COVID-19 Southeast Innovation Showcase
In the past months, COVID-19 has permeated nearly every facet of our lives and has tested our healthcare system’s durability.
One critical problem has been our public health infrastructure’s capacity to trace, triage, and predict the spread of the disease. With this in mind, BARDA put forth an initiative to develop adjunctive diagnostic technologies critical to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our health infrastructure during the COVID-19 outbreak.
These technologies provide support in two ways: providing patients with a means of self-monitoring or diagnosis and enabling the healthcare provider with remote monitoring or diagnostic capability throughout the patient’s continuum of care. This initiative also includes funding awards for the development of means of diagnosing the severity of illness or early recognition of decompensation for improved clinical management of patients.
To promote this opportunity and the improvements in this area, the New Orleans BioInnovation Center (NOBIC) partnered with other accelerators in the Southeast United States. In conjunction with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Biolocity (Atlanta, GA), and First Flight Venture Center (Research Triangle, NC), NOBIC hosted the Southeast COVID-19 Innovation Showcase.
The technological emphasis of this virtual showcase focused on telehealth applications, wearables, and non-invasive (or minimally invasive) sensors or algorithm-based tools. There were opportunities throughout the exhibition for both presenters and attendees to hear directly from BARDA DRIVe detailing available funding for innovations providing solutions to COVID-19. During this event, highlighted presentations were the presentations from entrepreneurs to showcase their remote patient monitoring technologies followed by feedback and partnering from a panel of experts and funders from across the Southeast. The panel featured a range of experts from biosecurity, finance, epidemiology, and more!
Dr. Lucienne Ide, MD, PhD, Rimidi
Presenting on behalf of Biolocity was Dr. Lucienne Ide, MD, PhD. Dr. Ide is the founder of rimidi©. Their core product in combating the spread of COVID-19 is a comprehensive care management platform. To optimize this software, they combine clinical data, real-time patient monitoring, personal physiological signatures, and overlay healthcare workflows to create a unified understanding and spur a coordinated healthcare response. Some tools used in this effort include EMR integration, smart device symptom surveillance, laboratory screening, and biometric monitoring.
Dr. Mark Sendak, Pandemic Response Network
Hailing from the Research Triangle area was Dr. Mark Sendak, presenting his newly formed Pandemic Response Network©. PRN is a burgeoning network of health-based organizations, community-based organizations, state and federal agencies and associations, public and private employers, and religious organizations working together to connect people with the critical and supportive resources they need during the pandemic. Its mission is to help people stay safe and connected during pandemics. To accomplish this, PRN uses a web-based survey and a team of healthcare professionals who provide feedback and guidance to participants on how to care for themselves. The group calls people across the United States when symptoms of COVID-19 are severe enough to seek care at a hospital or a healthcare facility. This combination of monitoring and feedback can help anyone stay safe and connected, especially those who are isolated or need support in managing their health.
Dr. Nassir Marrouche, BioStrap/TRIAD
Representing the New Orleans area and Tulane University was Dr. Nassir Marrouche, a globally renowned electrophysiologist and pioneer in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. He recently founded TRIAD, a collaborative arrhythmia research effort that brings together a cross-departmental team of physicians, scientists, researchers, MRI, and imaging specialists dedicated to improving successful prediction, prevention and outcomes in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
His presentation focused on the latest findings of the WEIACOR Trial (using WEArable devices to investigate the long-term Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular and behavioral health), and what they will mean for the latest iteration of Biostrap. They have continually monitored various biometrics of COVID-19 patients to uncover trends associated with the disease. They have determined that remote wearable monitoring can significantly improve our ability to overcome pandemic-related hurdles. They have also pioneered the machine-learning concept incorporating biometrics to predict the effects of the disease and prevent its spread. At its conclusion, the study will further enhance clinicians’ ability to detect COVID, determine predictive factors, and develop preventative strategies.
The nexus of ideas provided by the event yielded immediate positive results for presenters and attendees, including partnerships formed and financing opportunities offered. If you have any interest in contacting one of the participants in this event, please reach out to the respective coordinator:
Biolocity: Christina Wessels, Christina.Wessels@bme.gatech.edu
First Flight Venture Center: Emil Runge, erunge@ffvcnc.org
New Orleans BioInnovation Center: Andrew Pettus, apettus@neworleansbio.com
