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Funded Projects

Transforming Spina Bifida Care and Research Nationwide

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

At a Glance

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

More Funded Projects

research icon: microscope and stethoscope
Collaborative Health Sciences Program

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

Awarded in 2026
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
education icon: school with flag
PERC Opportunity Grant

Partnership to Expand Education and Training Pathways in Clinical Research

Awarded in 2026
The project, Partnership to Expand Education and Training Pathways in Clinical Research, is led by principal investigator Samuel Poore, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Surgery at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, and co-investigators Rafael Veintimilla, MD, senior director of the University of Wisconsin Clinical Trials Institute, and Marissa Winer, MA, dean of the School of Health Sciences at Madison College. This project aims to modernize how clinical research professionals are trained by replacing traditional degree requirements with focused, competency-based coursework and paid internships linked to career opportunities. Through collaboration with educational institutions, industry leaders and community organizations, the project will create accessible pathways into rewarding, high-demand careers for individuals from varying backgrounds and communities. In doing so, it aims to develop a clinical research workforce that broadly reflects Wisconsin’s population and health needs while strengthening the state’s research infrastructure and capacity to advance new medical treatments. Key partnership collaborators include Madison College (MC), University of Wisconsin (UW) Clinical Trials Institute (CTI), UW SMPH Office of Biohealth Industry Partnerships and Master of Science in Biotechnology, Industry Leaders (Exact Sciences), Community Engagement (South Madison Partnership, Sokaogon Chippewa Community Biohealth Incubator) and additional partners (BioForward, Biopharmaceutical Technology Center Institute (BTCI)).