The Massey TBI Grand Challenge kicks off on February 25!

ANN ARBOR - Registration is now open for the 2026 Massey Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Grand Challenge, hosted by the Max Harry Weil Institute for Critical Care Research and Innovation.

Made possible through a generous gift from the Joyce and Don Massey Family Foundation, the Massey Grand Challenge funds high-risk, high-reward research and innovations targeting gaps in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of TBI during the "golden hours" after injury. 

About the Massey TBI Grand Challenge

Since its launch in 2014, the Massey Grand Challenge has supported over 50 diagnostic, device, therapeutic and health IT solutions for TBI ranging from novel, non-invasive therapies utilizing near-infrared light, to a multi-study program aimed at increasing the use of FDA-cleared TBI biomarkers

The Grand Challenge process takes place over multiple weeks, beginning with an informational kickoff event followed by two rounds of proposal submissions. Teams that pass the second round of submissions are then invited to pitch their projects before a panel of field and industry experts at the Kahn Grand Challenge "Wolverine Den." 

At every stage, participating teams have access to valuable feedback from field and industry experts, and specialists in proposal development and product commercialization, which they can then apply to improve their work for the Grand Challenge, as well as for future funding applications. Ultimately, this support serves as a springboard that enables all teams—even those who do not receive funding—to reach pivotal next steps in their journey to a groundbreaking research discovery or potential bedside application.

The 2026 Massey TBI Grand Challenge

The kickoff for the 2026 Massey TBI Grand Challenge will take place on February 25 and will provide participants with an excellent opportunity to get the inside scoop on the program and connect with potential collaborators from across disciplines. This year's kickoff event features keynote speaker Dr. Jamie Ullman, Professor of Neurosurgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Director of Neurotrauma and Quality Improvement for the Northwell Health Department of Neurosurgery, and a Director on the American Board of Neurological Surgery

Registration for the kickoff is available through the official Massey Grand Challenge website. 

Grand Challenges at the Weil Institute are open to all University of Michigan faculty and staff. Participants from outside organizations are welcome to collaborate and apply, provided at least one principal investigator on their team is from the University of Michigan.

About the Weil Institute

The team at the Max Harry Weil Institute for Critical Care Research and Innovation is dedicated to pushing the leading edge of research to develop new technologies and novel therapies for the most critically ill and injured patients. Through a unique formula of innovation, integration and entrepreneurship that was first imagined by Weil, their multi-disciplinary teams of health providers, basic scientists, engineers, data scientists, commercialization coaches, donors and industry partners are taking a boundless approach to re-imagining every aspect of critical care medicine. For more information, visit weilinstitute.med.umich.edu.