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November 17th, 2023 /3BL Media/ — A student innovator from Duke University was selected for special recognition in the 2023 Collegiate Inventors Competition for his technology to rapidly identify potentially catastrophic algae outbreaks in the environment.
Undergraduate Daniel Collins was named the winner of the Arrow Electronics “People’s Choice” award for his innovation known as NucleoTide.
NucleoTide is a molecular diagnostic platform that uses CRISPR-based biosensors to rapidly identify marine pathogens and harmful algae blooms. With a low-cost, hand-held device that filters and processes water samples, it enables on-site ocean health monitoring and provides results in less than an hour without waiting for lab results.
The global economic impact of harmful algae blooms is estimated at $8 billion annually.
More than 20,000 people worldwide participated in the voting, setting a record for online participation in the competition.
Collins’ technology was one of 10 finalists – five undergraduate and five graduate teams – representing colleges and universities across the United States in this year’s competition. They presented their inventions to a panel of judges composed of influential inventors and innovation experts from the National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF) and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) officials.
The finals were held in-person at the USPTO’s headquarters in Alexandria, Va.
Winners receive cash awards as well as assistance in the patent approval process by the USPTO.
"The Collegiate Inventors Competition showcases the next generation of game changers — young inventors who demonstrate an innovative mindset that empowers them to solve the world's greatest challenges," said National Inventors Hall of Fame CEO Michael Oister.
In the Graduate division, medical student Adi Mittal of the University of Pittsburgh received the first-place award for an innovation known as Cerebral Aneurysm Test (CAT-7.)
Every year, nearly 7 million people in the United States suffer from cerebral aneurysms. They can cause neurological problems and rupture, leading to life-altering or fatal brain bleeds. CAT-7 is the first simple, whole blood-based diagnostic test to detect the formation of a cerebral aneurysm.
In the Undergraduate division, a team from Georgia Tech won the first-place award for a diagnostic technology called FADpad. The device is a test strip embedded in a feminine hygiene product to collect a sample of menstrual blood. A rapid lab test detects biomarkers present in diseases like the human papilloma virus (HPV) that causes cervical and five other forms of cancer, as well as HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
“Nearly all cervical cancers are preventable with earlier screening and testing for HPV,” said team member Rhea Prem. “We want to increase access to health care on your own terms.”
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About Arrow Electronics: Arrow Electronics guides innovation forward for over 220,000 leading technology manufacturers and service providers. With 2022 sales of $37.1 billion, Arrow develops technology solutions that help improve business and daily life. Learn more at arrow.com.
About the Collegiate Inventors Competition: The Collegiate Inventors Competition encourages and drives innovation and entrepreneurship at the collegiate level. A program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, this competition recognizes and rewards the research, innovations and discoveries by college students and their advisers for projects leading to inventions that have the potential of receiving patent protection. Introduced in 1990, the competition has featured more than 500 innovators who have created cutting-edge, world-changing inventions, and awarded more than $1 million of support to winning student teams for their innovative work and scientific achievement through the help of its sponsors. For more information, visit invent.org.
