Innovating the Research Pipeline

Outcome/Accomplishment

Nurturing innovation and advancing technology to the marketplace are high priorities in the American research enterprise. Cross-cutting programs that bring together researchers and their projects from small and large businesses and research institutions are key to transitioning the best ideas from concepts to actualization. These approaches are being successfully employed by the NSF-funded Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (PATHS-UP) Engineering Research Center (ERC), headquartered at TAMU, with partners from the University of California at Los Angeles, Rice University, and Florida International University.

Impact/Benefits

The National Science Foundation supports the Engineering Research Centers, a robust Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, and other activities to spur innovation. PATHS-UP has well-developed research agendas and excellent resources for nurturing promising technologies, including their industry advisors. By bringing multiple resources together, they have helped move a number of projects from discovery to the feasibility phase of development and more.

Explanation/Background

PATHS-UP supports innovation in many ways. There is a treasure trove of innovative work in small business. By looking up and contacting recipients of NSF SBIR Phase 2 awards, PATHS-UP opened a door for collaboration and support for bringing their innovations to market. PATHS-UP assisted two potential start-up companies by helping them transition from the discovery to the feasibility phase of development, enabling them to submit applications for NSF’s Innovation Corps entrepreneur training program. The Center also has supported three NSF-funded Ph.D. candidates and their work with industry partners through the INTERN program. One such project resulted in 

One of PATHS-UP’s most successful programs is its Innovation Seed Fund, which helps support engineering and clinical collaborations. In 2023, they funded three students with $5,000 grants each. Faculty awards were combined with sponsor partners from PATHS-UP’S Digital Health Workshop to fund ten $25,000 collaborations, with three of the awards funded by PATHS-UP industry funds.

PATHS-UP’s Innovation Seed Fund supports engineering and clinical collaborations with awards to faculty ($25,000) and students ($5,000). This figure shows the 2023 faculty seed fund winners.
Credit:
Rice University

Location

College Station, Texas

e-mail

teesweb@tamu.edu

website

https://pathsup.org/

Start Year

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Biotechnology and Health Care Icon
Biotechnology and Health Care Icon

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Lead Institution

Texas A&M University

Core Partners

University of California at Los Angeles, Rice University , Florida International University

Fact Sheet

PATHS-UP Fact Sheet.pdf
PATHS-UP’s Innovation Seed Fund supports engineering and clinical collaborations with awards to faculty ($25,000) and students ($5,000). This figure shows the 2023 faculty seed fund winners.
Credit:
Rice University

Outcome/Accomplishment

Nurturing innovation and advancing technology to the marketplace are high priorities in the American research enterprise. Cross-cutting programs that bring together researchers and their projects from small and large businesses and research institutions are key to transitioning the best ideas from concepts to actualization. These approaches are being successfully employed by the NSF-funded Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (PATHS-UP) Engineering Research Center (ERC), headquartered at TAMU, with partners from the University of California at Los Angeles, Rice University, and Florida International University.

Location

College Station, Texas

e-mail

teesweb@tamu.edu

website

https://pathsup.org/

Start Year

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Biotechnology and Health Care Icon
Biotechnology and Health Care Icon

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Lead Institution

Texas A&M University

Core Partners

University of California at Los Angeles, Rice University , Florida International University

Fact Sheet

PATHS-UP Fact Sheet.pdf

Impact/benefits

The National Science Foundation supports the Engineering Research Centers, a robust Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, and other activities to spur innovation. PATHS-UP has well-developed research agendas and excellent resources for nurturing promising technologies, including their industry advisors. By bringing multiple resources together, they have helped move a number of projects from discovery to the feasibility phase of development and more.

Explanation/Background

PATHS-UP supports innovation in many ways. There is a treasure trove of innovative work in small business. By looking up and contacting recipients of NSF SBIR Phase 2 awards, PATHS-UP opened a door for collaboration and support for bringing their innovations to market. PATHS-UP assisted two potential start-up companies by helping them transition from the discovery to the feasibility phase of development, enabling them to submit applications for NSF’s Innovation Corps entrepreneur training program. The Center also has supported three NSF-funded Ph.D. candidates and their work with industry partners through the INTERN program. One such project resulted in 

One of PATHS-UP’s most successful programs is its Innovation Seed Fund, which helps support engineering and clinical collaborations. In 2023, they funded three students with $5,000 grants each. Faculty awards were combined with sponsor partners from PATHS-UP’S Digital Health Workshop to fund ten $25,000 collaborations, with three of the awards funded by PATHS-UP industry funds.