The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and Nexus NeuroTech Ventures have awarded $100,000 in development funding to three innovative research projects aimed at transforming the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. The winning teams are pioneering technologies with the potential to improve brain health outcomes in Wisconsin and beyond. This year’s recipients include projects led by: Vatsan Raman (Department of Biochemistry), Larissa Albantakis (Department of Psychiatry) and Ali Mohebi (Department of Psychology).
“We’re excited to advance a multi-metabolite diagnostic platform to address one of the critical gaps in Parkinson’s care: early and reliable diagnosis,” says Raman. “Our goal is to develop a simple-to-use device that enables accurate testing in clinical settings. We’re grateful to WARF for supporting this effort.”
The Neurotechnology Challenge Grant invited proposals for novel approaches to diagnosing and treating brain disorders, with a focus on translational potential and real-world impact. The three selected projects span disciplines and departments, reflecting the breadth of neurotechnology innovation at UW-Madison.
“We are thrilled to partner with WARF in supporting bold, translational neurotechnology coming out of UW-Madison,” says John Propst, Head of Incubator Program at Nexus NeuroTech Ventures. “Each of these projects embodies the kind of science-driven innovation our firm seeks to back—technologies that are not only novel, but also grounded in strong scientific fundamentals with clear pathways to impact patients living with brain disorders.”
“We’re proud to support UW-Madison researchers who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in neuroscience,” says Erik Iverson, CEO of WARF. “Our partnership with Nexus NeuroTech Ventures reflects a shared commitment to accelerating innovation that can change lives and improve brain health across the globe.”
A version of this story was originally published by WARF here.