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This grant is supporting NEK Bioscience's partnerships with several ����̽̽ departments to further develop the scientific and business foundations for the CorioGraft Wound Healing Gel. 

These efforts are meant to help attract significant additional funding that will be required to 1) Perform a multi-institution CorioGraft Herd Health and Dairy Economic Study and, 2) Establish a bioprocessing/manufacturing facility in Orleans County, VT. 

NEK Biosciences received a $10K Capacity Grant from the Leahy Institute in 2024, which allowed the startup to establish the multliple ����̽̽ partnerships that are being activated by this new grant.

Dr. Ken James, an expert in the field of regenerative medicine from Tufts University, moved to the Northeast Kingdom several years ago. While talking with his neighbor, a dairy farmer, Dr. James learned about a certain type of wound from which dairy cows often suffer. And he learned about the economic impact these wounds could have on the farms. Dr. James had the perfect background to tackle this problem, but he needed help.  

“When I heard about the Leahy Institute, a bell went off,” said James. “I knew ����̽̽ had the other expertise and facilities that we would need to move our technology forward. And not only could they do it, but they were interested in doing it. It’s been a great learning experience for us, going to ����̽̽, and I think it’s been a good learning experience for the ����̽̽ researchers, too, to see that there are people like us who are interested in developing these types of technologies in a rural area.” 

Once it's further developed, the medicine has the potential to be manufactured using the existing food processing facilities and expertise for which the Northeast Kingdom is already famous.

NEK Biosciences founder Dr. Ken James sat down with Tricia Coates, Director of the Leahy Institute, to offer a brief explanation of this work.