Innovating the Future: Pitch Night for GRID-Accelerator Technologies

Join us on November 7 from 5:00 to 6:00 PM in Harvard Hall 101 for an exciting opportunity to hear from the leads of groundbreaking GRID accelerator research teams as they pitch their innovative technologies and devices to you! 

Featured Technologies:

1. Vlassak Lab: Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing System for Rapid, Targeted Treatment of Pathogenic Bacteria

   • Problem: Pathogenic bacteria are increasingly acquiring antibiotic resistance and new forms of resistance are continuously emerging; upwards of 50% of treatments are started with the wrong antibiotics. Current culture-based Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) methods are time-consuming and can incorrectly identify an effective antibiotic.

   • Proposed Solution: Researchers in Joost Vlassak’s lab have developed a system based on calorimetry to measure microbial heat flow and track bacterial infections with considerably greater sensitivity than commercial AST systems. The technology promises to determine functional dosage, perform in-parallel testing of multiple antibacterial agents in less than one hour, and is considered ‘future-proofed’ against new and emerging infections.

   • A research team led by Joost Vlassak, Abbott and James Lawrence Professor of Materials Engineering at SEAS, have developed a system to track bacterial infections with considerably greater sensitivity than commercial systems.

2. Liu Lab: AI-Driven Flexible Bioelectronics

   • Problem: Traditional rigid electronics struggle to integrate with the soft, dynamic human body, hindering the development of high-performance bioelectronic interfaces.

   • Proposed Solution: Under the leadership of Jia Liu, this research team is merging flexible nanoelectronics with advanced surgical techniques and AI agents to create bioelectronic interfaces that can effectively modulate tissue across various organs. Their focus on long-term stability and high-resolution recording aims to improve treatments for neurological disorders, cancers, and diabetes.

Don't miss this chance to engage with the innovators behind these promising technologies. We look forward to seeing you there!