NYU Selects Nine Projects for 2025 Technology Acceleration and Commercialization (TAC) Awards

TOV is pleased to announce that nine NYU research and technology projects have been selected for the 2025 Technology Acceleration and Commercialization (TAC) Awards, a program designed to advance research excellence, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship at the University.

NYU’s Offices of Research Development and Technology Opportunities & Ventures (TOV) developed the initiative as part of NYU’s commitment to fostering innovation and translating academic research into real-world applications. The TAC Awards support applied research and technology projects for which intellectual property has been obtained (or will be sought) by NYU and that have strong potential for near-term commercialization.

The awards provide up to $75,000 in direct costs to support projects for up to one year. Proposals are required to address key technical, commercial, and financial aspects of the work to be funded and describe how the award will be used to advance the technology’s commercialization potential and market-readiness, such as through proof-of-concept studies and prototype development. 

The 2025 TAC Awards program is funded along two tracks:

TAC Awards – General

Projects that have commercial potential, in any field. The awarded projects in this track are:

• Project Title: Development and commercialization of a novel materials characterization method for soft materials
  • PI: Nikhil Gupta
  • College/School: Tandon School of Engineering 
  • Department: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

• Project Title: Synergistic hydrogen redox energy storage system
  • PI: Miguel ModestinoCollege/School: Tandon School of Engineering
  • Department: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

• Project Title: MXene-based EMI shielding technology acceleration and commercialization
  • PIs: Andre Taylor, Simon Mashala
  • College/School: Tandon School of Engineering
  • Department: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

• Project Title: Scale-up of ML-COFs for implementation in sorbent-based water harvesting devices 
  • PI: Ali Trabolsi
  • College/School: NYU Abu Dhabi
  • Department: Chemistry

Discovery Research Fund TAC Awards – Human Health

Projects aligned with the Discovery Research Fund for Human Health established by the Office of Research Development to help make substantial progress toward understanding and improving health through research and innovation. The awarded projects in this track are:

• Project Title: Zinc nanocrystals from zinc tetraammine fluoride for caries arrest and remineralization
  • PIs: Deepak Saxena, Marc WaltersCollege/School: NYU College of Dentistry
  • Department: Molecular Pathobiology

• Project Title: Discovery of novel PAR2-targets allosteric uncouplers as therapeutics against cancer pain
  • PI: Alex Thomsen
  • College/School: College of Dentistry
  • Department: Molecular Pathobiology

• Project Title: A patient-derived pancreatic cancer organoids-on-a-chip for immunotherapy screening
  • PI: Weiqiang Chen
  • College/School: Tandon School of Engineering
  • Department: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

• Project Title: The CareMobiTM app
  • PI: Tina Sadarangani
  • College/School: Rory Meyers College of Nursing

• Project Title: ChatSign: Your real-time sign language AI companion
  • PI: Yi Fang
  • College/School: NYU Abu Dhabi
  • Department: Engineering

The next cycle of the TAC Awards is expected to launch mid-year 2025. For more information about the awards or the awarded projects, contact TACFund@nyu.edu or visit the TAC Awards webpage.