WKU News

WKU faculty members Moon-Soo Kim and Jason Crandall are participating in statewide programs for entrepreneurs and innovators. Dr. Kim is working on a project to develop a rapid COVID-19 test while Dr. Crandall is exploring opportunities to expand the Bingocize® program.

Dr. Kim, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry, is a member of the XLerator Network SBIR Support cohort and is collaborating on a grant proposal for a project to develop a simple and rapid diagnostic method for COVID-19.

Since June, Dr. Kim has been working with Dr. Tommy Roussel, an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at University of Louisville, and Dr. Eugene Krentsel, Chief Scientific Officer at XLerateHealth, to gather data, discuss technology and market research, and learn more about the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant programs.

“We are going to develop a non-PCR based simple and rapid SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic method with POC (Point-of-Care) application,” Dr. Kim said. “The availability of a simple, rapid and portable device for detecting SARS-CoV-2 will allow for rapidly tracking sources and the spread of COVID-19 virus and the early treatment of infectious diseases. We will combine a recent molecular diagnostic tool and microfluidic technology, aiming for developing a simple and rapid POC method.”

Dr. Crandall, Associate Professor of Exercise Science & Kinesiology and Co-Director of the Center for Applied Science in Health & Aging, is participating in the University of Louisville’s LaunchIt program and is exploring business development opportunities for the Bingocize® program.

Dr. Crandall received a $2,500 grant for the 10-week LaunchIt course and hopes to learn more about expanding existing and developing new markets for Bingocize®. The program, which combines a bingo-like game with exercise and health education, has focused on older adults and has partnerships with senior centers, assisted living facilities, hospitals, nursing homes and other groups in nearly 40 states and three other countries.

While Bingocize® continues to grow, “there are many other customer markets that we are exploring,” Dr. Crandall said.

Through the course, he hopes to learn more about how to assess new markets, such as serving children with disabilities or providing corporate training sessions, as well as learning more about National Science Foundation commercialization grants.

“Both faculty members have been active researchers with external grants facilitated through the Office of Research and Creative Activity,” said Dr. Bruce Schulte, Associate Vice President for Strategy, Performance and Accountability and Executive Director of the WKU Research Foundation. “Their recent endeavors also include applied research with the potential for commercialization, which is a component of WKU's Innovation Campus.”

Contact: Dr. Moon-Soo Kim, moon-soo.kim@wku.edu; Dr. Jason Crandall, jason.crandall@wku.edu