A team of researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Department of Chemistry has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps) grant to help turn their innovative wound healing technology into a real-world solution for chronic wounds.
Associate Professor Ellinor Haglund, serving as the project’s technical lead, and graduate student Ivy Vo, the entrepreneurial lead, are developing their project, WoundWhiz: Genius Wound Healing Technology. The initiative focuses on using cutting-edge protein science to develop an enzyme-based therapeutic designed to accelerate the healing process of chronic wounds.
Chronic wounds affect approximately 6.5 million people in the U.S. each year, contributing to an estimated $25 billion in healthcare costs. A primary factor in delayed healing is an increase in oxidative stress and inflammation, which impede the body’s natural recovery processes. WoundWhiz aims to address this challenge by promoting faster and more effective wound healing.
“This project has the potential to transform wound care not only in Hawaiʻi but across the U.S. and globally, improving healing outcomes for millions suffering from chronic wounds,” Haglund said. “By advancing this technology, we aim to reduce healthcare costs and enhance the quality of life for patients worldwide.”
Nathan Friedman from W. L. Gore & Associates serves as the industry mentor, with over twenty years of leadership and product development experience within the medical device sector.
The NSF I-Corps program is an entrepreneurship training initiative designed to help researchers commercialize their scientific innovations. Through the program, Haglund and Vo will receive mentorship, hands-on training, and $50,000 in funding for customer discovery and market validation. The program will assist them in identifying key industry needs, refining their business strategy, and navigating the transition from research to commercialization.
The Department of Chemistry is housed in UH Mānoa’s College of Natural Sciences.
- Related UH News story: $1M award transforms world-class research into public-impact solutions, September 13, 2022
