Pocono News Section

Curing the Incurable in Northeast PA

Curing the Incurable in Northeast PA - Monday, September 15, 2008 at 3:33PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Monday, Sep 15, 2008 @ 03:33pm EST
EAST STROUDSBURG - Scientists in northeast Pennsylvanai are working on a way to cure currently incurable diseases and a way to fight back against bio terrorism.

"We're all aware of the nasty diseases, the flesh eating diseases, the biowarfare, bioterrorism threats," said Mike Sturgess of Chaperone Technologies.

That company is fighting the threats from an office in East Stroudsburg. Chaperone announced its grand opening Monday.

"We're looking to develop new technology that can save lives," said founder Kenneth Kovan.

Chaperone will operate in the East Stroudsburg University Business Accelerator. It gives space and resources to help small businesses grow.

Kovan said, "One of the things that's key for getting a small company like ours off the ground is access to good lab space."

Now that it has that lab space workers can focus on their mission, fighting drug resistant diseases.

Kovan said, "It could be me or it could be my family that contracts an infection and doesn't respond to one of the currently available drugs."

You won't find any infectious diseases at the office. Workers at Chaperone design and build chemicals and ship them off site to be tested.

"We don't take giant leaps, we take little steps," said Kovan.

One little step is getting space in the accelerator. Another is a $2 million deal with the department of defense.

"This is something that's important. It's something that's got to be done," said Sturgess.

Eventually the scientists hope the little steps turn into big, lifesaving discoveries.

Sturgess said, "It would be wonderful for the University, wonderful for East Stroudsburg and wonderful for the community here."