A project to address medical reconciliation in emergency settings, and one to develop secure refrigerated medical storage, have received funding from a prestigious Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) acceleration program.

The program, the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF), supports promising technology research and commercialization in Virginia’s private sector, academia and nonprofit research institutes.

The award winning projects were submitted by Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Engineering and School of Pharmacy:

• Development of Secure Compartmentalized Automated Refrigerated Storage (SeCARS) for Controlled Medicines – project submitted through CCALS by Dr. Thomas Roper, Director of Pharmaceutical Engineering and a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering at VCU’s College of Engineering.
• Addressing the Logistical Challenge of Medication Reconciliation in Emergency Medicine Settings – project submitted through CCALS by Principal Investigator Dr. Dayanjan Wijesinghe, Assistant Professor at the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Sciences, VCU School of Pharmacy.

“The submissions this year were very impressive, and we are pleased to have earned two awards,” said CCALS Director Mark Manasco. “This speaks to the high caliber of our partners, and the level of excellence they bring to their work.”

Each year CRCF submissions undergo a rigorous review process that includes evaluation by subject matter experts, recommendations from the Research and Technology Investment Advisory Committee, and finally selection by the CIT Board. The awards contribute strategically to the Commonwealth’s economic development, and are announcement by the governor.

“The CRCF is a great example of how the public-sector can leverage outside resources and innovation to serve citizens better,” said Governor Ralph Northam in his statement. “I commend these recipients and look forward to seeing their projects come to fruition.”

CCALS Board Chair, Dean Barbara Boyen of Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Engineering, also applied for and received through the College of Engineering an award for Development of a Click Hydrogel Carrier for In Situ Delivery of Bioactive Agents.

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