The 51ÁÔÆæ Research Foundation has awarded more than $250,000 in Catalyst Grants to six research teams, whose projects range from cancer diagnostics and clean energy to rehabilitation robotics and tools that support equitable decision-making in regulated professions.<\/p>\n
The Catalyst Grants Program, supported by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and Invenergy, is designed to support early-stage research in areas where 51ÁÔÆæ has the greatest potential to impact the regional economy through commercialization.<\/p>\n
Each team is using the funding to develop new ideas that tackle urgent community needs and get them ready for real-world use. Projects include:<\/p>\n
Ashwin Narasimhan, visiting assistant professor, and Priya Premnath, assistant professor, Biomedical Engineering<\/em><\/p>\n The researchers are developing a liquid biopsy platform to isolate rare circulating tumor cells with greater accuracy, improving early cancer detection and personalized treatment planning.<\/p>\n Feng Guo, assistant professor, Electrical Engineering<\/em><\/p>\n Guo is prototyping a novel power converter to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of battery storage systems, enabling better integration of renewable energy.<\/p>\n Rebecca Klaper, dean and professor, Freshwater Sciences, and <\/em>Eric Ostovich, postdoctoral researcher<\/em><\/p>\n Klaper and Ostovich are developing a novel algal-based assay that uses genetically engineered cells to detect how chemicals affect aquatic ecosystems. This technology offers a faster, more informative alternative to traditional toxicity tests.<\/p>\n Xiaohua Peng<\/em>,<\/em>\u00a0professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry, and <\/em>Taufeeque Ali,\u00a0<\/em>research assistant, Chemistry & Biochemistry <\/em><\/p>\n Peng and Ali are developing a targeted cancer therapy that combines a novel prodrug with vitamin C to selectively kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.<\/p>\n Habib Rahman, professor, Mechanical Engineering<\/em><\/p>\n Rahman is creating a portable, bed-attachable robotic exoskeleton to deliver early-stage lower-limb therapy, reducing caregiver burden and improving recovery outcomes.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Christopher Peters, assistant professor, Nursing<\/em><\/p>\n Peters is developing a decision-support algorithm to help nursing educators consistently and fairly evaluate student background checks. The algorithm reduces legal and ethical risks while supporting workforce development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The foundation awarded more than $250,000 to six research teams, whose projects include cancer diagnostics, clean energy and rehabilitation robotics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3151,"featured_media":148010,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[174],"tags":[],"section":[122,126],"display_categories":[352,116],"related-coverage":[307,338],"uwmnews-feed":[149,343,158,152,163],"class_list":["post-148007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","section-campus-community","section-campus-news","display_categories-top-story-tertiary","display_categories-top-story-section","related-coverage-public-health","related-coverage-research","uwmnews-feed-engineering-applied-science","uwmnews-feed-health-professions-sciences","uwmnews-feed-letters-science","uwmnews-feed-freshwater-sciences","uwmnews-feed-nursing"],"yoast_head":"\nNext-Generation power conversion for energy storage<\/h2>\n
Environmental monitoring and agrochemical development<\/h2>\n
Targeted cancer therapy<\/h2>\n
Rehabilitation robotics for bedridden patients<\/h2>\n
Decision-support algorithm for nursing educators<\/h2>\n