Staff Reports | Free Press Philanthropy
The Partnership for Economic Innovation is announcing Barrow Neurological Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital, is joining its WearTech Applied Research Center.
Arizona State University and Creighton University researchers, health care professionals at Dignity Health’s Barrow Neurological Institute I, Remedy Medical Manufacturing, PADT Inc., Veritiv, and Almax RP will collaborate to accelerate the commercialization process.
The partnership will support Barrow Neurological Institute through clinical trials and product manufacturing of a device that uses neurological stimulation to monitor comatose patients. Through Arizona Commerce Authority’s fund supporting applied research, $250,000 has been awarded for the project.
Matching funds are provided by two research grants from the Barrow Neurological Foundation totaling $219,944.00, and a seed grant from the Flinn Foundation totaling $100,000.00.
“Arizona’s extensive university resources and talent pool allows us to work closely with industry-leading manufacturers to commercialize our product,” said Dr. Brandon M. Fox, neurosurgery resident, PGY-5 and project lead for Dignity Health. “This funding enables Dignity Health’s Barrow Neurological Institute and our team of collaborators to develop technology that will improve the quality of care available to patients and introduce a method of testing that does not expose them to injury.”
Standard stimulation methods for monitoring comatose patients can cause injuries, and because stimulation is delivered by hand, it can limit the reliability of exams and negatively impact patient care.
Dignity Health aims to end this practice through the development of electrical stimulator technology that can activate pain receptors in a standardized fashion without risk of injury. Barrow Neurological Institute plans to submit an FDA 510(k) application in late 2024.
“Arizona’s bioscience ecosystem is surpassing national competitors because healthcare companies like Dignity Health’s Barrow Neurological Institute are finding new ways to provide better care for patients and better technology solutions for providers,” said Kathleen Lee, director of Applied Research Centers for the Partnership for Economic Innovation. “Capitalizing on this momentum by powering biotech and health innovations will fuel the creation of more next-generation inventions and commercially viable technologies here in the state.”
In 2022, $3 million was approved by the Arizona Legislature to go toward research and development of wearable technologies via applied research centers. Selected applicants from the Arizona Commerce Authority’s Applied Research Program received funding. $1.8 million was awarded to a new cohort of technology innovation projects housed under the WearTech Applied Research Center.
