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Funded Projects

Opportunity to Reach Individuals with Genetic Dyslipidemia as Infants and Newborns in Wisconsin (ORIGIN-WI)

Awarded in 2026
Collaborative Health Sciences Program
Updated Oct 13, 2026

At a Glance

Familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited form of high cholesterol that can cause early heart attacks and strokes, yet only about 2 percent of affected children in the United States know they have the condition. This project will compare three approaches for identifying familial hypercholesterolemia earlier in childhood, using community input, mathematical modeling and machine learning to determine how screening can be most effectively implemented. Earlier diagnosis could connect children and their family members to effective treatment, helping prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Collaborators: Robert Steiner, MD, professor, Department of Pediatrics

More Funded Projects

research icon: microscope and stethoscope
Collaborative Health Sciences Program

Precision Therapeutics for Hypertension in Wisconsin through Gene–treatment Interactions

Awarded in 2026
High blood pressure affects about one in three Wisconsin adults, yet finding an effective medication can involve a lengthy trial-and-error process that may lead to side effects and poor blood pressure control. This project will combine medical records, genetic information and blood pressure data to develop more personalized approaches that help patients receive the right treatment sooner. The work could improve blood pressure control, prevent heart and kidney disease and reduce health disparities.
research icon: microscope and stethoscope
Collaborative Health Sciences Program

Transforming Spina Bifida Care and Research Nationwide

Awarded in 2026
Spina bifida is the second most common structural birth defect and can cause lifelong nerve damage, yet major gaps remain in understanding how the condition develops and how to improve treatments before birth. This project will investigate how genetic, environmental and nutritional factors contribute to the condition while creating a platform to develop and refine fetal surgery techniques. The work could accelerate new approaches to preventing and treating spina bifida and improve long-term health outcomes for affected children and families. Collaborators: Michael Beninati, MD, associate professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Richard Finnell, PhD, professor, Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine; John Wellons, MD, professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University; Rebecca Johnson, DVM, MS, PhD, School of Veterinary Medicine, UW—Madison