Behrens Part of Winning Business Plan Competition Team

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering junior Adam Behrens, advised by Fischell Department of Bioengineering (BioE) professor Peter Kofinas, is part of a startup company based out of Kofinas' research group that won the biotechnology division and $20K in start-up funding in the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute's (MTECH) $75K (formerly $50K) Business Plan Competition. Team members represented Haemechanics, which has developed the first and only synthetic hemostatic hydrogel capable of simultaneously inducing blood clotting and delivering therapeutics. The material is able to induce clotting as effectively as biologically based products at a fraction of the price.

Behrens' Haemechanics teammates include Professor Peter Kofinas (BioE), graduate research assistant Brendan Casey (BioE), and recent Fischell Festival guest Bartley Griffith (professor of surgery; chief, division of cardiac surgery; director, heart and lung transplantation, University of Maryland Medical Center).

Recently, Behrens won the 2009 A. James Clark School of Engineering Outstanding ASPIRE Student Research Award for his work on the same hemostatic hydrogels in Kofinas' Functional Macromolecular Laboratory.

The $75K Business Plan Competition, held annually by MTECH, promotes the commercialization of innovative ideas and University-created technologies by offering faculty, students, and alumni prizes for the best new venture plans. The competition emphasizes learning by offering one-to-one coaching for finalists, as well as the experience of presenting ideas to an experienced panel of judges. Companies active in the Competition have generated millions in revenues, grants and awards.

For More Information:

Read the MTECH press release to learn more about the competition, the judges and prizes, and all of the winning teams »
Visit the $75K Business Plan Competition web site »
Visit Professor Kofinas' homepage »

Published May 15, 2009