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SRI wins grants to develop technologies

SRI International in Menlo Park recently received two federal grants, one to develop technology to use natural gas in vehicles, and the other to develop an oral therapy for multiple sclerosis.

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded $875,000 to SRI to develop low-pressure natural gas storage tanks for light-duty vehicles. SRI's approach "using porous carbon materials will provide structural strength and high surface area for gas adsorption that will entirely eliminate the need for a costly external tank," the department said in its July 12 announcement.

SRI is one of 13 companies nationwide that will receive a total of $30 million in federal funds to develop technologies to reduce the inefficiencies associated with using natural gas as a vehicle fuel, the department said.

This initiative attempts to move beyond the high pressure, large size and high cost of traditional natural gas fuel systems. "The projects will also focus on developing natural gas compressors that make it easier for consumers to re-fuel at home," the department said.

Go to tinyurl.com/Grant234 to download a PDF document describing the other projects.

Multiple sclerosis drug

The Department of Defense medical research programs have awarded a one-year $131,000 grant to SRI to develop an oral therapy for multiple sclerosis.

The new medication would be designed to be more convenient for patients than the current intravenous infusions or injections that sometimes require hospital visits. It also could help patients who are not responding to current methods.