HSSA Awards 3.25 Million in Spokane County's Bioscience and Health Industry
Spokane, Wash. — The Health Sciences and Services Authority (HSSA) of Spokane has awarded five growing health and bioscience businesses grants to catalyze their research, development and commercialization efforts, improve health and healthcare, create well-paying jobs, and power future economic growth in Spokane County.
"This is the most competitive field of applicants we have seen" said Executive Director Erin Williams Hueter. "Each applicant has a history of making meaningful contributions to our community's health and economic vitality. I'm inspired by their commitment to Spokane County, and their plans to continue to grow and make a difference here." Nine grant applications totaling $5,240,544- two at Level 1 (up to $250k), and seven at Level 2 (up to $750k).
"These awards make an undeniable impact on our region" said Williams Hueter. Each applicant raised a one to one match for the amount they were applying for- some with federal grants, and some from accredited investors- bringing extramural resources to the region. Each applicant is making an impact on the health of the citizens, or the healthcare system in Spokane County. Awardees are making improvements ranging from cervical cancer prevention, to improved oral health and prevention of inflammatory diseases, to mitigating the environmental impact, housing impact and physical and behavioral health impacts of wildfire, to drug metabolism and efficacy insights on diverse populations, to increasing the speed of a notoriously slow credentialing process that improves access to care.
2026 Research, Development and Commercialization in Spokane County's Bioscience Industry Grant Recipients
- Blaze Barrier: Wildfires threaten lives, health and local economies through uncontrolled spread and smoke. Made in Spokane, Blaze Barrier slows or stops fires before reaching homes and infrastructure, activating only with flame to release powder that suppresses.
- Credential Network: Credential Network is building secure software that streamlines healthcare credentialing. By replacing manual processes with intelligent automation, it helps providers work sooner, reduces compliance risk, and improves patient access to care.
- Commercialization of a First-in-Class Microbiome-Based Cervical Cancer Prevention Personal Lubricant: We are commercializing PreBioGyn® (PBG), a breakthrough prebiotic lubricant to optimize the vaginal microbiome and prevent the common infection, bacterial vaginosis (BV), that causally links to cervical cancer (CC), STI and pregnancy complications.
- Biological Reagents for Mechanistic Drug Metabolism Studies in Precision Therapeutics: Precision Quantomics develops population-tailored biological reagents, including recombinant enzyme panels representing Indigenous communities, with the goal of enabling safer and more effective precision therapies for diverse populations.
- Scaling Preventive Oral Health Innovation and Job Creation in Spokane County: Expands Slate Dental’s work to improve preventive oral health by making daily flossing easier and more consistent through innovative flossers and education. Slate supports better long-term health, lowers dental costs, and creates well-paying jobs.
These awards directly create 19.5 well-paying jobs in Spokane County over the next two years, and stand to make an even greater economic impact through use of Spokane County collaborators, and the commercialization of their products and services.
HSSA is releasing new funding opportunities quarterly. Applications for two grants- Spokane Early Stage and Bioscience Infrastructure and Ecosystem Building in Spokane County- are being accepted until April 15, 2026 at 5pm PST.
On June 1, 2026, HSSA will release the Request for Proposals for Research, Development and Commercialization in Relocating Bioscience Businesses. Up to two Level 1 Awards of up to $250,000 may be made to health or bioscience entities relocating all or part of their operations to Spokane County, qualifying recipients for an additional grant award of up to $750,000. A one to one match is required, and we hope to see another competitive field of applicants.
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