Date: Mar 07, 2018 Author: Clare McGrane Source: Geekwire (
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Stealth-mode startup Taproot Medical Technologies has raised $1.25 million out of a $2.25 million round of funding, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The round is the first time the company has raised funds since it was founded in 2016.
Jens Quistgaard, a longtime biotech executive named as an officer of the company in the filing, declined to comment on the round or the company's work.
Along with Quistgaard, the filing lists University of Washington chemical engineering professor Shaoyi Jiang as an officer. Jiang specializes in creating next-generation materials that are impervious to the impact of tiny living organisms and are compatible with biomolecules, cells and tissues.
"An important challenge in many applications ranging from biomedical devices to ship hulls is the prevention of nonspecific biomolecule and microorganism attachment onto surfaces," Jiang's research page says. "Our goals are to provide a fundamental understanding of molecular-level nonfouling mechanisms and to develop biocompatible and environmentally benign nonfouling materials using molecular design principles."
In other words, Jiang and his research group are developing materials that are safe to use in the body and aren't affected by microorganisms, which could prevent things like infection. Jiang's research page says one kind of material they are studying has "self-sterilizing capabilities and other unique properties." These materials could be used for a variety of medical applications.
Quistgaard, for his part, is currently the CEO and president of two other medical device startups: UW spinout NaviSonics, which makes catheters for neurosurgery, and Bothell, Wash., based Mirabilis Medical, which is developing an ultrasound treatment for uterine fibroids, benign growths in the uterus.
Andy Sinclair, a chemical engineer who worked in Jiang's research group at UW for six years, is working as a senior scientist at Taproot, according to his LinkedIn page.
He describes himself as an "expert in the design, synthesis and evaluation of biocompatible materials for medical devices and drug delivery."
The filing lists an address in Shoreline, Wash., north of Seattle, as Taproot's headquarters.
Clare McGrane is a GeekWire reporter who covers life sciences, biotechnology and general assignment technology stories, in addition to producing the GeekWire radio show and podcast. A graduate of the University of Washington, she is passionate about nonfiction storytelling, particularly stories about how science impacts our daily lives. Reach her at clare@geekwire.com and follow her @claremcgrane.
