Pitt innovators are tackling some of the world’s most pressing problems. That spirit is at the heart of the Pitt Innovation Challenge (PInCh), an annual pitch competition sponsored by the Clinical and Translational Science institute (CTSI).
PInCh offers prizes for bold solutions to challenging healthcare problems. With a prize pool of more than $500,000 PInCh attracts a wide range of innovations from across the University.
This year’s winner’s of the competition’s three $100,000 prizes are:
Actin Against ALS [A3]
Team: Christi Kolarcik, research assistant professor, School of Medicine; Partha Roy, associate professor of bioengineering
Novel small molecule compounds that target aberrant protein-protein interactions as a potential therapeutic for treating ALS by normalizing cytoskeletal disruptions.
“We do know that people affected by ALS experience a similar set of cellular processes. We do virtual screening of a library of potential compounds with a computational biology approach. We are looking for novel compounds that restore flow of cellular traffic and keep neurons and muscles connected,” said professor Roy.
Vanish Bioresorbable Stimulator
Team: Trent Emerick, associate professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine and bioengineering; Xinyan Tracy Cui, professor of chemical engineering;
An implantable stimulator for patients with severe acute and chronic pain who have failed conservative therapies and are looking for non-opioid alternatives
“There is good evidence that short-term stimulation can affect the nerve long after the wire dissolves,” Emerick said.
Micro-shield: Abdominal Adhesion Prevention
Team: Thiagarajan Meyyappan; Steven Little; Matthew Rosengart
A biodegradable microparticle system to prevent the formation of surgical adhesions and small bowel obstructions after major abdominal surgeries
Recipients of $35,000 prizes were:
Biocarpet
Team: Jonathan Vande Geest; John Pacella
A flexible and fully biodegradable endovascular device that aims to prevent the high rate of restenosis and re-interventions often required in treating peripheral arterial disease
Nephro-Safe
Team: Sunder Sims-Lucas
Identifying dicarboxylic medium chain fatty acids as a therapeutic to protect against acute kidney injury
Engaging Together for Healthy Relationships
Team: Maya Ragavan
A dating violence prevention intervention for pediatric primary care settings that engages parents, adolescents, and healthcare providers.
Winners of $25,000 Elevator Pitch prizes:
- BIONIC: Naloxone Biofeedback Patch
- 3D Printed Filters
- CREAM Depression: Augmented Reality BCI