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Funded Projects

GATA2 Regulated Piezo1 Controls Uterine Serous Carcinoma Invasion

Awarded in 2025
New Investigator Program
Updated Dec 1, 2025

At a Glance

The project, GATA2 Regulated Piezo1 Controls Uterine Serous Carcinoma Invasion, led by Daniel Matson, MD, PhD, investigates how the interaction between the proteins GATA2 and Piezo1 drives invasion in uterine serous carcinoma, a rare but extremely aggressive form of uterine cancer that contributes to cancer deaths among postmenopausal women. Building on findings that GATA2 may help predict which tumors are likely to recur, the study uses patient-derived cancer cells and mouse models to understand how these factors work together to promote tumor spread. By clarifying these mechanisms, the project aims to improve risk stratification, allowing clinicians to spare low-risk patients from unnecessary chemotherapy while directing more intensive treatment to those at highest risk. Collaborators include Lisa Barroilhet, MD, associate professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pam Kreeger, PhD, professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UW–Madison.

More Funded Projects

research icon: microscope and stethoscope
New Investigator Program

Improving Ecological Modeling and Forecasting of Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases in Wisconsin

Awarded in 2025
The project, Improving Ecological Modeling and Forecasting of Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases in Wisconsin, led by Johnny Uelmen, PhD, aims to improve how Wisconsin predicts, prevents and responds to tick-borne diseases. By integrating climate and environmental data, drone imagery and community-submitted tick samples, the team will develop advanced models to forecast when and where tick risks are highest. The project also analyzes ticks collected statewide to identify the diseases they carry and partners with local health departments and the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center to provide tick-prevention kits, educational materials and community surveys, with a focus on rural and tribal communities. The goal is to give residents timely, accessible information that empowers them to protect themselves and ultimately reduce tick-borne disease incidence across Wisconsin. Collaborators include Alexandra Linz, PhD, and Jennifer Meece, PhD, of the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute.
research icon: microscope and stethoscope
New Investigator Program

Disrupting DNA Damage Repair to Potentiate the Efficacy of Radiopharmaceutical Theranostic Agents in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Awarded in 2025
The project, Disrupting DNA Damage Repair to Potentiate the Efficacy of Radiopharmaceutical Theranostics Agents in Advanced Prostate Cancer, led by Reinier Hernandez, PhD, aims to improve outcomes for people with advanced prostate cancer by enhancing the effectiveness of next-generation radiopharmaceutical therapies. The initiative tests a new treatment strategy that pairs a highly targeted radiopharmaceutical, [²²⁵Ac]Ac-PSMA, with drugs that disrupt cancer cells’ ability to repair radiation-induced DNA damage. By identifying which tumor subtypes benefit most and determining the safest, most effective combination regimen, the project seeks to inform the design of future clinical trials.