bioLCI
Partnering with Northeast Ohio industry to develop tomorrow’s therapeutic and medical sensing devices for your health
With nearly 50 years of cutting-edge basic and applied liquid crystal research expertise under its belt, Kent State University now has a new set of liquid crystal technology applications that will lead to the creation of tomorrow’s medical devices and other therapeutic and sensing devices for human health. Known for its outstanding track record of taking its Liquid Crystal Institute technologies to the marketplace, the University is now repurposing that expertise through new applications of health care technologies and engaging with and helping to develop a whole new set of industry clusters in Northeast Ohio.
Founded in 1965, the LCI is the world’s leading liquid crystal academic center and is widely recognized as the birthplace of flat panel liquid crystal display technology. In the last decade, research and technologies developed at the LCI spawned a new generation of flexible display technology and organized the FlexMatters consortium, a Northeast Ohio flexible materials industry cluster. FlexMatters was founded at Kent State by Dr. John West, former Vice President for Research and NorTech’s first Fellow, and is now the flagship program of NorTech, a regional nonprofit technology-based economic development organization serving 21 counties in Northeast Ohio.
Recently, Kent State University has made key investments in renovated LCI facilities and new equipment that will lead to the discovery and development of new medical applications. This research will be informed by both federal funding agencies that help define our nation’s health care needs as well as the medical device and health care industry in NEOhio. The bioLCI initiative’s purpose is twofold: (1) Forming close partnerships with medical device, diagnostics, clinical instrumentation and clinical services companies and (2) Providing the technology base for the growth of those industries in NEOhio.
To inquire about partnership opportunities, please contact:
Hiroshi Yokoyama
Director, Liquid Crystal Institute
(330) 672-2633
hyokoyama@kent.edu
or
Grant McGimpsey
Vice President for Research
(330) 672-3012
wmcgimps@kent.edu