Clemson (S.C.) University and Greenville, S.C.-based Prisma Health announced on Dec. 2 the first Clemson-Prisma research team beneficiaries of the organizations' healthcare-focused Innovation Maturation Fund.
Prisma's Health Sciences Center and Clemson's Division of Research launched the investment fund in July, with a goal of accelerating collaborative healthcare innovation in South Carolina. The fund will allot up to $200,000 in grants each year.
The three inaugural Innovation Maturation Fund grants range from $20,000 to $35,000, and each project is led by researchers from both Clemson and Prisma. The projects are:
- A collagen-type medical implant that could greatly aid in breast tissue regeneration post-lumpectomy and prevent the recurrence of tumors.
- A mobile sensor system that monitors environmental triggers for respiratory health issues that are especially prevalent in patients with respiratory illnesses.
- Ammonia breath-test sensors that can be used by patients with chronic kidney disease to measure the ammonia concentration in their exhaled breath, enabling them to monitor their physiologic status within the comfort of their own homes.