University Hospitals (UH) and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have announced the six research teams selected to receive funding through the 2026 Collaborative Science Pilot Awards, supporting projects across cancer, regenerative medicine, pregnancy, neurodegenerative disease and advanced imaging.
Each selected project will receive $50,000 for one year of funding. Since the program launched in 2023, it has supported 14 research teams with a total investment of $700,000. This year’s awards place particular emphasis on collaborations between junior investigators and established researchers from UH and Case Western Reserve University.
Neurorestorative Cell Therapy and Nerve Repair
Stanley Bazarek, MD, PhD, and Andrew Shoffstall, PhD, will investigate whether electrical stimulation can improve the integration of stem cell-derived spinal motor neurons with muscle.
The project explores an alternative to conventional nerve-transfer approaches by transplanting stem cell-derived motor neurons close to the target muscle, with the aim of supporting nerve regeneration without sacrificing a healthy donor nerve. Researchers will assess whether electrical stimulation can accelerate this process and potentially improve recovery following peripheral nerve or spinal cord injury.
Targeting Residual Cells in Endocrine-Resistant Breast Cancer
Akihiro Yoshida, PhD, and Bill Schieman, PhD, will study a potential approach for eliminating therapy-induced senescent cells in endocrine therapy-resistant luminal A breast cancer.
The team has found that residual cancer cells surviving treatment may depend on glutaminase 1 (GLS1). The project will test whether targeting GLS1 can selectively eliminate these cells in models of localized and disseminated disease, with the longer-term goal of developing strategies to reduce breast cancer recurrence.
Investigating Urinary Toxicity After Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy
Soumyajit Roy, MD, Daniel Spratt, MD, and Doug Brubaker, PhD, will investigate biological factors associated with urinary toxicity among patients undergoing radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer.
The prospective pilot study will examine changes in the urinary microbiome, metabolites, inflammatory cytokines and extracellular vesicle proteins during treatment. Researchers aim to identify early biological signatures that could eventually improve toxicity prediction, prevention and personalized supportive care.
Understanding Progesterone Signaling During Pregnancy
Patrick Ose-Owusu, PhD, Emily Hamburg-Shields, MD, PhD, and Sam Mesiano, PhD, will investigate the mechanisms through which progesterone helps maintain uterine relaxation during pregnancy.
The study will focus on the regulatory protein RGS2 and its potential role in controlling uterine muscle responses to progesterone. By better understanding this pathway, the researchers hope to identify new biological targets that could contribute to future strategies for preventing preterm labor.
Exploring Early Changes in Alzheimer’s Disease
Jennifer Villwock, MD, Ron Yu, PhD, and Ruben Stepanyan, PhD, will examine whether mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation in the olfactory system may represent an early trigger of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Because changes in the sense of smell can precede cognitive symptoms, the researchers will study mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation in the olfactory epithelium, sensory neurons and olfactory bulb using Alzheimer’s disease models and advanced imaging approaches.
The findings could help clarify whether pathological changes begin in peripheral olfactory tissues before spreading to the brain and may support the development of new therapeutic approaches.
Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting for Lung Nodules
Atallah Baydon, MD, PhD, Daniel Herzka, PhD, Yong Chen, PhD, Sree Tirumani, MD, and Pranshu Mohindra, MD, will explore the use of magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) to characterize pulmonary nodules.
The researchers will develop an MRF framework for lung imaging and use quantitative tissue biomarkers to study pulmonary nodules. These imaging characteristics will then be compared with CT findings and diagnostic pathology.
The project aims to determine whether MRF can help distinguish benign from malignant lung nodules and improve noninvasive diagnostic decision-making.
Commenting on the awards, Daniel I. Simon, MD, President of Academic & External Affairs and Chief Scientific Officer at University Hospitals, said:
“The Collaborative Science Pilot Awards are an investment not only in innovative science, but also in the people and partnerships that make scientific breakthroughs possible.”
Stanton L. Gerson, MD, Dean and Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, also highlighted the importance of supporting early-stage ideas and interdisciplinary partnerships that can generate the preliminary evidence needed for larger research opportunities.
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