Outliers: Tulane researchers look to the crowd for funding
Modern Healthcare
Tulane University's School of Medicine is joining one of the latest trends in fundraising.
Researchers at the New Orleans school have launched a partnership with the "crowdfunding" website Microryza, which lets scientists go directly to the public for seed money for early stage research. Thirteen projects proposed by Tulane researchers are being displayed on the Microryza site, each with a specific fundraising goal. The goals range from about $5,000 to as much as $15,000, to be raised by Jan. 24.
"It is a first shot at us trying this. This is very new," Mary Brown, vice dean and vice president of health sciences systems for Tulane, told the Associated Press.
It is also something new for Microryza, a firm launched in 2012 by two University of Washington researchers. Co-founder Denny Luan said all Microryza crowdfunding efforts involve researchers at established institutions. However, the Tulane projects mark the first time Microryza has partnered with a university itself.
One of the listed projects seeks $10,000 for a project to see if kidney cancer can be successfully treated with nanotechnology.
Another, with an $8,000 goal, aims at slowing the spread of the virus that causes AIDS. It involves a proposed test program in New Orleans that would use a mobile Web application and social media to encourage people to get tested for the virus.
Each project has an "all-or-nothing" funding target—meaning people who agree to provide backing are only charged for donations if scientists reach their funding goals.
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