CONTACT: DAVID GOTTFRIED
PHONE: (585) 919-3081
CELL: (585) 738-0908
START-UP COMPANY LAUNCHED AT INFOTONICS
BiSen
Technologies, Inc. Will Commercialize Sensor Technology
A new
company has been launched to commercialize research
conducted at the Infotonics Technology Center, the
Rochester (NY) based State Center of Excellence in
Photonics and Microsystems. BiSen Technologies, Inc.,
located at Infotonics’ Commercialization Center, is working
to develop new bio-sensor technology for agricultural and
biomedical applications. The company’s first initiatives
will address problems affecting the dairy industry.
Systems such as this one may one day scan for
mastitis causing pathogens in real-time as cows are
milked
BiSen
Technologies, Inc. is benefiting from $25,000 in seed
funding recently awarded by the Finger Lakes New Knowledge
Fusion Project – a collaboration between Infotonics,
Cornell’s Agriculture & Food Technology Park, and the
National Science Foundation’s Partnerships for Innovation
program. BiSen has also applied for funding from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s SBIR program. In addition, it
is seeking strategic partners who will benefit from
improved milk quality.
“This unique technology may significantly decrease costs to
dairy producers from diseases like mastitis, which causes
inflammation within the udder and poor quality of milk. It
is also the number one herd health expense. The U.S. dairy
industry has seen milk production costs soar thanks to
increased cost of corn, fuel and labor,” stated BiSen’s
President, David A. Gottfried. “If we’re successful, dairy
farmers may essentially eliminate their losses from
mastitis.”
Infotonics CEO David R. Smith pointed to Infotonics’
economic development strategy to help create new companies.
Smith added, “BiSen Technologies is leveraging Infotonics’
infrastructure to commercialize this technology, something
it couldn’t have done by itself. Our team will help it
develop its prototypes and manufacturing processes which,
in turn, will result in its systems being built in the
Rochester region.” Added Gottfried, “As a partner,
Infotonics strengthens our position when applying for
funding, or meeting with potential investors. They help
de-risk the opportunity for investors.”
Mastitis
is a painful infection of the udder in dairy cows.
By
eliminating mastitis, farmers will produce higher quality
milk that receives premium prices from buyers. There is
also less chance of disease being transmitted to humans,
decreased antibiotics use in dairy herds and improved cow’s
productivity. BiSen also believes this technology will
dramatically improve milk shelf life without the need for
ultra-pasteurization.
In
addition to having agricultural applications, this
technology is seen by BiSen as having uses for homeland
security, particularly in securing the nation’s drinking
water supply, and several bio-medical testing applications.
Stated Ontario County Director of Economic Development,
Michael Manikowski, “The launch of this new company clearly
helps illustrate that through agriculture, BiSen will be
able to get their first product to market while they’re
still waiting to complete the FDA approval process for
bio-med applications. This is the kind of economic
development that we seek to encourage through
collaborations between Infotonics and the Tech Farm.”