For Hub City Times

MARSHFIELD — Microscopy Innovations LLC, which developed the patented mPrep System for preparing microscopy specimens, has been awarded a $150,000 Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command to develop an integrated system for field, clinic, and laboratory preparation of biological specimens for microscopy.

Microscopy Innovations’ Chief Scientific Officer Steven Goodman said, “With this funding Microscopy Innovations will extend the advantages of the mPrep System to enable safer, easier, more reliable preparation of potentially pathogenic tissue specimens from emerging infectious disease situations in remote locations. This technology can also be applied to improve the onsite preparation of more routine clinical and research biological specimens.”

Project collaborators from the University of Wisconsin-Madison include Jorge Osorio with the Deptartment of Pathobiological Sciences and Benjamin August with the Medical School Electron Microscopy Facility.

“As a life science tools company, we are excited about this opportunity from the U.S. Army to develop technology solutions with a positive impact for researchers and clinicians,” said Mark T. Nelson, CEO of Microscopy Innovations.

STTR is a federal funding mechanism created by Congress to stimulate technological innovation by small businesses and assist them in converting their ideas into marketable products.