Award Recipients
working with a cell culture in a petri dish

Top minds tackling today's challenges

The Frankel Innovation Initiative is designed to build on best practices of the standout programs developed at U-M and other top institutions.
2023 Awardees
Investigators: Vishwaratn Asthana, MD, PhD, & J. Scott VanEpps, MD, PhD

U-M - Internal Medicine & U-M - Emergency Medicine

Co-Applicant:
Satish Narayanasamy, PhD
U-M Computer Science and Engineering

Proposal Title:
Development of A Rapid, Low-Cost, Universal Bacterial Identification System to Improve Outcomes in Patients With Sepsis

Vertical:
Diagnostic

Investigator: Tomasz Cierpicki, PhD

U-M - Department of Pathology

Co-Applicant:
Rahen Mody, MD, MS
U-M Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology

Proposal Title:
Harnessing Gene Repression for New Targeted Drugs in Hematological Malignancies

Vertical:
Therapy

Investigator: Shinichi Fukuhara, MD

U-M - Department of Cardiac Surgery

Co-Applicants:
Gardner Yost, MD
U-M Departments of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery

Jeffery Plott, PhD
U-M Department of Mechanical Engineering

Proposal Title:
Remora – A Novel Life Saving Fenestration Device for Acute Aortic Dissection and Chronic Aortic Dissection

Vertical:
Device

Investigator: Isabelle Lombaert, PhD

U-M - School of Dentistry
U-M - Department of Biologic and Materials Science

Co-Applicant:
Warren Swegal, MD
Allegheny Health Network, Division of Otolaryngology

Proposal Title:
Non-Viral Gene Therapy to Treat Xerostomia

Vertical:
Therapy

Investigators: James Moon, PhD & Yu Leo Lei, DDS, PhD

U-M - Biomedical Engineering and Pharmaceutical Sciences & U-M - School of Dentistry

Co-Applicants:
Vilma Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan, PhD
U-M - Human Genetics

Alison Renee Masyr, DVM
Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Proposal Title:
New Nanoparticle Platform for Metallo-Immunotherapy

Vertical:
Therapy

The Frankel Innovation Initiative awarded $1.39 million to three biomedical research projects in the third round of the initiative. One project from the second-year awardees received three months of additional funding. The winning projects are shown below.
2022 Awardees
Investigator: Molly Stout, MD, MSCI

U-M – Health Obstetrics & Gynecology

Co-Applicants:
Methodius Tuuli, M.D., M.P.H.
Brown University Obstetrics & Gynecology

Peinan Zhao, Ph.D.
Washington University at St. Louis Obstetrics & Gynecology

Proposal Title:
Fully Quantitative Elastography to Predict Preterm Birth

Vertical: Device

Notes:
Funded until Dec. 2022; was part of Year 2

Investigator: James Moon, PhD

U-M – Biomedical Engineering and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Co-Applicants:
Yu Leo Lei, D.D.S., Ph. D
U-M School of Dentistry

Steven Chinn, M.D., M.P.H.
U-M Health Otolaryngology

Weiping Zou, M.D., Ph. D.
U-M Health Surgery

Proposal Title:
New STING agonist nanoparticle for immune-oncology

Vertical: 
Therapy

Notes:
Funded for all of Y3; new project

Investigator: David Markovitz, MD

U-M Health Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases

Co-Applicants:
Marina Pasca di Magliano, Ph.D.
U-M Health Surgery & U of M Cell and Development Biology

Wenjing Wang, Ph.D.
U-M Chemistry

Malcolm Brenner, Ph.D.
Baylor Medicine and Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology

Richard Dale Cumming, Ph.D.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Surgical Sciences

Joseph M. Penninger, M.D., Ph.D.
University of British Columbia Medical Genetics

Proposal Title:
Sweet CARS: Attacking Glycans to Treat Pancreatic Cancer

Device:
Therapy

Notes:
Funded for all of Y3; new project

Investigator: Vishwaratn Asthana, MD, PhD

U-M Health Internal Medicine

Co-Applicant:
J. Scott VanEpps, M.D., Ph.D.
U-M Health Emergency Medicine

Proposal Title:
Development of A Rapid, Low-Cost, Universal Bacterial Identification System to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Sepsis

Vertical:
Device

Notes:
Funded for all of Y3; new project

2021 Awardees
Investigator: Paul Cederna, MD

U-M – Surgery

Co-Applicant:
Cynthia Chestek, Ph.D.
U-M – Biomedical Engineering

Proposal Title:
Bringing Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces for Prosthetic Hand Control Home

Vertical:
Device

Investigator: David Humes, MD

U-M – Nephrology

Co-Applicant:
Stuart Goldstein, M.D., FAAP, FNKF
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital – Nephrology

Proposal Title:
Immunomodulatory Device to Treat Pediatric Patients with Severe Sepsis and/or Multiorgan Failure

Vertical:
Device

Investigator: Aditya S. Pandey, MD

U-M – Neurosurgery

Co-Applicant:
Albert Shih, Ph.D.
U-M Mechanical Engineering

Proposal Title:
Miniature Mechanical Thrombectory Device for Removal of High Fibrin Clots in Brain Arteries

Vertical:
Device

Investigator: Alvaro Rojas-Pena, MD

U-M – Surgery

Co-Applicant:
Robert Bartlett, M.D.
U-M – Surgery

Proposal Title:
The Frankel Organ Bank

Vertical:
Device

Investigator: Ariella Shikanov, PhD

U-M – Biomedical Engineering

Co-Applicant:
Molly Moravek, MD, MPH, MSCI
U-M – Obstetrics & Gynecology

Proposal Title:
Immuno-isolating Capsule for Delivery of Cell-based Therapy for Restoration of Ovarian Endocrine Function

Vertical:
Device

Molly Stout, MD, MSCI

U-M – Health Obstetrics & Gynecology

Co-Applicants:
Methodius Tuuli, M.D., M.P.H.
Brown University Obstetrics & Gynecology

Peinan Zhao, Ph.D.
Washington University at St. Louis Obstetrics & Gynecology

Proposal Title:
Fully Quantitative Elastography to Predict Preterm Birth

Vertical: Device

2020 Awardees
Investigator: Paul Cederna, MD

U-M – Surgery

Co-Applicant:
Cynthia Chestek, Ph.D.
U-M – Biomedical Engineering

Proposal Title:
Bringing Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces for Prosthetic Hand Control Home

Vertical:
Device

David Humes, MD

U-M – Nephrology

Co-Applicant
Stuart Goldstein, M.D., FAAP, FNKF
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital – Nephrology

Proposal Title:
Immunomodulatory Device to Treat Pediatric Patients with Severe Sepsis and/or Multiorgan Failure

Vertical:
Device

Investigator: Alvaro Rojas-Pena, MD

U-M – Surgery

Co-Applicant:
Robert Bartlett, MD
U-M – Surgery

Proposal Title:
The Frankel Organ Bank

Vertical:
Device

Investigator: Molly Stout, MD, MSCI

U-M – Health Obstetrics & Gynecology

Co-Applicants:
Methodius Tuuli, M.D., M.P.H.
Brown University Obstetrics & Gynecology

Peinan Zhao, Ph.D.
Washington University at St. Louis Obstetrics & Gynecology

Proposal Title:
Fully Quantitative Elastography to Predict Preterm Birth

Vertical: Device