Kahn Pediatric Critical Care Grand Challenge
The Kahn Grand Challenge
Supporting research and innovation to transform care for critically ill and injured children.
What is the Kahn Grand Challenge?
Made possible through the generosity of philanthropist Mark Kahn, the Kahn Pediatric Critical Care Grand Challenge is a powerful funding avenue that supports diagnostic, device, therapeutic, and health IT solutions addressing current gaps in the monitoring, diagnosis and treatment of critically ill and/or injured children.
The Grand Challenge’s unique framework helps multidisciplinary critical care research teams surpass barriers between concept and realization by providing dedicated tools and resources to funded projects. Funding will be available to support four teams up to a maximum of $100k each.
IMPORTANT: To be considered for funding, you and/or a member of your team must attend the kickoff event.
This event is open to all U-M faculty and staff. Participants from outside organizations are welcome to participate provided at least one PI on their team is from the University of Michigan.
2026 Kahn Grand Challenge Timeline
- February 25: Deadline for 2-page Proposal Advance Reviews
- March 4: Deadline for 2-page Proposals
- By March 18: Select Teams Invited to Submit 10-page Proposals*
- April 15: 10-page Proposals Due
- May 8: "Wolverine Den" Pitch Day
*Competitive Renewals are not required to submit 10-pagers. During the 10-pager stage, Competitive Renewals may choose to expand their original 2-page proposals to up to 5 pages to incorporate updates and added detail before the Wolverine Den.
PROJECT SUPPORT THAT GOES BEYOND FUNDING
By submitting a 2-page proposal to any of the Weil Institute’s Grand Challenge programs, researchers receive access to a wealth of support even if their project does not get funded.
Access to ALL of the Weil Institute’s Member Services
By submitting a 2-page proposal, all Grand Challenge participants will also gain access to the services of the Weil Institute’s Large Animal Laboratory, Data Science team, Clinical Research team, and Proposal Development team to help move their project across the finish line.
Optional Proposal Development Support
For teams that do not move forward in the competition and/or are not funded by the Grand Challenge, our Proposal Development team is available to help refine proposals and assist in finding and applying to additional funding opportunities. (Note: appointments required)
Ongoing Project Support to Translation
Weil Institute mentors and coaches will continue to work with funded teams in areas such as quarterly progress reports and disclosure of new inventions/IP. (Note: the project must have been awarded funding through the Grand Challenge.)
Review and Feedback from Proposal Development and Commercialization Experts
Weil’s proposal development and commercialization experts are available to review Grand Challenge proposals at multiple points throughout the application process.
Following the formal review, all submissions will receive written feedback from the review committee, regardless of whether they continue in the competition. For those moving forward, specific points of feedback will be covered for the next stage of submission.
Engage with Mentors in Residence and U-M Innovation Partnerships
The Weil Institute's commercialization expert works closely with U-M Innovation Partnerships and the Mentors In Residence program.
Grand Challenge applicants can work with the Weil team to engage and collaborate with these partners as they move their project along the translational timeline. In addition, our commercialization expert will keep teams apprised of any upcoming opportunities that might benefit the project.
Networking and External Outreach
As part of the award process, funded teams are expected to participate in a number of events and opportunities throughout the funding cycle.
These postering and/or presentation events are excellent networking opportunities to connect with like-minded researchers, donors, entrepreneurs and others who can help to propel your research forward. In addition, all funded and Weil-supported projects are featured on our website and social media accounts, connecting them to our wide network of collaborators and supporters.
PROJECT SCORING CRITERIA
NEW PROJECTS
- Relevance to Kahn Grand Challenge Focus
- Does your project focus on a clinically important gap in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of critically ill and/or injured pediatric patients?
- Clinical Impact
- If successful, would your project have significant clinical impact?
- Research Plan
- Will results of your study be reliable and actionable?
- Realistic Budget & Timeline
- Can results be achieved with the funds requested in the time allocated?
COMPETITIVE RENEWALS
- Research Plan
- Will results of this next stage of study be reliable and actionable?
- Project Management
- How has your team managed their past milestones and/or any issues that have arisen during the previous funding cycle?
- Progress Toward Commercialization and/or Follow-On Funding
- Is your project at a stage where Kahn Grand Challenge funding will move it closer toward commercialization or additional follow-on funding?
- Realistic Budget & Timeline
- Can results be achieved with the funds in the time allocated?
KAHN GRAND CHALLENGE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Ryan Barbaro, MD, MSc
Service Chief, Pediatrics, Medical School
John Charpie, MD
Congenital Heart Center
Medical School
Joseph Custer, MD
Rodney C Daniels, MD, FAAP
Scientific Director, Weil Institute
Medical School
Samir K Gadepalli, MS, MD, MBA
Associate Professor of Surgery
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Medical School
Prashant Mahajan, MD, MPH, MBA
Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine
Professor of Emergency Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics
Medical School
Michelle L. Aebersold, PhD, RN, CHSE, FAAN
Clinical Associate Professor, School of Information
Michael Quasney, MD, PhD
Medical School
Need more information about the Kahn Grand Challenge?
Dr. Rodney Daniels shares all of the Grand Challenge details in this virtual info session. Click below to get the scoop!
Frequently Asked Questions
The Grand Challenge supports high-impact proposals by funding milestone-driven research over a 12-month timeframe. To be successful teams must:
Think inside and outside the box and propose high risk, high reward projects that specifically address the needs of critically ill and injured children
Multidisciplinary teams of researchers are favored
Projects with more viable plans for acceleration are favored – work must lead to a next significant level/step to bedside (i.e. jump form rodent to large animal, jump from large animal to clinical feasibility, etc.)
A product, method, process, must be proposed (not typical discovery basic science)
Does not have to have intellectual property
Dr. Jeremy Nelson, Director of Physical Sciences Licensing at Innovation Partnerships and a member of the Kahn Grand Challenge Wolverine Den, has provided the following presentation to help participants learn more about the IP/Commercialization aspects of the Grand Challenge.
View "IP/Commercialization: What is it? Why is it Important?” (PDF)
Relevance to Kahn Pediatric Critical Care Grand Challenge Focus
Does the project focus on a clinically important gap in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of critically ill or injured children?
Clinical Impact
If successful, would the project have significant clinical impact?
Research Plan
Will the results of the study be reliable and actionable?
Realistic Budget & Timeline
Can results be achieved with the funds in the time allocated?
Need help finding an interdisciplinary team? Through our network of members, we can help connect you with the right Co-PI for your project.
The Weil Institute will review 2-page proposals for any teams interested in receiving feedback ahead of the official submission deadline. The due date for early review submissions, along with other key deadlines, will be announced at the Grand Challenge kickoff event and posted to this web page shortly thereafter. Stay tuned!
Mentors and coaches will continue to collaborate with project teams after they have been funded.
The Weil Institute will support and review quarterly progress reports, submitted to the Kahn Oversight Committee.
Our Product Commercialization team will work with Grand Challenge teams as new inventions/IP is disclosed to the U-M Office of Innovation Partnerships in advance of a public disclosure and to make sure milestones are met.
Our Proposal Development team can help Grand Challenge teams with follow-on funding.
Funded Projects
- Nitric Oxide Releasing Intravascular Catheters
- Auto-Sizing Soft Robot Face Mask for Non-invasive Respiratory Support in Pediatrics
- Expediting Bedside use of a Novel Microfluidics-Based Platform for the Identification of Subphenotypes in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients
- Hemodynamic-Directed CPR for Pediatric Cardiac Arrest using Neural Networks and Wearable Sensor
- Clinical Efficacy of a Novel Nasopharyngeal Airway Device Produced with 3D Printing for Children with Cerebral Palsy
- Clinical Implementation and Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of PICTURE-Pediatric (Predicting Intensive Care Transfers and other UnfoReseen Events)
- Point-of-Care (POC) Measurement of Blood Vital Signs in Critical Illness/Injury and Transfusion Medicine
- Expediting Bedside use of a Novel Microfluidics-Based Platform for the Identification of Subphenotypes in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients
- Evaluating Lung Injury through Exhaled Volatile compounds and redox potential to predict ARDS and itsTrajectory in childrEn (ELEVATE)
- Expediting Bedside Use of a Novel Microfluidics-Based Platform for the Identification of Subphenotypes in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients
- Vascular Arterial Tone Monitoring System (VATMOS) for Managing and Treating Hemodynamic Instability in Pediatric Critical Care
- Clinical and pre-clinical development of LUCID for reducing brain injury following pediatric cardiac bypass
