I-Corps: Device for Producing the Non-antibiotic Antimicrobial Hypothiocyanite (HTC) for Use in Food Safety

该项目是利用多个主管部门和方案官员的投入进行审议的。它包括来自i-Corps认知方案官员的口头输入和来自特定专题局(包括下文)的书面输入。考虑到智力上的优点以及更广泛的影响，该团队被邀请提交这项建议。董事会意见：PI开发了一种新的合成工艺来制造抗菌化学品低硫氰酸盐(HTC)，并为其申请了专利。如果HTC的制造成本低廉，它有可能在食品安全市场上进行商业应用。目前，美国的肉类生产商使用次氯酸盐来防止生态污染，但这种分子会产生致癌物质，因此已在欧洲市场被禁止。PIS技术是在美国国家科学基金会化学部拨款的资助下生产的，它应该允许HTC以一定的规模和价格制造，使其成为次氯酸盐的安全替代品。该团队由俄克拉荷马大学化学教授迈克尔·阿什比组成。这位企业家领袖罗伯特·弗里德毕业于俄克拉荷马大学的工程物理专业。他目前是俄亥俄州立大学创造经济财富中心的研究员。罗伯特在商业化努力方面有经验。J·博伊德·诺兰是创业导师。他拥有波音公司的经验，并曾为几家成功的初创公司工作过。我认为，这个团队对有机会积极参与i-Corp计划感到兴奋，并将从中受益。出于这个原因以及这一发现是在一个具有商业意义的领域的事实，我推荐这个I-Corp基金的建议。认知计划主任建议：这个I-Corps项目建立在NSF支持的先前工作的基础上。以前的拨款是：CHE-0503984CHE-0911328有明确定义的市场需求，团队拥有领域知识来证明I-Corps的支持是合理的。如果成功转型为营利性实体，可能会产生明显的影响。50000美元的预算符合i-Corps的要求。学术团队已经与i-Corps项目负责人讨论了这一努力，我们一致建议支持i-Corps项目。这一努力将得到使用以下代码的国会议员的支持：030000008023

This project was considered using input from multiple directorates and program officers. It included verbal input from the I-Corps Cognizant Program Officers and written input from the Topic-Specific Directorate (included below). The intellectual merits as well as the broader impacts were considered and the team was invited to submit this proposal.Directorate Input:The PI has developed and patented a novel synthetic process to make the antimicrobial chemical, hypothiocyanate (HTC). HTC has the potential to be commercially used in the food safety market if it can be made cheaply. Currently meat producers in the US use hypochlorite to prevent ecoli contamination, but this molecule can produce carcinogens and, thus, has been banned in European markets. The PIs technology, produced under funding from a NSF grant from the Chemistry Division, should allow HTC to be made at a scale and price that would make it a safe alternative to hypochlorite.The team consists of the PI, Michael Ashby, who is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oklahoma. The Entrepreneurial Lead, Robert Free, is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma's (OU) Engineering Physics program. He is currently a Fellow in OU's Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth. Robert has experience in commercialization efforts. J. Boyd Nolan is the Entrepreneurial Mentor. He has experience at Boeing and has worked for several successful startups. It is my opinion that this team is excited about the opportunity to actively participate in the I-Corp Program and will benefit from it. For this reason and the fact that the discovery is in a commercially significant field, I recommend this proposal for I-Corp funding.Cognizant Program Director Recommendation:This I-Corps project builds upon previous work supported by NSF.The Previous Grants were:CHE-0503984CHE-0911328There is a clearly-defined market need and the team possesses the domain knowledge to justify I-Corps support. If successfully transitioned to a for-profit entity, there is potential for clear impact. The budget for $50,000 conforms to I-Corps requirements. The Academic team has discussed this effort with the I-Corps program directors and it is our unanimous recommendation to support this I-Corps project. This effort will be supported by MPS using the following codes:030000008023