The Penn State Eberly College of Science has chosen faculty members Ken Keiler and Scott Selleck to receive its 2023 Lab Bench to Commercialization (LB2C) grants. This competitive program provides funding for researchers in the college, enabling them to enhance the commercial potential of ongoing Penn State research and prepare them to translate their intellectual property that is owned by Penn State to the marketplace.
Keiler, associate department head for graduate education and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, is an expert on identifying small molecule inhibitors to trans-translation. His project will focus using a lab-developed high-throughput screen to identify lead compounds for a new generation of anticancer drugs. .
Selleck, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, is an expert on signaling networks affecting developmental and age-dependent neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. His project will focus on a compound screen and a cell-based assay to identify small molecule inhibitors for use in neurodegenerative diseases. .
Application criteria and awards
To apply for the , applicants within the Eberly College of Science must demonstrate that the funding will significantly impact development activities for existing intellectual property or research that may be commercialized and provide a return on investment back to the college through licensing income and/or downstream sponsored research.
Research and inventions include tangible products, therapeutics, processes/methods, software, or improvement of a current market product. After being reviewed for scientific merit and commercialization potential, awardees are granted funds to be used within one year.
In addition to funding, researchers also have the added benefit of working with the college’s and the University’s , which assist grantees in critically evaluating their technology, find market applications, and provide development and commercialization plan feedback. These services, along with the funding, provide inventors with the opportunity to take their inventions from the lab bench to the public sector where they can see real societal benefits.
