Duke-Coulter Translational Partnership

Accelerate the development of promising bioengineering research

Since 2006, Duke's translational partnership with the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation has supported collaborative research projects that address unmet clinical needs, lead to new commercial products and improve health care. Browse Duke-Coulter projects »

At Duke, each partnership award supports collaborative translational research projects that involve co-investigators from Duke Biomedical Engineering and the clinical departments of Duke Health.

Each year, we typically award three to five grants and have about $700,000 per year for awards. Award amounts vary based on the amount requested and a budget evaluation by the Oversight Committee.

Duke-Coulter by the Numbers

Since 2006

  •  
    $15.1M
    Awarded 
  •  
    70
    Projects Supported
  •  
    $954.5M
    in Follow-on Funding
  •  
    17
    Companies Founded
  •  
    22
    Licenses to Industry

SELECTION & Evaluation CRITERIA

Each year, we issue a call for proposals.

Each Proposal Must Have

  • At least one individual whose primary or secondary faculty appointment is within Duke BME, and at least one clinical investigator
  • Research that directly relates to applications in health care
  • An objective that includes an outcome that will benefit patients

Each Proposal is Evaluated On

  • Scientific merit
  • Potential health care impact and significance
  • The experience of the investigators
  • Potential for commercialization or translation to patient care
  • Potential for successfully obtaining further support

2024 GRANT CYCLE

Call for Proposals
Deadlines
  • May 3, 11:59 pm ET: Proposals due
  • May/June: Review of proposals and selection for oral presentations
  • July/August: Oral presentations and selection of grant recipients
  • August: Announce winners
  • November 1: Launch projects 
  • February 1: First quarterly report due
  • April: Project update presentation to the Oversight Committee

About Duke-Coulter

Wallace H. Coulter
Coulter

Electrical engineer and entrepreneur Wallace H. Coulter (1913–1998) was one of the most influential inventors of the 20th century.

His invention of the Coulter Counter made possible the complete blood count—one of medicine's most-requested and informative diagnostic tests.

Duke BME was one of nine biomedical engineering programs to receive partnership awards in 2005 from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation. 

Each year, the Duke-Coulter partnership grants about $700,000 per year in awards.