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Funded Projects

Piloting Badger-Seq: a revolutionary paradigm for the genomic diagnosis of critically ill newborns

Awarded in 2024
Collaborative Health Sciences Program
Updated Apr 24, 2025

At a Glance

Infants born with a rare genetic disorder or birth defect experience high acuity, prolonged hospital stays and a lifetime of health challenges. Molecular diagnosis is key to caring for these infants, and speed is critical. This multidisciplinary team of researchers will use an approach to screening using artificial intelligence and a revolutionary genome sequencing platform to bring state-of-the-art ultra-rapid genome sequencing to infants in hospitals across Wisconsin.

More Funded Projects

research icon: microscope and stethoscope
Collaborative Health Sciences Program

Preclinical evaluation of a novel theranostic MET-directed variable new antigen receptor (VNAR) single-domain antibody in MET-altered lung cancer

Year Awarded: 2024
This project aims to develop a novel treatment for non-small cell lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and Wisconsin, by using a unique shark-derived antibody. The goal is to improve treatment outcomes for patients who have an abnormal MET protein and a generally worse prognosis. Researchers will focus on creating a highly targeted therapy that combines radiation with this specialized antibody to attack cancer cells more effectively.
research icon: microscope and stethoscope
Collaborative Health Sciences Program

Pan-cancer AI-driven cell-free DNA sequencing platform for reducing disparities in early diagnosis, molecular characterization and surveillance of multiple cancer types

Year Awarded: 2024
This project aims to address disparities in cancer outcomes by investigating the biology of cancers and the factors that contribute to aggressive cancers or lead to the development of treatment resistance. Researchers will introduce a minimally invasive liquid biopsy testing approach, which is essentially a blood draw, and utilize a new type of testing called fragmentomics to gather more information about a patient’s tumor and patterns of potential treatment resistance or cancer recurrence.