Groundbreaking Research Fuels Whitworth’s First Faculty-Led Startup
Associate Professor of Engineering & Physics Philip Measor, Professor of Mathematics & Computer Science Kent Jones, and Kristi Shaka ’24, who received his B.S. in biochemistry at Whitworth and is now pursuing a master of business administration at Whitworth and Ph.D. in bioengineering at the University of Washington, are the co-founders of Pacific Microdevices. This marks the first time in the institution’s history that faculty members and a student have co-founded a company under such a unique partnership model, setting a precedent for innovation, entrepreneurship and academic-industry collaboration.
“Engineering is a discipline that brings people together to solve problems using science,” Measor says. “Hence, interdisciplinary collaboration has been at the core of how I approach serving humanity. I was fortunate to partner with other talented faculty and students to demonstrate novel technology here in Spokane. The ultimate measure of our work's effectiveness made starting a company the obvious next step.”
Measor created Whitworth’s Microdevices Lab in 2018. His collaboration with his students, Professor Jones and Aaron Putzke, former Whitworth professor of biology, led to the university’s first and second patents in 2020 and 2022. The group produced a custom 3D printer setup capable of making microdevices (devices with features at the microscale – on the scale of the thickness of a human hair – also known as a “lab-on-a-chip”), much less expensive than the traditional approach that uses silicon microfabrication. Their goal is to significantly reduce the time it takes to receive critical test results for things like COVID-19, the flu, bacterial infections and other pathogens. The company is now focusing on producing all the necessary instrumentation that will interface with the microdevice chips.
“Collaborating with the Microdevices Lab and co-founding Pacific Microdevices has been a transformative experience made possible by Whitworth University’s commitment to hands-on undergraduate research and by an exceptional team of students and colleagues,” Jones says. “With expert engineers refining our prototype into a platform aimed at accelerating DNA detection for biotechnology researchers, we aim to deliver more cost-effective systems. For students excited by science that translates into real-world solutions, this is an extraordinary opportunity to contribute from the ground up.”
The trio’s research has drawn widespread acclaim following presentations at some of the West Coast’s most prominent photonic conferences, sparking national interest from leading researchers and institutions. This groundbreaking partnership holds the potential to not only elevate Whitworth’s academic and entrepreneurial landscape but also to drive innovation and economic growth across the greater Spokane region.
Whitworth’s department of engineering & physics played a key role in making this possible, thanks to years of thoughtful investment and collaboration. Support from an alumni-endowed fund created by the family of Sean McGuire ’10 helped fuel faculty-student research, and a $400,000 grant from the PACCAR Foundation provided additional momentum as the engineering program took shape. Faculty across the department contributed in meaningful ways. They adjusted teaching loads, shared resources and mentored students to help create the kind of environment in which innovation like this could take root and grow.
“As an interdisciplinary engineering program that prepares its graduates for emerging technologies, we celebrate the outstanding work of Dr. Measor and his team,” says Kamesh Sankaran, Ph.D., professor and chair of engineering & physics. “It exemplifies our department’s vision and commitment to fostering innovation through faculty-student research. With our new PACCAR Engineering Building opening in a few months, its ISO 7 clean room and other facilities, which will be set up for collaboration, will allow us to do more of this. We are grateful for the generous support of alumni, families and corporate partners who have invested in us to get us to this point, and we look forward to more exciting things ahead.”
Pacific Microdevices Corp. is now actively seeking strategic partners and investment to accelerate the next phase of its innovation and growth. More information will be available very soon on the company's official website which will be located here.
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Trisha Coder, associate director of media relations, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.
