Triple Ring Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of early-stage advanced research and development services, today announced that it has been awarded a Challenge Grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The two-year $1 million grant, awarded through a highly competitive process with over 20,000 applications submitted, will fund the development of an X-ray imaging system for pediatric cardiac intervention. The pediatric system is based on ScanCath™ technology originally developed for Triple Ring partner NovaRay Medical and is expected to reduce the radiation dose to children by 75%, as compared to conventional systems.
“Radiation dose in pediatric cardiac interventions is a serious concern, because children exposed to radiation have a far greater likelihood than adults to develop cancer in their lifetime,” said Tobias Funk, PhD, physicist at Triple Ring Technologies and Principal Investigator on the grant. “This project is a great example of Triple Ring’s ability to develop commercial instruments while competing at the forefront of scientific research.”
“We are very pleased that NIH has chosen Triple Ring as one of only a handful of companies to receive a Challenge Grant,” said Joseph Heanue, PhD, President of Triple Ring Technologies. “This award further validates the breadth of our technical capabilities and the experience of our scientists and engineers.”