About the Coulter Program
About the Program
Established with a $20M endowment, the U-M Biomedical Engineering Department’s
Coulter Translational Research Partnership Program supports the translation of
promising technologies within research laboratories that are progressing towards
commercial development and clinical practice.
The Coulter Program provides funding for engineering and clinical collaborations to demonstrate the feasibility of a product concept that addresses an unmet clinical need and improves healthcare. Examples of desirable outcomes include inventions, patents, improved approaches for diagnosis and treatment of disease, commercial partnerships, start-up companies and follow-on funding targeted toward these same outcomes.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The project must relate to the development of medical products with clinical applications in human healthcare
- Coulter-funded projects require Co-PI collaborations between at least one UM faculty healthcare provider (physicians, nurses, or dentists) and at least one UM College of Engineering or Biomedical Engineering Department faculty member, both with project relevant expertise and interest.
- Only permanent, full-time faculty in the professorial ranks (assistant, associate, full or research) at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor may be a PI.
Important Information:
- An Invention Disclosure must be submitted to Innovation Partnerships prior to the Initial Review Meeting but does not have to be completed prior to the preliminary proposal deadline, https://innovationpartnerships.umich.edu/submit-your-innovation/
- Translational research plans must be geared towards de-risking specific technical hurdles leading towards early-stage product and business development. This award is not for answering fundamental or basic research questions about a proposed technology or approach.
- Faculty are encouraged to involve graduate students and postdocs in the work, especially those interested in pursuing the product concept beyond this initial award.
- Proposal teams are encouraged, but not required, to seek out other medical innovation and entrepreneurship training to help with the preparation of proposals. Programs with 2025 timing that overlaps with the Coulter proposal and funding review cycle include:
- Fast Forward Medical Innovation FastPace Course starting May 9
Award Information:
- Estimated Number of Awards: 6 to 8
- Anticipated funding: $1,200,000 (each proposal can request up to $150,000)
$544M
FOLLOW ON PROFESSIONAL FUNDING
20
LICENSES/EXITS
9
PRODUCT LAUNCHES