Jason Wang, a graduate student in the Kong (GNDP/M-CELS) lab, won third place in the 2022 Young Innovator program and received $5000 to advance his proposal. He will develop a “lab-on-a-chip” device that can measure the biological noise associated with cell populations at a low cost.
When did you first became interested in science?
Skye Shepherd is a graduate student in the Cunningham (CGD/MMG) group, where she develops new detection tools for proteins that can be used to identify diseases including cancer, cardiovascular abnormalities, and traumatic brain injuries. Shepherd won first place in the 2022 Young Innovator Program and was awarded $20,000 to advance her project.
When did you first become interested in science?
Alejandra Zeballos works on creating new therapies for neurological disorders. She is developing a platform that will select virus-based vectors that can deliver DNA-based therapy to neural tissues. A graduate student in the Gaj (BSD) lab, Zeballos won second place in the 2022 Young Innovator Program and was awarded $10,000 to develop her project.
When did you first become interested in science?
The Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology has hosted numerous research centers over the years, fostering collaboration between researchers at the IGB and external partners, including those of academic, governmental, and industrial nature. The IGB’s centers often work together with multiple institutions and companies, producing interdisciplinary research that is then translated into real-world solutions. Here, we discuss the centers both past and current that the IGB has hosted over the last 15 years.
The Young Innovator program is designed to help trainees become innovative leaders in their fields. The students attended classes for ten weeks over the summer and, at the end of the program, participated in an idea competition, showcasing the projects.
Vasiliki Kolliopoulos is a graduate student in the Harley lab at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. In the inaugural Young Innovator Program in 2021, she won first place for her proposal to develop a novel platform to screen biomaterials for bone injuries.
The Catherine and Don Kleinmuntz Center for Genomics in Business and Society and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology are excited to offer the Young Innovator Program (YIP) for the third year.
Aleczandria Tiffany is a graduate student in the Harley lab at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. In the inaugural Young Innovator Program in 2021, she won second place for her proposal to develop a material that can mimic growth plates—areas of new bone growth in children.
The Proof-of-Concept Program, named the Mikashi Awards, is funded by the Catherine and Don Kleinmuntz Center for Genomics in Business and Society (Kleinmuntz Center) to support IGB faculty with their innovations. The 2021 winners are Joseph Irudayaraj (CGD/EIRH/MME), a Founder Professor in Bioengineering, and Xing Wang (CGD), a Research Associate Professor of Chemistry.
