Recipients of the Governor's Innovation Awards for October include a biotechnology firm, a University of Hawaii planetary astronomer and a state government agency.

Honolulu-based Nanopoint Inc. was recognized in the category of Innovation by an Organization for making advancements in the study and treatment of diseases with its live cell imaging solutions.

Nanopoint's imaging system products have broad applications to reproductive technology, drug discovery and testing, cell culturing, and biopharmaceutical production, and other life science research where live cell analysis is important, the governor's office said in a news release.

The Innovation by an Individual award went to Tobias Owen, a University of Hawaii planetary astronomer whose areas of expertise include comets, the origin and evolution of planetary and satellite atmospheres, and the origin and distribution of life in the universe.

His scientific achievements include the discovery of the rings of Jupiter and inert gases and heavy water on Mars.

The Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies was recognized in the Innovation in Government category for its efforts to find alternative fuel transportation solutions to decrease Hawaii's dependence on imported fuel.

HCATT is a state agency under the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation.

It has partnered with local and Mainland companies, the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Transportation, educational institutions and other organizations to develop advanced transportation technologies, including battery-powered electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and vehicle-charging infrastructure.