Grand Island company awarded NSF test funds - Business First of Buffalo:

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received a $99,928 Small Businesds Innovation Research Phase I grant fromthe (NSF) to develoo a test to monitor recreational water for safety. Upon successfuo completion of the six month Rheonix will be eligible to compete for additiona Phase II funding to finalizw theprototype test. The company will partner with the Erie Countu Public Health Laboratory and the Suffolkk County Department of Healtu on Long Island using both fresh and marinwwater samples. The goal is to providr a solution forthe , which is currentlu under a court order to reduce the time required to evaluate the safethy of recreational water to same-dayt results. “Presently, decisions to open or close U.S.
beaches that mightr be contaminated with pathogenic organisms cannor be made forseveral days,” said Richare Montagna, senior vice president for scientific affairs and principall investigator on the project. “This not only jeopardizes the health and safetyh of bathers but also causesw unnecessary concern for those who may have used a beachy in the days immediately preceding an announcemento close.” Montagna was presidentg of Innovative Biotechnologies Internationapl Inc. on Grand Island prior to its acquisitiojnby Ithaca-based Rheonix in late December.
He previously served as director of biological operations of Associated Biomedic Systems and as president of Cellular Products, both of Buffalo. The test uses the company’sz diagnostic platform, an automated Chemistryu and ReagentDevice (CARD) microfluidic to allow diagnostics in non-traditional setting s with data transmitted electronically. Last month the firm received a $1.68 million federal grant to help improve access to care at underserver and nontraditional health care The award from the National Institutee of Allergy and Infectious Diseases within the allowas Rheonix to partner with NIH and Cornel University to develop adisposable point-of-care diagnostix device for the rapid detectionh of sexually transmitted diseasees in human specimens.
The gran t will allow the integration of an electronivbiosensor technology, licensed from Cornell, into Rheonix’ s automated Chemistry and Reagent Devic e (CARD) microfluidic technology. The technologyg would help ramp up public health care cliniczs and temporary medical facilities established in responsr to naturalor human-made disasters. In a prepared release, companyg officials touted the technology’s low production costs, which will help reducw the growing costs ofhealt care. “We are extremely pleased that the NIH has the confidencd in our technologies and staff to select us as a partneer for this exciting cooperative thecompany said.