$20 Million Grant to Support Composites Research for Medical Devices in Wichita, Kansas

WICHITA, Kan., May 20 (AScribe Newswire) — Three years of effort by Via Christi Health System and Wichita State University researchers resulted Tuesday in the award of a one-year $4 million grant that should extend to a five-year, $20 million grant to support the Center of Innovation for Biomaterials in Orthopaedic Research (CIBOR) in Wichita.
The grant from the Kansas Bioscience Authority to Via Christi and its partners will fund the development and commercialization of medical devices using the kinds of advanced composite materials already used by Wichita aviation manufacturers.
The grant is based on composites research developed by Via Christi Regional Medical Center through its Orthopaedic Research Institute and WSU through its National Institute for Aviation Research.

CIBOR’s goals include:
– Rapid job creation to help the local and Kansas economies.
– Development of medical devices that can be quickly brought to market, such as surgical instruments, stretchers and operating tables that do not require a long FDA-approval process.
– Longer-term development of advanced implantable devices, such as artificial hips and knees.