USU Teams Up With Utah Startup Company to Advance Retinal Disease Research
From left: Elizabeth Vargis, Justin Jones, and Christian Iverson.
A local biotechnology startup built on research from Utah State University has received federal funding for a new biomaterial that could help scientists better study age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases.
MyxTek Bio, a Cache Valley biotechnology company, received a $305,000 award from the National Science Foundation to further develop the material, which is made from engineered hagfish proteins.
Researchers hope the material can be used to create improved laboratory models of tissues in the back of the eye, helping scientists learn more about retinal diseases and test potential treatments.
The one-year grant brings together MyxTek Bio and Utah State University researchers. Specifically, the team will refine how the engineered proteins are produced and evaluate whether the resulting material can serve as a synthetic version of Bruch's membrane, a thin layer of tissue that plays an important role in maintaining eye health.
The project builds on nearly eight years of research at Utah State University and represents a step toward turning a university discovery into a product that could support scientists now and commercial development in life science, biotechnology, and more down the road.
"This award is an important validation of both the technology and the commercial opportunity," said Christian Iverson, co-founder and CEO of MyxTek Bio. "We're building a company around a unique material that could improve biomedical research today while opening the door to entirely new applications in healthcare, advanced materials, and sustainable manufacturing in the future."
The engineered hagfish protein technology was developed in the laboratory of Justin Jones, associate professor of biology at Utah State University and co-founder of the company.
Hagfish are best known for producing large amounts of slime as a defense against predators. The slime contains strong protein fibers, and Jones and his research group at USU have developed ways to produce those proteins in the laboratory using microorganisms rather than harvesting them from hagfish directly.
One goal of the project is to show that the proteins can be produced reliably and consistently, an important step in moving a laboratory discovery toward broader research and commercial use.
"For a biomaterial to move beyond an academic laboratory, you have to be able to make the same material reliably and know exactly what you are producing," Jones said. "We have spent years learning how to produce and process these proteins. This project allows us to establish the manufacturing and quality-control framework needed to make the material available for broader research and, ultimately, commercial use."
A second part of the project will focus on retinal disease research in the laboratory of Elizabeth Vargis, associate professor of biological engineering at Utah State.
Vargis proposed using the engineered hagfish proteins to create a synthetic version of Bruch's membrane. The membrane supports retinal cells and plays an important role in maintaining healthy vision. Changes to the membrane are linked to age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases.
AMD is one of the leading causes of vision loss among older adults. Scientists rely on laboratory models to better understand how the disease develops and to evaluate possible treatments. However, existing models often do not accurately reflect the environment found in the human eye.
Researchers on this project will create thin membranes from the hagfish-protein material and test how well retinal cells grow and function on them. The goal is to create a more realistic research tool that could improve studies of retinal disease and speed up the development of future therapies.
"Bruch's membrane is remarkably thin, but it plays a critical role in supporting retinal cells," Vargis said. "I was searching for the right material to build better lab-based models of age-related macular degeneration. Through collaborations with Justin Jones and MyxTekBio, we've developed a hagfish protein-based biomaterial that more closely mimics the natural environment of the retina, giving us a more physiologically relevant platform to study this disease."
The collaboration reflects the goal of the NSF's Small Business Technology Transfer program, which helps universities and small businesses work together to move promising research toward real-world applications. While MyxTek Bio focuses on producing and refining the material, researchers at Utah State University will continue developing and testing its use in retinal research.
Although the current project focuses on eye disease research, the research teams believe the protein technology could eventually be used in other biomedical and advanced-material applications. Potential future uses include research tools, medical devices, sustainable materials, regenerative medicine, and other biomaterials.
MyxTek Bio also received support from the Nucleus Institute during development of the proposal. Through commercialization training, proposal review, and connections to funding resources, Nucleus helped strengthen the funding application.
“Every MarketEdge team gets the same eight weeks, and MyxTek Bio made full use of every one of them. They came in with strong science and emerged with a clear understanding of their customer and what it will take to reach the market, something that often takes founders years to determine,” said Angela Smith, COO of the Nucleus Institute and leader of MarketEdge Scale.
The Utah State University Office of Research also supported development of the project. This project highlights Utah State University's commitment to helping researchers move discoveries beyond the laboratory and into the marketplace.
For MyxTek Bio, the award represents a critical milestone in transforming a promising university discovery into a technology platform with wide-reaching applications. For USU, it demonstrates how federally funded research and collaborative industry partners can work together to create meaningful scientific, societal, and economic impact.
In addition, the award provides an opportunity for MyxTek Bio to expand operations in Cache Valley, create skilled jobs and strengthen Utah's growing biotechnology industry.
"This is just the beginning," Iverson said. "Our vision is to build a platform biomaterials company in Utah that creates value from university-developed innovations. This award gives us an opportunity to demonstrate the technology, strengthen the company, and position MyxTek for future growth."
About MyxTek Bio
MyxTek Bio is a Utah-based biotechnology company commercializing engineered hagfish protein technologies licensed from Utah State University. The company is developing a platform of tunable biomaterials for applications in cell culture, regenerative medicine, advanced materials, and sustainable manufacturing.
About Utah State University
Utah State University is a Carnegie R1 research institution committed to advancing discovery, innovation, and entrepreneurship through research, education, and industry partnerships.
About Nucleus Institute
The Nucleus Institute is a Utah-based innovation and entrepreneurship organization that helps researchers, inventors, and startup founders translate scientific discoveries into commercial ventures. Through customer discovery training, mentoring, proposal development support, and connections to industry and funding partners, Nucleus helps emerging companies accelerate commercialization and create economic impact.
About the NSF STTR Program
America's Seed Fund powered by NSF supports deep-technology startups and small businesses translating breakthrough scientific discoveries into products and services with societal and commercial impact.
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