The BCIC Ignite Awards on October 10, 2017 awarded a total of $735,000 to the top four BC research projects in natural resources and applied sciences. Dr. Stephanie Willerth, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UVIC, who is working with Aspect Biosystems to develop functional, 3D bio printed human nerve tissues, that can recreate the pathology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and spinal cord injury was awarded $139,700.
BCIC Ignite provides funding to accelerate commercialization of new technologies and innovations in the natural resources and applied sciences in British Columbia. The program provides awards of up to $300,000 to consortia that are conducting research projects that address a significant demonstrated problem faced by industry and will commercialize a proposed innovation within a 3-year timeframe.