Solari Inc

DEVELOPMENT OF MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY TO ACCELERATE COST REDUCTION OF LOW CONCENTRATION PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES

OKLAHOMA FY 2023 SOLARI COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMS NOFO FG-23-003 - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY- OKLAHOMA FY 2023 SOLARI COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMS NOFO FG-23-003. PROJECT SUMMARY: SOLARI WILL PROVIDE ENHANCED FOLLOW-UP SERVICES TO 988 CALLERS IN OKLAHOMA TO REDUCE SUICIDE ATTEMPTS. INDIVIDUALS PROVIDED ENHANCED FOLLOW-UP SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SERVICES FOR AT LEAST 90 DAYS AND POTENTIALLY UP TO 12 MONTHS BASED ON CLINICAL ACUITY. SOLARI WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH OTHER PROVIDERS, INCLUDING SEVERAL 911 PSAP CENTERS, ACROSS OKLAHOMA TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS IN ACCESSING THE SERVICE THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT. THIS INCLUDES DISPATCHING MOBILE CRISIS SERVICES WHEN NECESSARY AS WELL AS COLLABORATING WITH HIGHER LEVELS OF CARE IF NEEDED. SOLARI WORKS TO MINIMIZE CALLER INVOLVEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROVIDES DIVERSION TO ALLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT TO RETURN TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. SOLARI WILL CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND PROVIDERS IN OKLAHOMA ABOUT 988 WITH A FOCUS ON UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING TARGETED COMMUNITY FORUMS. OKLAHOMA'S CALLERS REPRESENT A MIX OF RURAL, URBAN, AND TRIBAL DOMAINS WHO WILL ALL BE TARGETED IN THESE EFFORTS. SOLARI WILL COLLECT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON ALL CALLERS TO THE PROGRAM. VOLUME WILL BE CONTINGENT ON THE CLINICAL ACUITY OF CALLERS AND IS EXPECTED TO RISE OVER THE THREE YEARS OF THE PROGRAM DUE TO INCREASED AWARENESS AND PROMOTION OF 988 IN OKLAHOMA. SOLARI HAS ESTABLISHED THE FOLLOWING GOALS AND OUTCOMES FOR THE PROGRAM: 1. INCREASE ACUITY STABILITY. 50.0% OF FOLLOW-UP PARTICIPANTS RATED AS LOW, MINIMAL, MEDIUM ON ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED WITHIN THE FIRST 90 DAYS OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION. 75.0% OF FOLLOW-UP PARTICIPANTS RATED AS LOW, MINIMAL, MEDIUM ON ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED WITHIN THE FIRST 180 DAYS OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION. 2. INCREASE CONNECTION TO REFERRED COMMUNITY SUPPORT. 50.0% OF FOLLOW-UP PARTICIPANTS CONFIRM CONNECTION TO AT LEAST ONE REFERRED COMMUNITY SUPPORT WITHIN 45 DAYS OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION. 75.0% OF FOLLOW-UP PARTICIPANTS CONFIRM CONNECTION TO AT LEAST ONE REFERRED COMMUNITY SUPPORT WITHIN 90 DAYS OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION. 3. ENHANCED OUTREACH OPTIONS BY THE END OF YEAR 2 BY ADDING IN OTHER OUTREACH METHODS SUCH AS TEXT. PER SAMHSA, SOLARI WILL TRANSITION TEXT AND CHAT TO OUR INTERNAL SYSTEM IN YEAR 2 AT WHICH TIME WE WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING ALTERNATIVE OUTREACH METHOD OF TEXT. REVIEW AND UPDATE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH NECESSARY STATE AND FEDERAL STATUTES FOR NON-TELEPHONIC OUTREACH FROM JULY 2024 TO SEPTEMBER 2024. UPDATE EHR AND TRAIN ON NEW CONSENT FORM AND PROCESS WITH FOLLOW-UP CARE COORDINATORS FROM SEPTEMBER 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER 2024. IMPLEMENT ALTERNATIVE OUTREACH METHODS BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2025. 4. INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE 988 FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM AND GOALS. EDUCATE AT RISK POPULATIONS OF THE 988 AND 988 FOLLOW-UP SERVICES AVAILABLE BY PARTICIPATING IN TARGETED COMMUNITY FORUMS AT LEAST ONCE PER QUARTER DURING YEAR. EDUCATE THE PROVIDER COMMUNITY WHO SERVES AT RISK POPULATIONS BY PROVIDING PRESENTATIONS ON OKLAHOMA 988 AND OKLAHOMA 988 FOLLOW-UP SERVICES AVAILABLE AT LEAST ONCE A QUARTER DURING YEAR 1.

SBIR PHASE II: REAL-TIME COMPUTER AUTOMATED IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF INSECTS ENTERING THE SOLARID INSECT CONTROL DEVICE (ICD) -THE BROADER IMPACTS OF THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE II PROJECT INCLUDE AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY DESIGNED TO DETECT, IDENTIFY, AND DETERMINE LEVELS OF INSECT INFESTATIONS IN FIELDS, PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM IN REAL-TIME. MORE EFFICIENT AND PRECISE INSECT MONITORING WOULD RESULT IN REDUCED CHEMICAL INSECTICIDE USE BY INCREASING THE SPECIFICITY AND TIMELINESS OF THE APPLIED INPUT. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT COULD SERVE TO INCREASE THE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS OF THE U.S. IN THE WORLD AGRICULTURAL MARKET, POSITIVELY IMPACT THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC THROUGH REDUCED PESTICIDE USE, AND INTRODUCE RURAL POPULATIONS TO TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHTING THE BENEFITS OF INVESTMENT IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH (STEM) EDUCATION. THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS PER ACRE THROUGH DECREASED EXPENDITURES ON PESTICIDES AND DECREASED DAMAGE DONE BY PESTS. CONSIDERING PESTS CAUSE $45 BILLION PER YEAR IN CROP DAMAGE ANNUALLY, AND US FARMS SPEND MORE THAN $25 BILLION PER YEAR ON PESTICIDES, THE SAVINGS TO THE INDUSTRY COULD BE SUBSTANTIAL. THE PROJECT PROVIDES AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)-DRIVEN INSECT TRAPPING SYSTEM THAT CAN IDENTIFY A BROAD DIVERSITY OF INSECTS IN REAL-TIME. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT IS TO FINISH DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT TOOL THAT ATTRACTS, CAPTURES, AND IMAGES PEST INSECTS, IDENTIFIES AND COUNTS THEM IN REAL-TIME, AND DELIVERS DATA AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS IN A USER-FRIENDLY FORMAT TO INTERNET-ACCESSIBLE DEVICES. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE, THE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE DEPLOYED IN SEVERAL AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS WHERE THEY WILL CONTINUOUSLY OBTAIN DATA IN THE FORM OF INSECT IMAGES. THE INSECTS IN THESE IMAGES WILL BE IDENTIFIED BY EXPERTS AND THE DATA WILL BE USED TO TRAIN THE AI INSECT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM. DURING THE PROJECT, THE SYSTEM WILL LEARN TO IDENTIFY A DIVERSITY OF IMPORTANT AND COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED INSECTS IN AGRICULTURAL FIELDS AND ORCHARDS AND A USER-FRIENDLY INTERFACE FOR DELIVERING RESULTS TO USERS WILL BE DEVELOPED. THE END GOAL IS AN ALL-IN-ONE PEST MANAGEMENT TOOL THAT CAN BE DEPLOYED IN ANY AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE IT CAN AID FARMERS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PEST PROBLEMS WHILE MINIMIZING PESTICIDE USE AND INCREASING YIELDS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

PURPOSE: THE CONTINUUM OF CARE (COC) PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY-WIDE COMMITMENT TO THE GOAL OF ENDING HOMELESSNESS; PROVIDE FUNDING FOR EFFORTS BY NONPROFIT PROVIDERS, STATES, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO QUICKLY HOUSE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHILE MINIMIZING THE TRAUMA AND DISLOCATION CAUSED TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES BY HOMELESSNESS; PROMOTE ACCESS TO AND EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF MAINSTREAM PROGRAMS BY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES; AND OPTIMIZE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AMONG INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THE MOST RECENT COC AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT LISTING AWARDS BY STATE AND COC IS ACCESSIBLE AT HTTPS://WWW.HUD.GOV/PROGRAM_OFFICES/COMM_PLANNING/COC/AWARDS. SELECT THE LINK UNDER THE FUNDING AND AWARD INFORMATION SECTION FOR THE APPROPRIATE FISCAL YEAR.; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM FUNDS MAY BE USED TO PAY FOR THE ELIGIBLE COSTS USED TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE PROJECTS UNDER FIVE PROGRAM COMPONENTS: (1) PERMANENT HOUSING, WHICH INCLUDES PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, AND RAPID REHOUSING; (2) TRANSITIONAL HOUSING; (3) SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ONLY; (4) HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (HMIS), AND (5) IN SOME CASES, HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION. THIRTEEN TYPES OF ASSISTANCE MAY BE PROVIDED THROUGH THE CONTINUUM OF CARE (COC) PROGRAM: (1) COC PLANNING ACTIVITIES/COSTS FOR DESIGNING AND CARRYING OUT A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN APPLICATION TO HUD; (2) UNITED FUNDING AGENCY (UFA) COSTS FOR FISCAL CONTROL AND ACCOUNTING NECESSARY TO ASSURE THE PROPER DISBURSAL OF, AND ACCOUNTING FOR, FEDERAL FUNDS AWARDED TO SUBRECIPIENTS UNDER THE CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM, (3) ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY (INCLUDING STRUCTURES) FOR USE IN THE PROVISION OF HOUSING OR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES; (4) REHABILITATION OF STRUCTURES TO PROVIDE HOUSING OR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES; (5) NEW CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING THE BUILDING OF A NEW STRUCTURE OR BUILDING AN ADDITION TO AN EXISTING STRUCTURE FOR USE AS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING; (6) LEASING OF A STRUCTURE OR STRUCTURES, OR PORTIONS THEREOF, TO PROVIDE HOUSING OR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES; (7) RENTAL ASSISTANCE, WHICH MAY BE SHORT-TERM, MEDIUM-TERM, OR LONG-TERM, AS WELL AS TENANT-BASED, PROJECT-BASED, OR SPONSOR-BASED, FOR TRANSITIONAL OR PERMANENT HOUSING; (8) SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ASSIST PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN HOUSING; (9) OPERATING COSTS OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING; (10) COSTS OF IMPLEMENTING AND OPERATING HMIS; (11) PROJECT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS; (12) RELOCATION COSTS; AND (13) INDIRECT COSTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH 2 CFR PARTS 200, AS APPLICABLE. IN ADDITION TO USING GRANT FUNDS FOR THE ELIGIBLE COSTS DESCRIBED ABOVE, RECIPIENTS AND SUBRECIPIENTS IN CONTINUUMS OF CARE DESIGNATED AS HIGH PERFORMING COMMUNITIES MAY ALSO USE GRANT FUNDS TO PROVIDE HOUSING RELOCATION AND STABILIZATION SERVICES AND SHORT- AND/OR MEDIUM-TERM RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS AS SET FORTH IN 24 CFR 576.103 AND 24 CFR 576.104, IF NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY FROM BECOMING HOMELESS. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS: NO ASSISTANCE PROVIDED UNDER PROGRAM (OR ANY STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS USED TO SUPPLEMENT THIS ASSISTANCE) MAY BE USED TO REPLACE STATE OR LOCAL FUNDS PREVIOUSLY USED, OR DESIGNATED FOR USE, TO ASSIST HOMELESS PERSONS OR PERSONS AT-RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: DECREASE IN THE NUMBER INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, MORE SPECIFICALLY USING PERFORMANCE INDICATORS SUCH AS THE LENGTH OF TIME HOMELESS, RETURNS TO HOMELESSNESS OVER TIME, AND EXITS TO PERMANENT HOUSING. COC PERFORMANCE PROFILE REPORTS CAN BE FOUND AT HTTPS://WWW.HUDEXCHANGE.INFO/PROGRAMS/COC/COC-PERFORMANCE-PROFILE-REPORTS/.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES ARE UNKNOWN AT THE TIME OF AWARD.

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM

CRISIS RESPONSE NETWORK MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING IN ARIZONA - CRISIS RESPONSE NETWORK (CRN) WILL PROVIDE EVIDENCE BASED MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID CURRICULUM TO ADULTS IN ARIZONA, FOCUSING ON FIRST RESPONDERS, SCHOOL PERSONNEL, VETERANS AND MILITARY, HEALTH WORKERS AND GENERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO REDUCE MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. CRN WILL PROVIDE TRAININGS STATEWIDE IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO WILL HOST OUR EVENTS. INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTEND CRN'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAININGS WILL RECEIVE A THREE-YEAR CERTIFICATION IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AS WELL AS A RESOURCE MANUAL TO GUIDE THEM IN ASSISTING OTHERS AND MAKING REFERRALS AFTER THE TRAINING IS COMPLETE. CRN PROPOSES TO TRAIN THREE COURSES PER MONTH, WITH AN AVERAGE OF 12 ATTENDEES PER COURSE. CRN WILL TRAIN AT LEAST 36 INDIVIDUALS PER MONTH OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS - WHICH WILL LEAD TO AN ADDITIONAL 2,160 INDIVIDUALS BEING CERTIFIED IN CRITICAL MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID IN ARIZONA. THROUGH THIS GRANT CRN WILL INCREASE RECOGNITION OF SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF COMMON MENTAL ILLNESSES, INCREASE POSITIVE ATTITUDES RESULTING FROM DECREASED STIGMA AROUND INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, ENHANCE CONFIDENCE IN THE PROVISION OF HELP TO AN INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS AND INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND TREATMENT RESOURCES IN ARIZONA.

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM

CRISIS RESPONSE NETWORK MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING

FLU VACCINE PRODUCTION USING A NOVEL PANDEMIC RESPONSE AND PREVENTION MANUFACTURING METHOD - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT THE CURRENT GLOBAL PANDEMIC HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED TO DEVELOP NEW METHODS FOR CREATING VACCINES. MANY APPROACHES TODAY FACE LIMITATIONS WITH BREADTH AND DURATION OF PROTECTION; FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY FOR EMERGING STRAINS; MANUFACTURING SPEED AND SAFETY; AND STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION. SOLAVAX™ INACTIVATION TECHNOLOGY OFFERS AN ELEGANT SOLUTION FOR QUICKLY GENERATING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE VACCINES BY USING A COMBINATION OF A PHOTOSENSITIZER (RIBOFLAVIN/VITAMIN B2) AND UV LIGHT TO DISRUPT PATHOGEN GENETIC MATERIAL WHILE PRESERVING TARGET ANTIGENS. LIKELY ADVANTAGES OF SOLAVAX-DERIVED VACCINES INCLUDE: MORE COMPLETE ANTIGEN PRESENTATION USING WHOLE PATHOGENS; MULTIPLE VIRUS STRAINS/ MULTIPLE ANTIGEN VARIANTS, I.E. MULTIVALENT; RAPID MANUFACTURING PIVOT TO ADDRESS EMERGENT STRAINS; NO TOXIC INACTIVATING CHEMICALS THAT POTENTIALLY COMPROMISE ANTIGEN CONFORMATION AND ADD TO MANUFACTURING COMPLEXITY; LOW COST, GEOGRAPHICALLY DISTRIBUTED MANUFACTURING; APPLICABLE TO VIRAL, BACTERIAL AND PARASITIC PATHOGENS. IN RECENT WORK SUPPORTED BY BARDA AND NIH, DRS. RAYMOND GOODRICH AND IZABELA RAGAN DEMONSTRATED THAT A SOLAVAX™-SARS-COV-2 VACCINE DRAMATICALLY DECREASED VIRAL LOAD, REDUCED LYMPHOCYTIC INFILTRATION AND NEUTROPHIL ACCUMULATION, AND MAINTAINED LUNG ALVEOLAR AIR SPACE AFTER VIRUS EXPOSURE. FROM THESE STUDIES, THE SOLAVAX™-SARS-COV-2 INVESTIGATIONAL VACCINE IS ESTIMATED TO BE UP TO 20,000X MORE EFFECTIVE ON A WEIGHT/WEIGHT BASIS OF DOSE COMPARED TO OTHER INACTIVATION METHODS. THIS SBIR PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON THE EVALUATION OF THE SOLAVAX APPROACH FOR CREATING IMPROVED INFLUENZA VACCINES COMPOSED OF WHOLE INACTIVATED VIRIONS. ALTHOUGH GLOBAL ATTENTION HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON COVID-19 SINCE 2020, THE PANDEMIC THREAT OF INFLUENZA STILL EXISTS. MOREOVER, THE RISK OF A PANDEMIC INFLUENZA MAY BE EXACERBATED BY SARS-COV-2, GIVEN THE BURDEN ON GLOBAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AND INCREASED NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITH PRE- EXISTING CONDITIONS, SUCH AS COMPROMISED RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS. CURRENT FLU VACCINES PROVIDE SUB-OPTIMAL PROTECTION (40-60%) AND IMPROVED APPROACHES FOR MULTI-STRAIN AND/OR UNIVERSAL PROTECTION ARE NEEDED. IN PROMISING PRELIMINARY IN VITRO STUDIES, A SOLAVAX-GENERATED INFLUENZA VACCINE PROVIDED 70-80% RETENTION OF HEMAGGLUTININ (HA) ACTIVITY, AS COMPARED TO 40-45% AFTER INACTIVATION BY FORMALIN. PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT WILL BUILD ON THESE STUDIES TO ESTABLISH THE VACCINE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT YIELDS FULL INACTIVATION WITH MAXIMAL ANTIGEN INTEGRITY (AIM 1). THEN, WE WILL EVALUATE INACTIVATED VACCINE FOR IMMUNOGENICITY IN MICE (AIM 2) AND EFFICACY AGAINST LIVE VIRAL CHALLENGE IN FERRET (AIM 3).

A WHOLE-CELL INACTIVATED VACCINE FOR IMPROVED PROTECTION AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT TUBERCULOSIS (TB), CAUSED BY MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS (MTB), IS THE WORLD'S DEADLIEST INFECTIOUS DISEASE. APPROXIMATELY 10.6 MILLION PEOPLE FELL ILL FROM TB IN 2022, RESULTING IN 1.6 MILLION DEATHS GLOBALLY1. THESE ALARMING NUMBERS DEMONSTRATE THE CRITICAL NEED FOR EFFECTIVE TB PREVENTION AND TREATMENT WORLDWIDE. THE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE VACCINE BACILLE CALMETTE GUÉRIN (BCG) EFFECTIVELY PREVENTS SYSTEMIC INFECTION THAT OCCURS IN CHILDREN, BUT POORLY PROTECTS AGAINST THE MORE COMMON PULMONARY INFECTION IN ADULTS. ADDITIONALLY, BCG DOES NOT ELICIT MUCOSAL IMMUNITY IN THE LUNGS, WHICH IS A MAJOR REASON BCG VACCINATION DOES NOT PROTECT ADULTS ADEQUATELY. WE HAVE DEVELOPED SOLAVAX-TB, A WHOLE-CELL INACTIVATED MTB VACCINE, TO ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANT UNMET NEED FOR A SCALABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE VACCINE THAT TRIGGERS BOTH SYSTEMIC AND PULMONARY IMMUNITY. SOLAVAX-TB IS CREATED USING THE PHOTOSENSITIZER RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2) AND ULTRAVIOLET (UV) LIGHT TO DISRUPT PATHOGEN GENETIC MATERIAL WHILE PRESERVING ANTIGENIC INTEGRITY. SOLAVAX-TB SHOWS IN VIVO EFFICACY AS A BCG BOOSTER WHEN ADMINISTERED BOTH INTRAMUSCULARLY (IM; SYSTEMIC IMMUNITY) OR INTRANASALLY (IN; MUCOSAL/LUNG IMMUNITY; FIG. 2). IN NEW PRELIMINARY DATA, WE NOW SHOW SIGNIFICANT LONG-TERM (UP TO 90 DAYS) PULMONARY PROTECTION BY IN SOLAVAX-TB DELIVERED IN COMBINATION WITH THE POTENT MUCOSAL ADJUVANT MUCOSIMMUNE (NANOPARTICLE LIPOSOMAL-DUAL TLR COMPLEXES) FOLLOWING INITIAL BCG PRIME VACCINATION (FIG. 3). HERE, WE WILL EVALUATE THE SAFETY, IMMUNOGENICITY, AND EFFICACY OF MUCOSAL SOLAVAX-TB. AIM 1 WILL TEST OUR VACCINE AGAINST ALTERNATIVE WHOLE-CELL VACCINE CANDIDATES. AIM 2 WILL EVALUATE THE LONG-TERM PROTECTIVE EFFICACY OF IN SOLAVAX-TB AS A BOOST FOR CONVENTIONAL BCG VACCINATION AND AS A STAND-ALONE VACCINE AGAINST PULMONARY CHALLENGE WITH HIGH-VIRULENCE MTB. COLLECTIVELY, THESE STUDIES WILL PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR FURTHERING DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAVAX-TB TOWARD IND AND ULTIMATELY, THE CLINIC.

SBIR PHASE I: REAL-TIME COMPUTER AUTOMATED IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF INSECTS ENTERING THE SOLARID INSECT CONTROL DEVICE (ICD)

AS GLOBAL POPULATIONS REACH UNSUSTAINABLE LEVELS, FARMERS MUST PRODUCE 70% MORE FOOD IN LESS THAN 50-YEARS. GOVERNMENTS ARE ALLOCATING RESOURCES AND FINANCIAL MARKETS ARE INCREASING INVESTMENTS INTO IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL PROCESSES AT RECORD LEVELS. THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IS CONSOLIDATING, ACREAGE PER FARM IS INCREASING AND PROFIT MARGIN DECREASING WHERE FARMERS ARE SEARCHING FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES TO MAINTAIN PROFITABILITY. THE EXPENSE OF GROWING CROPS (ALMONDS) IS DIVIDED INTO TWO TYPES - FIXED AND CULTIVATION EXPENSES. FIXED EXPENSES INCLUDE LAND, TREES AND EQUIPMENT THAT AVERAGE 50% OF THIS TOTAL. CULTIVATION EXPENSES INCLUDE 1) IRRIGATION, 2) HERBICIDES, 3) FERTILIZERS AND 4) PESTICIDES THAT CHANGE ANNUALLY BUT CAN BE IMPROVED BY CONSISTENT MONITORING AND RESPONDING WITH PRECISE APPLICATIONS. THE FIRST THREE CULTIVATION EXPENSES ARE NORMALLY MANAGED BY ROUTINE, STANDARDIZED SCHEDULES AND ARE OBVIOUS AND NORMALLY NOT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. FOR EXAMPLE, IRRIGATION IS OFTEN SUPPLIED BY SUB-SURFACE MICRO-SPRINKLERS AUTOMATED BY TIMERS AND FERTILIZERS ARE ADDED INTO THE WATER SYSTEM ON AN ANNUAL SCHEDULE.HOWEVER, FOR PESTICIDES, MOST DAMAGING INSECTS ARE NOCTURNAL, AND TYPE OF TIMING OF INFESTATIONS AND DENSITIES ARE DIFFICULT TO REALIZE AND EXPENSIVE TO MONITOR. THERE IS A NARROW THRESHOLD BETWEEN 2%-TO-4% OF CROPS DAMAGED BY PESTS THAT CAN DETERMINE PROFITABILITY. THE AVERAGE LABOR EXPENSE TO MONITOR INSECTS IS $40/ACRE AND COST OF PESTICIDES IN ORCHARDS IS $118/ACRE, WHICH TOGETHER COMPRISE ALMOST 50% OF CULTIVATION EXPENSE, MAKING THEIR REDUCED USE A PRIORITY FOR THE ORCHARD INDUSTRY. AUTOMATED IDENTIFICATION OF DAMAGING SPECIES HAS BEEN AN INDUSTRY OBJECTIVE FOR OVER 50 YEARS. IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE ORCHARD INDUSTRY WILL INCREASE BY 25% AND USE OF PRODUCTS LIKE SOLARID WILL BE IN HIGH DEMAND TO REDUCE INSECTICIDE VOLUMES.THIS RESEARCH WILL DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO AUTOMATE IDENTIFICATION OF DAMAGING SPECIES OF INSECTS TO REDUCE CROP LOSSES AND QUANTIFY DENSITIES TO DETERMINE OPTIMUM TIMING OF RESPONSES TO STANDARDIZE PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS REDUCING 1-TO-3 INSECTICIDE APPLICATIONS ($50/ACRE) PER SEASON. THIS INCREASES CROP PRODUCTION AND REDUCES OPERATING (CULTURAL) EXPENSE BY AS MUCH AS $18,000/ACRE WHILE ALSO LIMITING FARM EMPLOYEE EXPOSURE TO TOXIC INSECTICIDES.