Proof of Concept Program: Commercialization Gap Grants
The Proof of Concept Commercialization Gap Grants program is not currently offering new funding opportunities.
The Proof of Concept Commercialization Gap Grants (PoC) program was launched in 2011 to advance both the research and public service missions of UC.
The PoC program enhances the university’s research mission through the highly selective identification and funding of compelling projects that advance the university’s position as a leading source of innovation, and provides a public service by supporting the commercialization of discoveries that benefit the California public and the state’s economy by attracting investment, creating jobs and enhancing quality of life.
2013 awards and administration
The request for proposals garnered 96 eligible applications, and many more excellent proposals than could be awarded. Proposed projects were required to be within 12 months of commercialization, and have the intellectual property owned by UC, unencumbered, and available for licensing. The proposals underwent a rigorous two-tiered evaluation by scientific peers and private investors, resulting in the selection of 20 outstanding projects (21%), representing seven UC campuses and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Selected projects were identified as highly innovative, commercially exciting, and likely to benefit California and Californians. The projects span a variety of fields including medicine and medical devices, biotechnology, agriculture and the environment, communications, and electronics. The total UC investment in these projects is $2.75 million.
See the 2012-13 Call for Proposals (pdf)
2013 Selected Projects by Principal Investigator and Title
| Lead Investigator | Campus | Proposed Title |
|---|---|---|
| Balandin, Alexander | UCR | Graphene-Based Thermal Interface Materials and Heat Spreaders |
| Catton, Ivan | UCLA | A Novel Thermal Connector |
| Chan, Jonah | UCSF | A Binary Indicant of Myelination using Micropillar Arrays (BIMA) |
| Feldstein, Ariel | UCSD | Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets for Liver Damage |
| Gadgil, Ashok | UCB | Low-Cost Arsenic Remediation for California Groundwater |
| Ganesan, Anand | UCI | ALDH Inhibitors as Novel Skin Depigmenting Agents |
| Giudice, Linda | UCSF | Diagnosing Endometriosis by Endometrial Biopsy |
| Kaner, Richard | UCLA | Next Generation Cutting Tools: Superhard Refractory Borides |
| Lotz, Jeffrey | UCSF | Assessment of Musculoskeletal Function Using the Microsoft Kinect |
| Marcu, Laura | UCD | Optical Device for intra-operative delineation of tumor margins |
| Miller, Steve | UCSF | Deep Sequencing Clinical Analysis Tool for Infectious Disease |
| Modera, Mark | UCD | Commercialization of a Tracer Gas Airflow Measurement System |
| Pan, Tingrui | UCD | Second Skin: Droplet-Enabled Interfacial Capacitive Sensing |
| Roy, Shuvo | UCSF | Silicon Dialyzer Prototype |
| Soler, Xavier | UCSD | Oxygen Conserver Device for COPD Therapy |
| Sretavan, David | UCSF | High-Throughput Neural Circuit Arrays For CNS Drug Discovery |
| Theunissen, Frederic | UCB | Noise Reduction for Hearing Aids |
| Wang, Yijun | UCSD | A wireless brain-machine interface for motor rehabilitation |
| Yashchuk, Valeriy | LBNL | Test System for Calibration of High-Performance Microscopes |
| Younis, Bassam | UCD | Water disinfection with UV light: inventing the wheel |
2012 awards
The request for proposals garnered 96 eligible applications, and many more excellent proposals than could be awarded. Proposed projects were required to be within 12 months of commercialization, and have the intellectual property owned by UC, unencumbered, and available for licensing. The proposals underwent a rigorous two-tiered evaluation by scientific peers and private investors, resulting in the selection of 22 outstanding projects (23%), representing six UC campuses and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Selected projects were identified as highly innovative, commercially exciting, and likely to benefit California and Californians. The projects span a variety of fields including medicine and medical devices, biotechnology, agriculture and the environment, communications, and electronics. The total UC investment in these projects is $2.6 million.
2012 Selected Projects by Principal Investigator and Title
| Lead Investigator | Campus | Proposed Title |
|---|---|---|
| Abate, Adam | UCSF | Robust detection and genotyping of CTCs in blood |
| Brosnan, Robert | UCD | Pre-Clinical Evaluation of a Novel Inhaled Anesthetic |
| Chong, Woon-Seng | LBNL | Back-Side Readout Silicon Photomultiplier |
| Craik, Charles | UCSF | In Vivo Diagnostics for Cardiovascular Disease |
| Demetriou, Michael | UCI | Glucosamine analogs for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis |
| Desai, Tejal | UCSF | Nanoengineered Thin Film Devices for Ocular Drug Delivery |
| Ferenc, Daniel | UCD | Novel Photosensor Technology |
| Giacomini, Kathleen | UCSF | Development of Targeted Anti-Cancer Platinum Analogs |
| Guan, Zhibin | UCI | Self-healing Multiphase Polymers for Coating Applications |
| Hua, Yingbo | UCR | Broadband Full-Duplex Radio |
| Islam, M. Saif | UCD | Micro/Nanofabricated Ceramic Blade Arrays for Shaving and Surgery |
| Jin, Sungho | UCSD | Solar Absorbers with Ultra-high Performance Selective Coating |
| Lam, Kit | UCD | Novel hydrogel for stem cell and cardiomyocyte research |
| Leach, Kent | UCD | Injectable cell delivery vehicle for bone repair |
| Nishimura, Stephen | UCSF | Antibodies for Fibroinflammatory Lung Disease Detection |
| Pouliot, Jean | UCSF | 2D device to test deformable image registration in medicine |
| Revzin, Alexander | UCD | Point of Care Blood Analysis Device for TB Diagnosis |
| Shum, Anthony | UCSF | An autoantigen biomarker for autoimmune-mediated lung disease |
| Tseng, Elaine | UCSF | Proof of Concept of a Novel Transcatheter Aortic Valve |
| Woo, Youn-Hi | LBNL | Development Of New DNA Isolation Method |
| Zhang, Yuegang | LBNL | Graphene Oxide and Sulfur Nanocomposite Cathode |
| Zhang, Xiang | UCB | Plasmonic Nanolaser for Data Comm. & Biomedical Applications |
2011 awards
The request for proposals garnered 126 eligible applications, and many more excellent proposals than could be awarded. Proposed projects were required to be within 12 months of commercialization, and have the intellectual property owned by UC, unencumbered, and available for licensing. The proposals underwent a rigorous two-tiered evaluation by scientific peers and private investors, resulting in the selection of 13 outstanding projects (10%), representing seven UC campuses and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Selected projects were identified as highly innovative, commercially exciting, and likely to benefit California and Californians. The projects span a variety of fields including medicine and medical devices, biotechnology, agriculture and the environment, communications, and electronics. The total UC investment in these projects is $2.7 million.
2011 Selected Projects by Principal Investigator and Title
| Lead Investigator | Campus | Proposed Title |
|---|---|---|
| Alic, Nikola | UCSD | Severely Bandwidth Constrained Efficient Communication |
| Belafsky, Peter | UCD | Swallow Expansion Device: Phase I Clinical Trial |
| Binder, Devin | UCR | Early Optical Detection of Cerebral Edema |
| Budker, Dmitry | UCB | Next Generation of Ultra-precise Magnetic Sensors |
| Chui, Chi On | UCLA | In Vitro Diagnostic Sensors for Cardiovascular Disease |
| Cohen, Yoram | UCLA | Continuous Process for High Recovery Inland Desalination |
| Evans, James | UCB | Completely Printable Batteries for Energy Storage |
| He, Lei | UCLA | Soft error mitigation for FPGA based systems |
| Kohn, Walter | UCSB | Macular Degeneration Diagnosis and Correction Devices |
| Liu, Gao | LBNL | Conductive Polymer Binder and Silicon Composite Electrode |
| Piomelli, Daniele | UCI | A novel treatment for chronic pain |
| Stott, Jeffrey | UCD | Epizootic bovine abortion experimental vaccine |
| Tromberg, Bruce | UCI | A Handheld Tomographic Laser Breast Scanner (t-LBS) |