Coulter Process

Biomedical Engineering (BME)/Research/Coulter Translational Research Partnership Program/Coulter Process

2027 Coulter Translational Research Partnership Program

FY 2027 Program Overview and Application Instructions

Initial Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: November 14, 2025 

Program Overview

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.

SUBMIT INITIAL LOI HERE

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) who treats patients with conditions related to the technology in the LOI and at least one UM College of Engineering or Biomedical Engineering Department faculty member with project relevant expertise and interest.
  • Only permanent, full-time faculty in the tenure-track or research professorial ranks (assistant, associate, or full professors) at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor may be a Co-PI.
  • Clinical instructors do not qualify as eligible for Co-PI status.
  • Each Co-PI can submit only one LOI.

Important Information

  • The LOI must name one lead engineering Co-PI and one lead clinical Co-PI.
  • This award is for translational research. Translational research de-risks specific technical hurdles leading toward early-stage product or business development. The fundamental science underlying the concept should have already been demonstrated through previous research activities.
  • The funding process involves the submission of an Initial LOI, a revised Final LOI (after receiving feedback), and the submission of a Full Proposal with a pre-recorded pitch presentation, if selected for the Final Selection Meeting (Finals).
  • Initial LOIs, Final LOIs, and Full Proposals with budgets will be accepted through InfoReady at: http://umichcoulter.infoready4.com/.
  • Proposal teams are highly encouraged to meet with Thomas Marten ([email protected]), Coulter Managing Director (CMD), prior to the Initial LOI submission. 
  • After the Initial LOI submission, proposal teams will work with the CMD and advisors to identify and address likely questions and strengthen the LOIs in a revised Final LOI that will be sent to the Coulter Oversight Committee (OC) for review and use in the selection of project teams for the Finals.
  • For teams selected for the Finals: Between team selection and the date of the Finals, teams will work with the CMD and advisors to construct detailed technical, clinical, and commercial milestones, which will be included in full proposals.
    • CMD and advisors will provide suggestions on specific milestones that will address key questions and knowledge gaps.
    • Milestones will be designed to be achievable while creating value during the one-year funding period and within the anticipated budget.
    • Overall project goals will be designed to enhance the probability of obtaining follow-on funding beyond Coulter to continue development.
    • Incorporation of commercially relevant milestones to guide research plans will be encouraged.
  • Faculty may involve graduate students and postdocs in the work, especially those interested in pursuing the product concept beyond this initial award.
  • Funding decisions will be made by the OC at the Finals.  
  • An Invention Disclosure must be submitted to Innovation Partnerships prior to the Full Proposal submission deadline, https://innovationpartnerships.umich.edu/submit-your-innovation/  

Award Information

  • Estimated Number of Awards: 8 
  • Anticipated funding: $100,000 per project
  • Funding duration: 1 year (beginning July 1, 2026)

Process Overview 

2025 DatesEventNotes
Oct 1 Call for Initial LOIs2-page LOIs with a separate cover page and signature page.  Template provided at: http://umichcoulter.infoready4.com/.
Nov 14Initial LOI Submission DeadlineNov 14 due date at 5PM
Mid-Nov – JanFeedback and Revision of LOIsCMD and Coulter advisors will provide Initial LOI assessments and gap analyses.  Questions will be provided for teams to address.Teams will work with the CMD to revise and strengthen the LOIs.
Jan 30 Final LOI Submission DeadlineJan 30 due date at 5PM
Week of March 9Notification of Teams Selected for FinalsUp to 16 teams may be selected for Finals
March – AprilAdvisor Feedback and  Full Proposal Development for Teams Selected for FinalsCMD and advisors will provide feedback on milestone plansTeams will construct full proposals (4 pages plus cover page) that incorporate all feedback and show well-constructed milestones. Teams will record a 10-minute pitch in PowerPointFull Proposals and pitch presentations will need to demonstrate how the plan for use of Coulter funding will create incremental value needed to generate follow-on funding or an exit.
May 1Full Proposal with budget and Pre-Recorded Pitch DeadlineFull Proposal and budget templates are available for download and will be submitted via InfoReady at:, http://umichcoulter.infoready4.com/. 10-minute pre-recorded pitches must be recorded in PowerPoint and saved as PowerPoint files. CMD will provide a presentation template and link for saving pre-recorded pitch presentations in March.
May 18 – 20 (Actual date TBD) Oral Final Selection MeetingEach team will have 12 minutes for discussion with the OC.  2-minute timed intro followed by 10-minute Q&A.OC will have reviewed pitch presentations and proposals prior to the meeting
July Funding beginsOne-year funding from July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027

Coulter Advisors and Support

Coulter advisors will include senior business development professionals from the medical device and pharmaceutical industries, med-tech venture capital or angel capital investors, serial entrepreneurs in the medical device and pharmaceutical sectors, and clinician entrepreneurs/investors.  Advisors will be matched with projects to ensure expertise relevant to each LOI.  

Please note: Advisors will NOT be signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) at the LOI stage, so discussions should be kept at the non-confidential level. This is preferred and in most cases there is no need to disclose patentable material. If, however, disclosure is needed to describe the envisioned product, please work with the CMD and NDAs can be requested. 

For Teams Selected for Finals: Full Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

If selected for finals, Full Proposal submission packets must contain the following four documents (proposal, budget spreadsheet, references/literature cited, and NIH-style biosketches) submitted as separate documents. The budget must be submitted in Excel spreadsheet format. 

Details for Full Proposal Application Materials:

  1. Full Proposal (5 pages including title page) 
    1. Please follow additional instructions within the Full Proposal template, which can be downloaded at: http://umichcoulter.infoready4.com/
  2. Budget Spreadsheet (.xlsx format) 
    1. Please follow the budget template and submit the budget as an Excel spreadsheet. The template can be downloaded at: http://umichcoulter.infoready4.com/
    2. Projects are funded for 1-year with funding levels in the $100k range.  Final budgets will be determined after the Selection meeting.
    3. Allowable budget expenditures include salary and fringe benefits for project personnel, materials, and supplies.
      1. Requests for purchase of small equipment should be discussed with the CMD.  
      2. Purchase of large, capital equipment is beyond the scope of the Coulter program and will not be approved.
      3. Funds may not be used for construction or renovation.
    4. Funds may be used for working with outside vendors and consultants to support both technical and commercialization related milestones.
    5. Combined co-PI salaries and benefits should not exceed 20% of the total project budget and must adhere to the NIH salary cap.
  1. References/Literature Cited 

References/Literature cited in the proposal should be included as supplemental material in a separate document. with funding levels ranging from $30k to $150k range based on the project needs to meet the milestones.