Tenant Aura Nanotechnology Received SBIR Grant

April 16, 2007

Dr. Patrick Grant and Dr. Mike McShane received an SBIR grant for $88,888.00 from the National Institute of Health (NIH). The original project was to develop an in-line sensor for dialysis patients. When a patient undergoes treatment they are usually put on the dialysis machine for a set period of time. There was no monitoring, which meant that the patient might be on the machine for too long or too short a time. Aurananotechnology, the company formed by Grant and McShane proposed to develop a sensor that would monitor the waste product urea. Once the reading showed that there was no longer urea present, the patient could be removed from the dialysis machine. The new sensor required an instrument which meant that it was only commercially viable in hospitals etc. A new focus was placed on adapting the sensor to be able to be read visually. This would open up an opportunity for private in home use.

Aurananotechnology operates out of the Louisiana Tech Business Incubator and is approximately three years from final product.