TUE AM News: Funding announced for companies launched by UW-Madison researchers; Experts call for greater investments in training the public health workforce

September 24, 2024

— Seven projects linked to startups founded by UW-Madison researchers have been chosen for $500,000 in funding from the State Economic Engagement and Development program, supporting further research and technology advancement.

The university’s Discovery to Product program, which coordinates the SEED program, yesterday announced recipients for funding in fiscal year 2025. The $500,000 total includes a matching grant of $250,000 from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Funding varies by recipient, up to a maximum of $100,000, according to a D2P spokesperson.

D2P Interim Director Abram Becker says the grants will offer “crucial support to these outstanding early-stage companies” as they develop their technologies for market readiness.

“This initiative is not only about technological development but also about fostering the growth of these companies within Wisconsin,” Becker said in a statement.

Recipient projects were selected based on technical innovation, relevance to a broad economic sector and potential for contributing to the state’s industrial and economic development in the near future, the release shows.

One awardee, radiology Prof. Scott Reeder, is getting funding to improve cardiac MRI imaging through a project with Calimetrix, a biotechnology company based in Madison. The effort aims to boost early detection and treatment monitoring for cardiovascular disease, with a goal of “ensuring consistent and accurate” quantitative cardiac imaging, the release shows.

Reeder says he’s grateful for the funding support, noting the project’s goals aim to help this imaging approach “realize its potential” in diagnosing and monitoring cardiovascular disease.

“It is crucial to have advanced tools … to ensure quality assurance and facilitate comparison of imaging results across various MRI systems, sites, and vendors,” Reeder said in a statement on the funding.

Meanwhile, Profs. Nick Von Bergen and Vikas Singh will be working with Madison-based Atrility Medical on its AtriAmp device, with a goal of addressing “inadequacies” in current cardiac monitoring techniques for pediatric patients and others. The release notes current monitors could miss up to half of postoperative arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeat patterns.

AJ Boydston, a professor of chemistry, will work with a company called Si3H to advance a 3D printing technology that’s been licensed with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. The invention can be used to print FDA-approved silicon structures for prosthetic products and orthotic braces.

Recipients and Profs. Walter Block, Andrew ALexander and Azam Ahmed will be testing the safety and function of the Saf-T-Drape product, a disposable liner for MRI and CT scanners. The product is meant to prevent hospital-acquired infections while holding up to patient movement with “minimal” procedure interference.

In another awarded project, Profs. Luke Mawst and Dan Botez will work with Intraband, LLC on devices for “fast, powerful and secure” wireless data transmission for both defense and commercial applications, the release shows.

Assistant Prof. Eric Schmuck, director of research for the Center for Biomedical Swine Research and Innovation, will work with Madison’s Cellular Logistics to test a biomaterial for its ability to reduce damage following heart attacks and restore cardiac function. The announcement notes the resulting data will be “crucial” as the company submits filings to the FDA for an initial human trial.

Finally, assistant Prof. Bu Wang and Prof. Robert Anex are getting funding for their startup called Alithic Carbon Solutions, formerly known as Earth Repair. The business is commercializing an “ultra-efficient” technology for carbon removal and repurposing, and is currently working to develop a new feedstock for their materials pipeline.

See the release.

— Greater investments in the public health workforce are needed to build on past successes such as reducing smoking rates, experts said during a UW-Madison webinar.

The online event hosted yesterday by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health featured remarks from Ross Brownson, a professor of public health at Washington University in St. Louis, and Jonathan Samet, professor of epidemiology and former dean at the Colorado School of Public Health.

They highlighted findings from a recent study they wrote focused on the path ahead for public health, also pointing to various examples of progress already being made in the field.

Brownson noted evidence-based public health is gaining prominence as health departments and other groups organize around this concept. He touted the rising importance placed on equity and social risks, as well as the recognition of racism as a driving factor for public health disparities, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also touted increased investments in the public health workforce, as more than 200 accredited schools and programs are contributing to the “pretty remarkable” growth in public health as an area of focus for undergraduate studies.

“The latest data I saw from some of the national survey data shows that among the hundreds of thousands in what we call the official public health workforce out there, only 14% have a formal degree in public health,” he said. “So there’s a vast area for workforce development that we’ve begun to crack, but there’s still 86% of the workforce where there’s going to need to be more on-the-job training.”

The presentation noted public health has become more political, with interventions related to COVID-19 playing a major role in this trend. But at the same time, public health agencies are collaborating more as new technologies are giving public health officials additional tools for messaging and tracking data.

The professors pointed to decades-long efforts to change public perceptions around smoking cigarettes as a key success for the field, though Brownson added it took a number of complex policy interventions to achieve the substantial decline in smoking rates seen over the past 60 years or so.

Samet referenced a number of “key studies and key amassings of evidence” on the harms of smoking reported to the public through Surgeon Generals’ reports, putting particular emphasis on the health risks caused to non-smokers through second-hand smoke.

“It’s taken a long time in this continued work, but I think this is one of the examples where you can see that evidence, key studies did lead to action,” he said.

Watch the video.

— The Medical College of Wisconsin’s Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment has opened applications for grants of up to $250,000, supporting efforts to improve health equity in the state.

Funding is meant for projects from community-led organizations working alongside MCW faculty, and will go to Wisconsin-based nonprofits and government entities, according to the release. The endowment is putting $6 million into this round of grants, funding up to 24 awards at the maximum amount.

Letters of intent are due by Nov. 4, and the endowment will invite selected applications to submit full proposals by March 4. Projects must be done within a 24-month period starting July 1, 2025.

See the release and find more information.

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— The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation has announced grant funding for four nonprofit groups working to advance financial education in the state.

This nonprofit arm of the Wisconsin Bankers Association recently presented the awards during the WBF Gala at the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison. Recipients include:

*6:8, Inc, whose Circles Sauk Prairie program was awarded $2,500. This program matches a “highly motivated” low-income person or family with two middle- to upper-middle class community volunteers, with a goal of helping the low-income participation “the journey out of poverty.” The 18-month program includes frequent meetings, financial literacy training and more.

*Asset Builders, which got $5,000 for its statewide high school Finance and Investment Challenge Bowl competition. Along with the grant fund, WBF also recruits volunteers from the banking industry to help with judging, scorekeeping and more.

*Eastbrook Academy in Milwaukee, getting $2,500 for its Financial Education Excellence project. The funding will go toward professional development and other resources for educators leading the Learn & Earn project, which teaches students about budgeting, investing and managing credit and more.

*Economics Wisconsin, which was awarded $5,000 for the statewide middle and high school Stock Market Game. This 10-week competition has students working in teams to practice managing an investment account and making stock trades based on their own research.

See the release.

— The first UW-Madison freshman class since the end of affirmative action last year saw a 3.7 percentage point drop in underrepresented students of color.

This year’s freshman class was the first admitted after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to restrict the use of race in admissions — which UW-Madison had previously considered in its admission process. The percentage of underrepresented students of color dropped from a record high of 18% to 14.3%.

The underrepresented students of color category includes domestic students who identify as African American/Black, Vietnamese, Hmong, Laotian, Cambodian, Hispanic/Latino(a), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander or American Indian/Alaska Native.

Compared to last year’s freshman class, there are 525 more white students and 45 more Asian students enrolled. Meanwhile, there are 76 fewer Hispanic students, 55 fewer Black students and 13 fewer biracial students.

UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said the declines in the number of students of color is “disappointing” in a statement yesterday, but said she wants to be clear the university’s “commitment to these students and their communities remains steadfast.”

“We are fully committed to further efforts to build a campus community that welcomes people from all identities, lived experiences, perspectives and beliefs, and to do this work in ways that comply with the law and align with our mission and our values,” Mnookin said in the statement.

— The UW Board of Regents has named the recipients of the University Staff Excellence Awards, which come with $7,500 in funding.

“We are delighted to shine a spotlight on the many ways their exemplary dedication supports student success and strengthens our UW communities,” Regent Angela Adams, chair of the selection committee, said in the release.

Recipients include:

*Carissa Menke, a senior financial specialist in UW-Platteville’s cashier’s office. She’s worked in the office for more than seven years, working with students to create plans for paying down debt and past due balances, as well as representing the office at student events.

*Dirck Nagy, a library assistant who works the night shift at UW-La Crosse’s Murphy Library. He’s being recognized for creating a reshelving system and moving all library materials back into a renovated space following flooding in 2021, and more.

*UW-Stout’s custodial program, which has 53 custodians across its academic and service buildings, housing and student centers.

Awardees will be recognized at the next Board of Regents meeting on Thursday, the release shows.

See the release.

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Black, Hispanic enrollment falls at UW-Madison after affirmative action ends

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