The Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) at UW–Madison is pleased to announce the awarding of 11 Translational Basic and Clinical (TBC) pilot awards for 2024, representing a total investment of $550,000 in new research to benefit human health.
The grant period for these awards began Sept. 1, 2024, and runs for one year.
One of ICTR’s chief aims is to foster the development of interdisciplinary translational research teams that will advance drugs, devices, products, and behavioral interventions along a trajectory leading to new preventive or therapeutic options that improve human health and advance health equity.
In alignment with this aim, the TBC pilot awards support clinical research projects that define and develop novel clinical interventions; translational aspects of research incorporated into an investigator-initiated project; or novel technologies supporting such interdisciplinary collaborations.
To ensure interdisciplinarity, applications for TBC support must include two principal investigators from different scientific fields.
This year, we recognize the generous co-funding from the UW Carbone Cancer Center (CCC) and the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center (SCRMC) for six pilot projects. Together, we are able to support these 11 outstanding research teams.
Said Dr. Peggy Hatfield, ICTR Director of Workforce Development, “Once again, we are indebted to those who participated as reviewers to guide us in selecting these projects. We believe these pilot teams will advance the science of translation by discovering groundbreaking new methods and therapeutic interventions.”
The 2024 TBC pilot awardees are:
Jo Handelsman (Wisconsin Institute for Discovery), Ryan Herringa (Psychiatry)
Identifying the microbial biomarkers for SSRI efficacy in adolescents
Funding source: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Israrul Ansari (Pediatrics), Quoavi Sodji (Human Oncology)
Improving Pediatric Neuroblastoma Immunotherapies outcome by using B7-H3 CAR-T cells in combination
Funding source: ICTR/CCC
Deric Wheeler (Human Oncology), Irene Ong (Obstetrics and Gynecology)
Investigating MerTK’s role in the Immune Microenvironment in TNBC
Funding source: ICTR/CCC
Muhammed Murtaza (Surgery), Syed Zafar (Surgery)
Molecular analysis of peritoneal fluid for the presence of gastrointestinal tumor DNA
Funding source: ICTR/CCC
Ranuak Sinha (Neuroscience), David Gamm (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences)
Using patient derived stem cell organoids to model inherited blinding diseases
Funding source: ICTR/SCRMC
Pelin Cengiz (Pediatrics), Qiang Chang (Genetics)
Sexually differential role of Ntrk2 in hippocampal somatostatin interneurons following neonatal brain injury
Funding source: ICTR
Corinna Burger (Neurology), Ligia Papale (Neurological Surgery)
Neuroprotective mechanisms underlying environmental enrichment in Alzheimer’s disease
Funding source: ICTR
Darcie Moore (Neuroscience), Melissa Skala (Biomedical Engineering)
Identifying the cells with stem cell potential in the adult human hippocampus
Funding source: ICTR/SCRMC
Donna Neumann (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences), Rob Kalejta (Oncology)
Targeting DNA Damage Repair Pathways as a Treatment for Ocular Herpes Simplex Virus Infections
Funding source: ICTR
Jack Martin (Ortho Rehab), Scott Crawford (Kinesiology)
Quantifying Patellar Tendon Load During Rehabilitation Exercises in Patients with Tendinopathy using Wearable Sensors
Funding source: ICTR
Shaneda Warren Andersen (Population Health), Nicci Owusu-Brackett (Surgery)
Biomarkers to Personalize Colorectal Cancer Screening & Treatment
Funding source: ICTR/CCC
ICTR is supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, through the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), grant UL1TR002373. This content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.