MDDC Grants

The Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron is dedicated to developing compelling projects that will attract private funding and venture capital investment to the Akron region. The Medical Device Development Center (MDDC), as a part of this mission, has acquired significant funding on projects conceptualized through the MDDC.

The Wright Center for Sensor Systems Engineering (WCSSE)

The Medical Device Development Center, in collaboration with seven Ohio institutions including Bertec Corporation, Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland Veterans Administration, Future Path Medical, Ohio Willow Wood, Parker Hannifin Corporation and ABIA founding partner The University of Akron, received a more than $2.6 million research and commercialization grant for biomedical sensor technology from The Wright Center for Sensor Systems Engineering (WCSSE) through the Ohio Third Frontier initiative.

The project that received the funding, called “Diagnostic Engineering Technologies for Evaluating Connective Tissues” (DETECT) concentrates on patients at risk for chronic wounds and/or connective tissue degradation, such as elderly patients with diminished fracture healing capabilities, athletes susceptible to ligament injuries, diabetic patients who are at risk for skin breakdown, individuals with vascular wall abnormalities and women with stress incontinence problems. The platform includes five projects addressing the profound need for sensor systems for diagnosing, treating and monitoring connective tissue disorders, solving issues relating to bladder control, wound healing, diabetic foot ulcers, skin health on amputee patients and pathomechanics of connective vascular tissues. Through these projects, ABIA and its partners hope to increase patients’ abilities to maintain a near-normal quality of life.