Meet the 2026 Kahn and Massey Grand Challenge winners

ANN ARBOR –  The Max Harry Weil Institute for Critical Care Research and Innovation is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Kahn Pediatric Critical Care and Massey Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Grand Challenge events. A total of $1.1 million in funding was awarded across both programs this year to ten multidisciplinary teams representing 15 departments at the University of Michigan.

About the Grand Challenges

Held annually, Weil Institute Grand Challenges support early-stage, high-risk research projects and innovations that address key gaps in the diagnosis, monitoring and management of critical illnesses and injuries. The events span multiple months, beginning with a kickoff session at the start of the year followed by two rounds of proposal submissions. The process culminates in the summer with the final “Wolverine Den” pitch day event. 

At every stage of the process, the Weil Institute supports participating teams by giving them access to valuable feedback from field and industry experts, as well as from specialists in proposal development and product commercialization. Teams can apply this feedback to improve their work for the Grand Challenge as well as for future funding applications. Ultimately, the Grand Challenges serve as springboards that enable 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.

Congratulations to the winning teams, whose projects are detailed below. The Kahn and Massey Grand Challenges were made possible through the support of philanthropist Mark Kahn and the Joyce and Don Massey Family Foundation, respectively.

2026 Kahn Pediatric Critical Care Grand Challenge Funded Teams

Recovery and Rehabilitation of Suboptimal Pediatric Donor Hearts via Extended Normothermic Perfusion 

Many donated hearts are declined because they show signs of damage that may be temporary or reversible, such as acute right ventricle stress. The project team has developed a normothermic ex vivo heart perfusion platform, or NEHP, that has shown promise in preclinical studies by helping “suboptimal” adult hearts recover and maintain function outside the body.

Through the Kahn Grand Challenge, the team will conduct an early proof-of-concept study to generate pediatric-specific data and explore whether NEHP could help expand the pool of transplantable hearts for children awaiting lifesaving transplants.

Team: Alvaro Rojas-Pena, MD (Surgery); Kristopher B. Deatrick, MD (Cardiac Surgery); Gabe E. Owens, MD, PhD (Pediatric Cardiology); S. Sikandar Raza, MD (Cardiac Surgery)

OTTO-FM: An Interpretable Fuzzy Neural Network-Based Semi-Automated Clinical Decision Support System to Improve Fluid Management after Congenital Heart Surgery

Congenital heart defects affect ~40,000 newborns annually in the United States, with one in four requiring neonatal congenital heart surgery (CHS). During CHS, doctors use a cardiopulmonary bypass machine that, while lifesaving, can contribute to a potentially dangerous overload of fluid in a baby’s body. Care teams can manage this overload by administering diuretics such as furosemide, yet the timing and dosage of these medications can vary greatly across institutions.

This multidisciplinary team has developed a clinical decision support system that continuously reviews a baby’s vital signs and other physiologic data post-CHS and provides recommendations on furosemide timing and dosage to help care teams manage fluid balance. The system uses a novel type of completely interpretable artificial intelligence and leverages selective automation and robust safety mechanisms. The funding from the Kahn Grand Challenge will support the final preclinical study needed before the team can bring their system to the bedside for First-in-Human trials.

Team: Daniel Ehrmann, MD, MS (Pediatrics); Kayvan Najarian, PhD (Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics); John Charpie, MD, PhD (Pediatric-Cardiology); Gabe Owens, MD, PhD (Pediatric-Cardiology); Ranjit Aiyagari, MD (Pediatric Cardiology); Matthew Hodgman, BS (Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics); Emily Wittrup, MS (Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics); Alvaro Rojas-Peña, MD (Surgery); Ninette Musili, MD (Surgical Fellow, U-M ECLS Laboratory); U-M MICHR IND/IDE Investigator Assistance Program (MIAP); Donna-Bea Tillman, PhD, MPA (Biologics Consulting Group); Drew Bennett (U-M Innovation Partnerships); Robin Rowe (U-M Innovation Partnerships); David Olson (U-M Innovation Partnerships)

Expediting Bedside use of a Novel Microfluidics-Based Platform for the Identification of Subphenotypes in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients

The most common diagnoses associated with admission to the pediatric intensive care unit are acute respiratory failure (ARF), pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) and sepsis. These conditions are syndromes that group together sick children with significantly different biology under a broad diagnosis.  Prior retrospective work in both adults and children has found that these labels can be subdivided into biologically different groups, or “sub-phenotypes” that respond differently to treatment. This heterogeneity is suspected to be a potential reason as to why many clinical trials have not yet found effective treatments for these conditions in children.

Through previous rounds of Kahn funding, this competitive renewal team has tested and validated a novel microarray platform capable of identifying and distinguishing between two sub-phenotypes in children with PARDS and/or ARF with great accuracy. The team has also designed their platform to work much faster than current testing methods and to automate steps that would otherwise be time-consuming and labor-intensive. The goal of this work is to produce an automated system that identifies sub-phenotypes of PARDS and ARF in the ICU environment.  

With their latest grant, the team now aims to solve some final technical challenges by making the disposable cartridges used in their automated platform easier to manufacture and produce at a larger scale.

Team: Heidi Flori, MD (Pediatrics); Mary Dahmer, PhD, (Pediatrics); Katsuo Kurabayashi PhD (Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering); Benjamin Singer, MD (Internal Medicine); Yujing Song PhD, (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering); Andrew Stephens PhD, (Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine); Nadine Halligan MA, (Pediatrics); Adrienne Fueredi, PhD Student (Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering)

 

R2 Rapid Response for Pediatric and Neonatal Sepsis: Culture-free, universal pathogen identification from low-volume blood

Neonatal sepsis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among premature infants and those with underlying medical conditions. Prompt and accurate pathogen identification is essential for effective treatment of these conditions; however, current standard diagnostic methods rely heavily on culturing bacteria from blood samples, which is a process that typically takes 24-48 hours or longer to yield actionable results.

To address this gap, the project team has developed a culture-free diagnostic workflow designed to directly identify bacterial pathogens from less than 1mL of whole blood, providing organism-level identification within approximately 3 hours. The team has established the conceptual and analytical basis for their system and will use the funding from the Kahn Grand Challenge to deliver a locked, reproducible, end-to-end workflow leading to their next translational step.

Team: Vishwaratn (Vishu) Asthana, MD, PhD (Internal Medicine); J. Scott VanEpps, MD, PhD (Emergency Medicine); Pyogenix, Inc.

2026 Massey TBI Grand Challenge Funded Teams

Application of Subdural Electrodes in Bedside Monitoring of Spreading Depressions in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury

TBI varies widely from person to person, which has made it difficult to translate scientific discoveries into treatments that reliably improve patient outcomes. One promising signal that researchers are studying is called spreading depolarization (SD), which is a wave-like disruption in brain cell activity that can occur after TBI.

Supported by the Massey Grand Challenge, this research team aims to determine whether SDs can serve as a reliable biomarker that could help predict outcomes and potentially guide more personalized treatments.

The team will enroll eligible TBI patients at U-M who are already receiving standard invasive brain-pressure monitoring devices. During the procedure to place these devices, the team will also place a small monitoring electrode on the brain’s surface. This electrode will remain in place for up to 7 days, allowing continuous monitoring for SDs while patients are in the hospital.

The researchers will then analyze how often SDs occur, how long they last, and the severity of related changes in brain activity. They will compare these measurements with patients’ recovery over time, including follow-up assessments at 6 months and 1 year.

Team: Elizabeth Duquette, MD (Neurosurgery); Craig Williamson, MD (Neurocritical Care); William Stacey, MD (Neurology); Michael Cloney, MD (Neurosurgery)

Using an Implementation Framework to Amplify Prehospital TBI Biomarker Impact

Identifying patients who are at risk for brain injury early can reduce delays in imaging, neurosurgical evaluation, and appropriate triage—delays which can otherwise contribute to secondary transfers and worse outcomes.

During their first year of Massey TBI Grand Challenge funding, the project team successfully became the first in the United States to conduct prehospital point-of care TBI biomarker testing. The team secured institutional and state level-approvals, delivered hands-on training to >60 paramedics, and deployed 10 biomarker testing devices on ambulances in Ann Arbor, Dexter and Chelsea. Since the study start date, the team has also enrolled 75 head injury patients.

The team plans to use their second year of funding to further optimize their work and reach their enrollment targets. The funding will also allow them to extend enrollment through the summer trauma peak as head-injury volume rises with increased outdoor activity.

Team: Lauren Mamer, MD, PhD (Emergency Medicine); Regina Royan, MD, MPH (Emergency Medicine, Neurology); Briam Stamm, MD, MSc (Neurology); Fred Korley, MD, PhD (Emergency Medicine); Cindy Hsu, MD, PhD, MS (Emergency Medicine); Tina Brent, MD (Emergency Medicine, Washtenaw/Livingston County Medical Control Authority); Nate Hunt, MD (Emergency Medicine, Washtenaw/Livingston County Medical Control Authority); Carmen Gherasim, PhD (Pathology); Graham Smith, MD (Emergency Medicine, Washtenaw/Livingston County Medical Control Authority); Karl Rock (Huron Valley Ambulance); Luke Wohlford, MD (EMS Fellow); Dakota Burke, MD (EM Resident)

Biomarker Discovery to Inform Intracranial Pressure Monitoring in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

After a severe TBI, pressure builds up inside the skull. This increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) can worsen damage to the brain and raise the risk of serious disability or death. To measure this pressure, doctors can place an ICP monitor. However, it is not always clear which patients need an ICP monitor early on, which is when treatment may help the most.

The project team aims to develop a blood test that could help identify which severe TBI patients are at risk of developing dangerous brain pressure. By studying blood proteins, the team’s goal is to find biomarker patterns linked to rising pressure over time. This could eventually help doctors choose the right patients for ICP monitoring and start treatments earlier to prevent further injury.

Team: Alexander Clark, MD (Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine); Craig Williamson, MD (Neurosurgery, Neurology); Frederick Korley, MD, PhD (Emergency Medicine); Leonidas Bantis, PhD (Biostatistics, University of Kansas Medical Center); Venkatesha Basrur, PhD (Pathology); Venkatakrishna Rajajee, MBBS (Neurosurgery, Neurology); Alexey I. Nesvizhskii, PhD (Pathology)

Wearable Ultrasound Patch for Continuous Pediatric Transcranial Doppler

For clinicians to determine how well blood is flowing to different parts of a patient’s brain following TBI, they monitor various factors including brain pressure, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. Unfortunately, current methods of measuring these variables are invasive and/or often provide only indirect or limited information.

The project team is developing a small, wearable ultrasound patch designed to continuously monitor blood flow in the brains of newborns and children receiving critical care, including those with severe traumatic brain injury. The researchers will create and test a flexible Doppler ultrasound patch that can gently conform to a child’s head and track blood flow in multiple brain vessels in real time at the bedside. 

The goal of this project is to give care teams faster, clearer information to help guide treatment decisions, reduce the risk of preventable secondary brain injury, and improve outcomes for vulnerable pediatric patients. Funding from the Massey Grand Challenge will support prototype development, laboratory testing, software integration, and early preparation for future clinical studies comparing the patch with current ultrasound monitoring approaches.

Team: Angad Kochar, MD (Pediatric Neurology); Chengzhi Shi, PhD, MS (Mechanical Engineering); Kenn Oldham, PhD (Mechanical Engineering); Stephanie Rau, CCRP (Pediatric Neurology); Giulia Benedett, MDi (Pediatric Neurology); Louis Dang, MD, PhD (Pediatric Neurology); Tianye Zhang, PhD Candidate (Mechanical Engineering); Majeed Hallaj, PhD Candidate (Mechanical Engineering)

Functional Imaging of Mitochondrial Complex I to Guide Noninvasive Mitochondrial Modulation

This project will test a new imaging system that measures mitochondrial activity using PET. The team will use this technology to interrogate the mechanism of a new therapy for traumatic brain injury. 

The team's goal will be to validate this PET imaging technology in a preclinical model of TBI, which will allow the researchers to use PET imaging of mitochondrial activity as an endpoint in future clinical trials.

Team: Ansel Hillmer, PhD (Radiology); Joseph Wider, PhD (Emergency Medicine); Thomas Sanderson, PhD (Emergency Medicine, Molecular and Integrative Physiology)

CNS-Penetrant Anti-Cytokine Therapeutics for Modulation of the Neuroinflammatory Response – A Rapidly Translatable Treatment Strategy for Moderate to Severe TBI

After a TBI, the brain’s immune response can become overactive and contribute to further damage beyond the initial injury. Two early inflammatory signals, called TNF-α and IL-1β, appear to play especially important roles in this process. Some existing anti-inflammatory medicines may help calm these signals, but major challenges remain.

The project team aims to improve the delivery and testing of anti-inflammatory treatments for TBI by adapting FDA-approved biologic drugs so they can better cross the blood-brain barrier. Using a new “shuttling” technology the team has developed, the researchers have engineered versions of these therapies designed to reach the brain more efficiently and remain there long enough to have an effect. The team will evaluate these brain-targeted therapies using both preclinical models and human cell-based systems that mimic important features of the injured brain. They will study treatments aimed at TNF-α and IL-1β while using advanced monitoring tools to track inflammatory changes in real time. 

Ultimately, this work is intended to create a faster and more reliable path for developing brain-penetrating anti-inflammatory therapies for TBI, with the long-term goal of tailoring treatment to the specific inflammatory patterns seen after injury.

Team: Aditya Raghunandan, PhD (Mechanical Engineering; Colin F. Greineder, MD, PhD (Emergency Medicine, Pharmacology); Peter Tessier, PhD (Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Engineering); Benjamin Singer, MD, PhD (Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine); Jiapeng Wang, PhD, Emergency Medicine)

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