Florida Atlantic University’s Office of Technology Development within the Division of Research has announced the latest recipient of its Innovation Pilot Award Program, continuing a tradition of transforming promising early-stage research into technologies with market potential and societal benefit.
Established in 2024, the Innovation Pilot Award Program provides FAU researchers with seed funding to advance early-stage innovations, build prototypes and generate proof-of-concept data that attract industry partners and external funding. Awards, which range from $500 to $15,000, are designed to bridge the gap between university research and commercial application – a critical step in transforming discoveries into products and solutions that benefit the public.
Among this year’s awardees is Sarah E. Du, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Biomedical Engineering within the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Du received the award for her groundbreaking technology that can simultaneously measure the mechanical and electrical properties of single cells – a dual-function capability with transformative potential in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics.
With support from the Innovation Pilot Award, Du refined her prototype and presented her work at a major industry conference in Texas, where she connected with the CEO of NaMi Diagnostics, a company developing advanced diagnostic solutions. That connection led to a sponsored research collaboration at FAU exploring the use of Du’s technology to diagnose sepsis. The project has since evolved into a joint proposal to the National Institutes of Health’s Small Business Innovation Research program, and NaMi is considering opening a Florida-based office at the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University.
“The support the award provided allowed us to develop our initial concept further and establish a successful collaboration with NaMi,” said Du. “This program truly made the difference in moving my research closer to commercialization.”
Full story: FAU | FAU Innovation Pilot Awards Drive Faculty Research from Lab to Market
