowan University, working to possibly prevent infections or transform care for orthopedic patients who suffer deep bone infections after hip or knee surgeries. 
• Wei Xue, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rowan University, who is creating a non-invasive wearable sensor for health monitoring that will be smaller, lighter, more accurate and more comfortable than other currently available smart systems.

"We are proud to help these entrepreneurs advance their cutting-edge work," said Joan Randell, chief operating officer of The Nicholson Foundation. "Through our partnership with New Jersey Health Foundation, the grantees will be given a year to hone their ideas and implement their projects, and will be provided strategic assistance to support the incubation of innovative, market-based solutions."

For more information, contact Mike Wiley, vice president, at (908) 731-6612 or [email protected].

About New Jersey Health Foundation
New Jersey Health Foundation (www.njhf.org) is a not-for-profit corporation that supports biomedical research and health-related education programs in New Jersey through its matching program, its Grants Program and its affiliate, Foundation Venture Capital Group (www.foundationventure.com) which makes private equity investments in life science start- up companies in New Jersey headed toward commercialization.

About The Nicholson Foundation
The Nicholson Foundation works to improve the quality and affordability of health care for vulnerable populations in New Jersey by transforming how it is paid for and delivered. The Foundation's approach emphasizes partnerships and performance-based grant making; its goal is sustainable systems reform. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.thenicholsonfoundation.org.

SOURCE New Jersey Health Foundation

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