UT Research Foundation technology wins latest Scipreneur Challenge
CryoSalt, a non-toxic cryopreservation reagent derived from bile salts, safeguards biological products with nature's antifreeze.
A University of Tennessee (UT) Research Foundation technology captured first place in the Fall edition of the Scipreneur Challenge hosted by the BioTN Foundation.
CryoSalt safeguards biological products with nature’s antifreeze. Based on research from scientists at UT, Knoxville, CryoSalt introduces a non-toxic, safe-to-consume cryopreservation reagent derived from bile salts that can protect cells and proteins from damaging ice crystals and temperature fluctuation. With CryoSalt, precious biologic drugs are better preserved and cheaper to store and transport, ultimately saving patients and biologic manufacturers millions of dollars on novel, life saving therapeutics.
Pitched by Juliana Yang, Megan Stone, Min Li, and Tao Wang, CryoSalt bested two other technologies: PimoHype X and Silicon BioKit. Both were inventions provided by the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization at Vanderbilt University. The Scipreneur Challenge features graduate and postdoc students from across Tennessee who spent 10 weeks in sessions before pitching their mock companies based on biomedical intellectual property provided by UT and Vanderbilt.
