NEWS
May 16, 2023
Baton Rouge Health-Tech Catalyst Awards Three Projects During Launchpad Pitch Night
BATON ROUGE, LA — The Baton Rouge Health-Tech Catalyst, a regional health and life science innovation cluster initiative led by the Baton Rouge Health District and funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Build to Scale Program, recently awarded $60,000 in pilot funding to three highly innovative and competitive projects designed to advance research and innovation across area health institutions.
Launchpad Pitch Night represents the culmination of the Baton Rouge Health-Tech Catalyst pilot grant funding opportunity. At this year’s pitch night, a total of five applicant finalists presented a range of ideas in a pitch-style competition, and three projects were selected for funding (award winners listed below). Tuesday’s event represents the second round of Launchpad funding, which now cumulatively supports six total pilot projects across its 2 funding cycles for a total investment of $150,000.
Congratulations to the 2023 Launchpad Innovation Grant Winners
Developing Multicellular Organoid for Precision Therapy – Dr. Beverly Ogden, Woman’s Hospital and Dr. Joseph Francis, Louisiana State University – School of Veterinary Medicine
Non-Invasive Treatment of Uterine Fibroids – Dr. Frank Greenway, Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Dr. Beverly Ogden, Woman’s Hospital in partnership with Louisiana State University, and University of Louisiana Lafayette
Reconceptualizing How the Most Seriously Ill Patients Experience the ED – Dr. Mark Kantrow, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Dr. Nathan Freeman, Ochsner Health System in partnership with Baton Rouge General
“With the generous support of the EDA and in conjunction with our partners at Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Pennington Biomedical Research Center, we are excited to offer this opportunity for our Baton Rouge Health District member institutions,” said Dr. Steven Ceulemans, Executive Director at the Baton Rouge Health District. “This initiative will create a launchpad to strengthen innovation, increase a culture of health, and continue to make Baton Rouge a destination for healthcare at the heart of a healthy and vibrant community. We look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition in the coming months.”
The Launchpad Innovation Pilot Awards are designed to promote and support collaboration across Baton Rouge Health District Member Institutions, while sparking and strengthening innovative networks that allow institutions, technology, industry, and community partners to work together and increase their impact. Launchpad projects also look to identify and advance novel approaches that further the Health District priorities of:
Healthy Place - to be a vibrant and accessible destination that promotes healthy living beyond the hospital walls.
Health Education and Workforce - to be a center for advanced education, clinical practice, and workforce development in healthcare.
Health Innovation and Research - provide a platform for innovation and research partnerships that improve health outcomes and contribute to care advancement through technology adoption and development.
Healthcare Coalition - to be a model for resource coordination to facilitate patient-centric, value-driven care.
“The Health District Launchpad Project encourages health care providers and scientists in our community to come together and join their unique perspectives to create relevant and innovative research studies. These studies not only provide benefit to our patients but promote exciting business opportunities for our region,” said Dr. Beverly Ogden, Chair of Cancer Clinical Service & Medical Director of Research at Woman’s Hospital. “We, at Woman’s Hospital, are honored to have two studies selected this year, one which may be groundbreaking in the field of cancer research and the other may show us that natural supplements may have a direct impact on the health of women. We are looking forward to working with Dr Joseph Francis at LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and Dr Frank Greenway at Pennington Biomedical Research Center.”
This year’s Launchpad awards join a portfolio of active, previously funded innovation pilot projects which include:
BRG Fit! Total Health and Wellbeing - Baton Rouge General, in partnership with East Baton Rouge School System
Increasing Endometrial Cancer Awareness and Cure for Louisiana Women - Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in partnership with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Woman's Hospital & LSU Health Science Center - New Orleans
Palliative Care Program for Persons Living with Dementia - Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in partnership with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center