Connell received the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Advanced E-Team Grant. E-Team grants support commercial outcomes by moving science and technology innovations from the idea stage to prototype and eventually to market.

He also received the Baxter Young Investigator Award. This award program was developed to stimulate and reward research that can be directly used for critical care therapies and the development of medical products that save and sustain patients’ lives.

The honors continue to support Connell’s research efforts on nanotechnology-based antiseptics for wound healing. The core technology was co-invented by Connell and Jianming Li, a recent Purdue BME graduate and current research faculty member in the department of Basic Medical Sciences.

The duo formed a start-up company, Medtric Biotech, LLC in an effort to commercialize their invention. Recently, they paired with Will Schryver, a Purdue MBA candidate to take top honors at several local, national, and global business plan competitions.  

Based on the team’s efforts, Medtric is poised to introduce a new class of wound dressings containing the revolutionary infection-fighting nanotechnology that protects against bacteria, including antibiotic resistant superbugs, and simultaneously advances the healing process.

Many wishes for continued success!