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MCC Daily Tribune

SUNY Chancellor King Announces Funding for Groundbreaking Technologies

 $550,000 in Seed Funding Distributed through the SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund (TAF)

 $100,000 Investment from the Griffiss Institute for Mission TAF

 Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr.announced Wednesday that $550,000 in seed funding through the SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund (TAF) has been distributed to eight SUNY campuses through 11 awards. The grants will fund groundbreaking research opportunities around technologies aiming to transform disease treatment, advance medical diagnostics, revolutionize communications and computing, enhance defense against digital misinformation, and strengthen national security.

“I applaud our SUNY researchers for their visionary work and for helping secure SUNY's position as a national leader in cutting-edge research. The SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund helps advance research that will improve New Yorkers’ lives, health, and safety,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “These investments work to increase the societal impact of our SUNY inventors and scientists by preparing their research for commercialization.”

SUNY Trustee Courtney Burke, Chair of the Research and Economic Development Committee, said, “Innovative interdisciplinary research is happening all across our SUNY campuses. This program emphasizes that commercialization is key to translating groundbreaking research into widespread, accessible solutions that maximizes impact. We thank Governor Kathy Hochul and state leaders for continuing to invest in SUNY so that we can lead the way on research, development, and innovation.”

SUNY TAF helps faculty inventors and scientists turn their research into market-ready technologies, targeting critical research—such as feasibility studies, prototyping, and testing—which demonstrate that an idea or innovation has commercial potential. The goal is to accelerate time to market for these innovations and increase their market readiness for potential investors, strategic partners, and customers.

The funding recipients include:

  • Small Molecule Therapeutics for Repeat Expansion Diseases: Current management strategies for genetic diseases caused by abnormal DNA sequences focus on managing symptoms. The State University of New York at Albany’s Dr. Hannah K. Shorrock and Dr. John Douglas Cleary are offering a promising new approach to treat multiple neurodegenerative diseases. They are developing medicine made of small simple chemicals that target the root cause of these diseases. 
  • Proof-of-Concept Testing of sxRNA as an mRNA Therapeutic in Mice: Current messenger RNA therapies are used to instruct the body’s cells to produce proteins that can treat, prevent, and cure diseases. Yet, they lack cell-specific targeting. The State University of New York at Albany’s Dr. Scott Tenenbaum is advancing sxRNA—a synthetic mRNA designed to activate only in specific cell types—offering a safer, more effective platform for vaccines and other targeted treatments.
  • Therapeutic Enhancement of a Novel Pathway Promoting Mitochondrial Health: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) currently lacks targeted treatments beyond supportive care. The State University of New York at Buffalo’s Dr. Anna Blumental-Perry is developing JumpStart, an RNA-based medication delivered via lipid nanoparticles, to enhance mitochondrial function and protect lung cells in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
  • Respiratory Distress Detection Using a Single-Limb Wearable: Traditional respiratory monitors can be bulky or invasive, especially for infants and children. State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University’s Dr. Mark Stewart and Dr. Rena Orman are advancing a patent-pending single-limb wearable device. This device detects respiratory distress using their novel and patented biomarkers. The result is a non-invasive, user-friendly solution for all age groups.
  • Specialty Contact Lens for the Treatment of IXT Strabismus: Overminus spectacle therapy uses lenses with extra minus power and has shown promise in treating wandering eye (intermittent exotropia (IXT) but can accelerate the progression of nearsightedness. State University of New York College of Optometry’s Dr. Jingyun Wang and Dr. Zi Rui (Jerry) Li is developing a specialty contact lens that treats IXT while minimizing the risk of nearsightedness, offering a non-invasive alternative with improved clinical potential.
  • DEVA – A Vascularized, Shelf-Stable Skin Substitute for Advanced Wound Care: Current skin substitutes often lack vascularization and long-term stability. State University of New York at Stony Brook’s Dr. Gurtej Singh is advancing DEVA, a bio-printed, multilayered skin substitute with embedded vascular networks and antimicrobial properties, designed to jump-start the healing process and make chronic wounds that take months to heal a thing of the past.
  • A Saliva-Based ABI1 Proof of Concept Test for Detection of Prostate Cancer Treatment Resistance: State University of New York Upstate Medical University’s Dr. Leszek Kotula is pioneering a saliva-based diagnostic that could transform prostate cancer care. This proof-of-concept test aims to use routine saliva samples as a non-invasive way to detect therapy resistance earlier than ever before. The ability to monitor patients in real time could enable personalized treatment decisions and improve outcomes.

This year’s SUNY TAF program was enhanced by a $100,000 investment from the Griffiss Institute that enables SUNY faculty, researchers, and students to engage with cutting-edge technology development initiatives driven by the U.S. Department of Defense, under the SUNY Mission TAF designation. In addition to seed funding, SUNY Mission TAF recipients will receive guidance and support from the Griffiss Institute to help further commercialize their solutions, ensure they contribute to national security, and bolster economic competitiveness.

Heather Hage, President and CEO of Griffiss Institute, said, “Mission TAF is poised to increase technology transfer in New York State by offering a special track in SUNY’s very successful TAF program. It adds an emphasis and pathway for defense and national security-related commercialization. Mission TAF is designed to unite top SUNY innovators, industry leaders, and government partners. Through this high-impact initiative, we will identify, fund, and scale disruptive solutions that will strengthen our national defense, outpace emerging threats, and shape the future of security." 

The SUNY Mission TAF, in coordination with the Griffiss Institute, funded the following recipients:

  • Scalable Topological Quantum Computer: Current quantum systems primarily use 1D configurations, limiting their scalability and error correction. State University of New York at Albany researcher Dr. Ji Ung Lee is pioneering a 2D quantum processor designed to be far more stable and reliable, enabling more complex quantum operations with reduced errors and latency.
  • CerVaLens – Mobile Defender Against AI Deception: As concerns over digital misinformation grow, the State University of New York at Binghamton’s Dr. Yu Chen has developed CerVaLens, a mobile media authentication tool that verifies images, video, and audio in real-time on users’ devices—offering fast, private, and accurate detection without relying on cloud-based AI models.
  • Scalable and Reliable Terahertz (THz) Communication Links: As demand for faster, more secure wireless communication grows beyond 5G capabilities, SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s researcher Dr. Arjun Singh is developing scalable terahertz (THz) communication systems that offer ultra-high bandwidth and enhanced data security, overcoming the range limitations of existing high-frequency technologies.
  • MotionGen – An AI Platform for Intelligent Mechanism Design in Robotics: The State University of New York at Stony Brook’s Dr. Anurag Purwar is launching an enterprise version of MotionGen, a cloud-based AI platform that automates the robot mechanism design, reducing costs and improving quality through enhanced visualization and intelligent synthesis tools. MotionGen combines machine learning with domain-specific kinematics to rapidly generate, simulate, and optimize mechanism designs.

SUNY TAF funding is awarded through a highly competitive process that weighs several factors, including the availability of intellectual property protection, marketability, commercial potential, feasibility, and breadth of impact. Since the launch of TAF in 2011, SUNY has invested more than $4.7 million in the program to successfully advance the commercial readiness of 91 innovations born at SUNY campuses. The program has catalyzed follow-on investment of an additional $41 million from development partners, including government agencies, industry licensees, and early-stage investors.

About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit the SUNY website.

About the Griffiss Institute
The Griffiss Institute is a nonprofit talent and technology accelerator for the United States Department of Defense and an international network of academic, government and industry partners. Since 2002, the Griffiss Institute has served the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, the Mohawk Valley region, and the United States, empowering diverse teams with talent and technology development programs that lead the nation in technical and economic impact. Devoted to converging teams and technologies to solve complex national challenges, Griffiss Institute is proud to enable its international network from its home at Innovare Advancement Center in New York’s picturesque Mohawk Valley. To learn more, visit Griffiss Institute website.

Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
12/18/2025