​Finalists selected for second annual Global Impact Award​

skandalaris-center-logo​The Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Washington University in St. Louis launched the Global Impact Award last year with the support of Suren G. Dutia (BS ’63, AB, MS ’67) and his wife, Jas K. Grewal.

The goal of the award is to support the vision and passion of Washington University students, postdoctoral researchers and young alumni who create scalable and sustainable ventures with global impact.

Members of the selection committee, supporters of the innovation environment on campus and in the St. Louis community, are:
  • Jim Brasunas, retired executive director of the St. Louis Information Technology Entrepreneur Network;
  • Eldar Causevic, associate dean for entrepreneurship and partnerships, School of Engineering & Applied Science;
  • Ken Harrington, former managing director, Skandalaris Center, and president, The Bayberry Group;
  • Dougan Sherwood, co-founder and managing director of Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) St. Louis; and
  • Emre Toker, managing director, Skandalaris Center.

The committee selected the following teams as finalists, all of which include graduate students from both the Danforth and Medical campuses:

  • Applied Particle Technology (APT) LLC specializes in an innovative, energy saving, ultra-high efficiency filter-less air purification technology for hospitals and pharmaceutical clean rooms.
  • Geneoscopy has developed a revolutionary screening methodology to non-invasively diagnose colorectal cancer using mRNA biomarker in stool samples.
  • MDhandoff streamlines transfers of patient care between healthcare settings by consolidating cumbersome and unorganized healthcare information into a digital, clinically usable platform.
  • MechoGraph software uses a patented, clinically tested model to help doctors quickly and noninvasively diagnose heart dysfunction.
  • PASSIO Surgical Education LLC creates videos to train surgeons, providing unprecedented access to the most innovative techniques; real patients, real surgeries, for practicing surgeons around the world.
  • Pro-Arc Diagnostics offers an assay that screens for an AIDS-defining illness with unprecedented accuracy, enabling proactive treatment and minimizing patient mortality.

“In the coming weeks and months, we will introduce teams to mentors and host workshops to assist them as they prepare their final deliverables,” Toker said in announcing the finalists. “We are grateful to Suren and Jas for the opportunity to support these outstanding teams as they develop solutions and start ventures to address global problems.”

For more information about the finalists, visit the Global Impact Award IdeaBounce site. Up to $50,000 will be awarded to winning teams at an awards ceremony to be held at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2 in the Knight Center Dining Hall.