Informuta receives grant for project aimed at tackling antibiotic resistance

Sep 18

NEW ORLEANS – Informuta, a company looking to revolutionize the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infectious diseases through artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)-powered analytics of DNA, received a $275,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program to further research and develop a platform for detecting genetic antibiotic resistance motifs that are predictive of current and future susceptibility to drugs.

Dr. Kalen Hall and Dr. Leo Williams, co-founders of the Tulane University startup spinout, are dedicated to combating drug resistance in bacteria, a critical challenge in modern medicine.

“We are thrilled to receive this NSF STTR award, which represents a crucial step forward in validating our technology and advancing our efforts to combat the growing drug resistance crisis. This grant will provide the necessary funding to generate key clinical data to support our FDA submissions and ultimately bring our product to market to help patients,” said Hall. “We are incredibly grateful for the invaluable support and guidance provided by the New Orleans BioInnovation Center and the Tulane University Innovation Institute. Their partnership and mentorship have been instrumental in helping us achieve this milestone, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration as we work towards transforming infectious disease diagnostics.”

Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis that is predicted to overtake cancer and heart disease as the leading cause of death by 2050, taking 10 million lives annually. Already, antibiotic-resistant infections directly cause 1.2 million deaths and cost the US health system over $20 billion in direct medical costs. Contributing to this crisis, it is estimated that half antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary or misused. Current diagnostic technology has prevented the field from shifting to a precision medicine approach, as the standard of care is slow and poorly prognostic of patient drug response. Consequently, clinicians resort to trial and error which leads to further misuse, poorer outcomes, and increased emergence of resistance.

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will establish the feasibility of leveraging mutational signatures found in the DNA of bacteria to predict current and future drug resistance status. Mutational signatures are highly specific global patterns associated with mutational processes in cells. Studies have shown they can be indicative of past antibiotic exposure leading to an understanding of current resistance status. Additionally, certain signatures have also been linked to rapid drug resistance acquisition and can be used as a signal for future treatment failure.

"We are incredibly proud of the achievements of Kalen Hall and Leo Williams; early in the team’s development, I saw high potential. Their work is a shining example of what happens when you match innovative research with an entrepreneurial drive and the support of Tulane. By utilizing the resources of the Tulane Innovation Institute, along with the support of local and regional ecosystem programs, funding, and mentorship, they’ve made tremendous strides in a short amount of time. Their early success with this STTR award is a great example of how Tulane University is driving growth and supporting Louisiana-based companies,” said Kimberly Gramm, David and Marion Mussafer Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer, Tulane Innovation Institute.

The New Orleans BioInnovation Center and the Tulane University Innovation Institute played key roles in helping the startup form and secure the grant, providing critical support and resources to help bring this innovative and impactful project to life.

“This achievement highlights the power of collaboration within our biotech ecosystem. Informuta’s success is a testament to the dynamic partnership between NOBIC, our local bio community, and Tulane University,” said Kris Khalil, Executive Director of NOBIC. “Together, we are shaping a future where groundbreaking scientific research swiftly translates into life-saving solutions. Informuta’s pioneering work exemplifies this vision, and we couldn’t be more proud of Dr. Hall and Dr. Williams for reaching this significant milestone.”

The grant was awarded on Sept. 13, 2024. The research kicked off on Sept. 15, 2024 and will run through Aug. 31, 2025. For more information on Informuta and their work visit here.

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About Informuta
Informuta’s mission is to revolutionize infectious disease detection and enable precision medicine for infections. We do this through artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)-powered analytics of DNA, namely next-generation sequencing (NGS), data. Our novel, proprietary technology allows us to leverage DNA sequencing to predict if bacteria will respond to different antibiotics or develop resistance to them over time. Our vision is to address the global health crisis of antibiotic resistance and save lives by learning to better use and therefore conserve our current market-approved antibiotics.

About Tulane University Innovation Institute
The Tulane University Innovation Institute is dedicated to assisting Tulane students, faculty, and community innovators in developing their ideas, launching startups, and attracting resources to fuel innovation in the Gulf South and strengthen the area's economy. The institute offers educational webinars, mentorship, pitch competitions, and funding opportunities to support entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. Additionally, the institute focuses on advancing discoveries in the local bio-innovation community and aims to have a global impact by supporting researchers and inventors in navigating the process of developing ideas and bringing new products to market. For more information, please visit innovation.tulane.edu/programs.

About New Orleans BioInnovation Center
The New Orleans BioInnovation Center (“NOBIC”) is a nonprofit business incubator focused on advancing life science entrepreneurship and technology commercialization in Louisiana. The mission of NOBIC is to create a successful biotech ecosystem by providing emerging companies with customized commercialization services, premier facilities, and a comprehensive support network. Through relationships with research institutions, economic development organizations, and industry stakeholders, NOBIC helps its clients de-risk novel technologies, attract funding, and improve global health outcomes. For more information, visit neworleansbio.com/.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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