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Funded Projects

HSET Degraders as Paclitaxel Sensitizers

Awarded in 2025
Collaborative Health Sciences Program
Updated Sep 24, 2025

At a Glance

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Wisconsin. Paclitaxel is a standard treatment for several types of cancer, including breast cancer, but nearly half of patients do not respond to it. This project aims to improve outcomes for cancer patients by developing a new combination therapy that can make resistant tumors more responsive to paclitaxel without harming healthy non-cancerous cells. This work could lead to the identification of new therapies for other types of cancers as well.

More Funded Projects

research icon: microscope and stethoscope
Collaborative Health Sciences Program

Examining Inequities in Postpartum Pain Management

Awarded in 2025
Poorly managed postpartum pain heightens the risk of depression and undiagnosed life-threatening health conditions. This project will investigate inequities in postpartum care, with the goal to inform future interventions and improve postpartum care and pain management. The project team will combine clinician survey and interview data with electronic medical records from postpartum patients. Findings will inform future interventions to reduce inequities in postpartum care and pain management. Collaborators: Nao Hagiwar, PhD, professor and director of the Program on Health Disparities and Community Engagement Research, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia; Laura Swan, PhD, LCSW, senior research scientist, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UW–Madison; Klaira Lerma, MPH, clinical research manager, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UW–Madison
research icon: microscope and stethoscope
New Investigator Program

Supercharging the Impact of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Postoperative Metabolism

Awarded in 2025
Obesity and related diseases like Type 2 diabetes, liver disease and heart disease have become major health concerns in Wisconsin. Bariatric surgery, especially sleeve gastrectomy (SG), is the most effective long-term treatment, often resulting in significant weight loss. However, many patients eventually hit a weight-loss plateau. Using mouse and pig models that mimic SG, this study aims to better understand how protein intake influences recovery and long-term outcomes after surgery, with the potential to develop new diet-based therapies for people with obesity and related diseases.