166 - ketab farsi

166
8
LOS ANGELES PHILANTHROPIST
ESTABLSHES FOUNDATION TO COMMERCIALIZE
RESEARCH AT BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
OF THE NEGEV
Los Angeles philanthropist,
A Dariush Fakheri, has created
an innovative foundation model
that will provide up to $1.2 million
to help fund and commercialize
research at Ben-Gurion University
of the Negev in Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Should the initial research
projects, selected by committee,
become successful, the proceeds
and royalties will revert back to the
foundation, dubbed “Project Jacob,”
to underwrite additional projects.
Dariush Fakheri, who is
president of the International Judea
Foundation (IJF) supplying the
funding, says that, “Israel’s future
and its economy are dependent on
continued successful innovation.
We are trying to fix the dilemma
of too many incredible innovations
and discoveries getting stuck in a
lab due to limited resources.”
Project Jacob is open to
other donors who want to contribute
to promising research that requires
additional financial support to get
it to a stage where patents can be
sold.
“Project Jacob” refers to
the biblical Jacob, who requested to
be paid in speckled goats and sheep
while working for his uncle, Laban.
Jacob, one of the earliest scientists,
initiated a selective breeding
program yielding a large flock --
and consequent prosperity.
“Project Jacob is a unique and
innovative example of channeling
philanthropy in support of research
on the verge of commercialization
that will help the University and
impact fields like medicine and
alternative energy,” explains Doron
Krakow, executive vice president of
American Associates, Ben-Gurion
University of the Negev. “It is a new
avenue through which any donor
can support the commercialization
of the most promising research at
BGU in a targeted way.”
International Judea
Foundation’s initial donation
will seed three projects chosen
by a BGU research committee to
receive funding. The organization
will provide additional funding
up to the $1.2 million based on
successful commercialization of
these projects.
Among the initial projects
chosen by the committee of BGU
research heads and Fahkeri for
Project Jacob are:
Retinal Angiography
System - Retinal blood flow
indicates many health issues,
including diabetes mellitus,
macular degeneration and vascular
occlusion. BGU researchers have
developed an image analysis tool
from a series of high-resolution
angiographic images that allows for
the quantification of blood flow and
vessels’ permeability to help make
diagnoses.
Balance Training System -
This robotic engineering project, a
treadmill-like device, simulates real
life mobility problems while walking
to help improve motion stability for
the elderly and disabled.
Venus Catheter - This
device has already been patented
but needs refinements to treat
thrombosis, or blood clots, which
affects 15 million people each year
who suffer from strokes.