Vanderbilt University announced听seven听recipients of the听鈥痜or the听October听2025 cycle.听The awards听offer strategic pre-seed funding to听help faculty听across听a wide range听of听disciplines听turn听promising research concepts into tangible solutions that address听fundamental societal needs.听听The听selected听research听projects听involve听using听innovative biomedical,听medical听and AI technologies听to develop advanced diagnostic tools, pathogen detection听methods听and assistive systems听aimed at addressing critical health听care challenges.听
This cycle鈥檚 recipients include:鈥�听
- , professor of biomedical engineering: Advanced Prototype Development for an Ultra-Low-Cost听Dermatoscope听
- , professor of biomedical engineering: Exponentially scalable PCR for multiplex detection of pathogens in a single tube听
- , assistant professor of medicine: Development of a Commercial Assay for Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP)听
- , associate professor of听clinical听cardiac surgery: Development of a Conversational AI Interface and Real-Time Audio-Video Data Capture Framework for the AMPULSE Intelligent Perfusion System听
- ,听vice dean听of听the听School听of听Engineering听and professor of mechanical engineering: Advancement of Neurodivergent-Aware VR Interview Simulator (NAVIS) for Job Interview Training听
- ,鈥痑ssociate professor of pathology,听microbiology听and immunology: Prototype development of empirical validation methods for genomic data听
- , assistant professor of biomedical informatics: Testing and Clinical Validation of a Prototype Remote Sensing Device to Monitor Supplemental Oxygen Changes for Early Detection of Clinical Deterioration听
鈥淲e are excited to be able to support our faculty at a critical moment in their innovation journey, when the curiosity and exploration of early-stage research gives way to the excitement of bringing a powerful new idea they know can work into the real world,鈥澨齭aid听, senior associate provost for commercialization and technology transfer. 鈥淭he success of these projects will produce new lifesaving medical devices and听therapeutics, and even new tools for workforce development.鈥�鈥疎ach can beneficially transform an aspect of our world, and we eagerly听anticipate听the results our innovators will produce听in each area.鈥�听
The Innovation Catalyst Fund听will鈥�鈥痮n听Feb.听1. All full-time faculty at Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center are eligible to apply.鈥��听
About the Innovation Catalyst Fund鈥�听
The Innovation Catalyst Fund鈥檚 goal is to propel faculty research ideas toward market and real-world impact. The program provides support for proof-of-concept commercialization, advancing early-stage projects with high innovation听potential听and developing research projects with societal relevance.鈥��听
The听听manages听the fund in consultation with university academic leadership and听. The听听coordinates the submission and review process in collaboration with deans across Vanderbilt鈥檚 schools and colleges.鈥�听
For more information about the听program, visit the鈥�鈥痮r email CatalystFunding@vanderbilt.edu.鈥�听
