GRANT FUELS BATTELLE-OSU COLLABORATION IN CARDIOVASCULAR BIOENGINEERING

Columbus--A $6.5 million grant recently was awarded to Battelle, The Ohio State University Medical Center and its partners to study cardiovascular bioengineering. OSU will conduct broad studies of coronary artery disease. Battelle will lead the commercialization effort.

Battelle and OSU announced an initiative earlier this year to collaborate in various scientific enterprises. This marks the first fully funded collaborative project in the Cardiovascular Bioengineering Enterprise initiative.

The grant comes from the Biomedical Research and Technology Transfer Commission, which is distributing funds in Ohio from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.

The research will focus on new ways to assess risk in cardiovascular disease and the development of a next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. The planned research topics include improved imaging methods-including enhanced contrast media and improved image collection and interpretation methods, and the biochemistry and genomics of cardiac artery plaques and plaque formation. Battelle will serve as the commercialization partner, with an option to certain intellectual property that results from the research projects. Battelle will bring these technologies to the marketplace through its commercialization process.

"We see this as just the first of many collaborations where Battelle and OSU can join forces to bring new healthcare technologies and discoveries to the market. Battelle and OSU are actually linked on numerous collaborations where the product development and commercial focus of Battelle are combined with OSU's medical research strengths. Our research facilities are literally across the street from each other and the two organizations openly communicate," said Rich Rosen, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Battelle's Healthcare Products Market Sector.

"We're very excited about working with Battelle on this project and others to come. This partnership is a prime example of the whole being greater than the parts. By combining our expertise and energy we have an opportunity to tap new markets and bring forth discoveries that can truly make a difference for science, business and individuals," said Fred Sanfilippo, MD, PhD, OSU's Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean of the College of Medicine and Public Health.

Other partners in the Cardiovascular Bioengineering Enterprise include iMEDD, General Electric, and Berlex/Schering.

Battelle serves industry and government in the areas of technology development, laboratory management, and technology commercialization. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle has annual revenues of $1 billion, has operations at more than 100 locations and clients in 30 countries. It counts as its successes the development of the office copier machine (Xerox), pioneering work on the compact disc, medical technology breakthroughs, and fiber optic advancements for telecommunications.

For more information, visit Battelle's web site at www.battelle.org or contact Katy Delaney, media relations manager, at (614) 424-5544 or delaneyk@battelle.org.