Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies announced today they have secured over $4.5 million is funding for new product development. The funding includes three new projects sponsored by the National Institutes of Health's SBIR program. Each project is focused on developing and testing innovative neurotechnology. Two projects focus on the monitoring and treatment of Parkinson's disease while another will develop a wireless physiological monitor and web-based teaching system for high school neuroscience courses.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting over six million people worldwide. Individuals with PD can be affected by tremor, slowed movements, rigidity, and gait abnormalities - symptoms which typically worsen over many years as the disease progresses.

An NIH Phase II SBIR award will provide $3,000,000 to develop and clinically assess a system to evaluate gait and balance in response to medication and deep brain stimulation. A patient-worn system of motion sensors will be developed for home use along with a web-based telemedicine application for reporting. An additional $290,000 Phase I award will be used to demonstrate the feasibility of transcranial direct current stimulation to treat Parkinson's motor symptoms.

A $1,450,000 NIH Fast Track SBIR grant program will provide a foundation for the research, development, and testing of a wireless physiological monitor and web-based curriculum to teach neuroscience education to high school-level students. The system will be targeted to enhance high school curriculum by stimulating early understanding of neuroscience and applications and interest in neuroscience careers. The system will integrate instrumentation for measuring signals such as electrical activity of the heart, brain, and muscles, as well as simulations and web-based learning modules for signal acquisition, analysis, and gaming. The system will be developed and evaluated in high schools across the United States.

"This funding will provide significant growth opportunities for Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies in the commercial market place," explained Joseph P. Giuffrida, PhD, President and principal investigator. "Our Kinesia HomeView technology platform for assessing Parkinson's disease will be greatly enhanced through the addition of gait and balance monitoring. Furthermore, developing a system that will excite and educate future generations demonstrates our commitment to sparking discovery and intelligent curiosity within the next generation of neuroscientists and engineers; a huge stepping stone in restoring the United States as a global leader in science and technology education. We appreciate NIH recognizing our commitment to turning innovative concepts into commercial products that can stimulate the economy."

The National Institutes of Health funding for these projects is provided by a Phase II SBIR Grant from the National Institute on Aging: 2R44AG033947-03; a Phase I SBIR Grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: 1R43NS077652-01; and a Fast Track SBIR Grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: 1R44NS073561-01.

About Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies

Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies is committed to pioneering innovative biomedical technologies to serve research, education, and medical communities, improving access to medical technology for diverse populations, and positively impacting quality of life for people around the world.