Vanderbilt announces Innovation Catalyst Fund cycle awardees

Vanderbilt University has announced the recipients of the Innovation Catalyst Fund awards for the June 2024 cycle. The program, designed to accelerate translational research and drive innovative solutions to real-world challenges, continues to support faculty from a wide array of disciplines with pre-seed funding.

The most recent awardees, selected for their pioneering projects, include:

• Joshua Caldwell, professor of mechanical engineering: Expanding Sensorium Technological Labs Core Technologies into the Health Care Industry
• Ellen Goldring, professor of educational leadership and policy: Research Concierge: A Tool to Connect Faculty and Staff with the Resources Needed to Increase Research Impact
• Elisa Gordon, professor of surgery: Developing a LLM-based Chatbot to Scale Returning Genetic Test Results
• Lisa Lancaster, professor of medicine: Auto titration Oxygen Therapy Device with Real-Time Monitoring: Improving Accuracy of Dosing Oxygen and Quality of Life for Patients
• Rei Ukita, research assistant professor of cardiac surgery: Wearable Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation System for Safer Patient Ambulation

"I am impressed by the creativity and dedication of our faculty as they push the boundaries of their work to bring their research into real-world application," said Padma Raghavan, vice provost for research and innovation and chief research officer. "The projects recognized in this cycle range from an AI-powered tool to help faculty and research staff rapidly find external funding opportunities that match their interests and expertise to infrared sensor devices for detecting disease from patients' breath alone. I look forward to seeing how these ideas will impact society at large."

The Innovation Catalyst Fund, launched last year, aims to propel faculty research ideas toward market and societal impact. Sponsored by Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver and Vice Chancellor for Finance and Information Technology Brett Sweet, the fund highlights Vanderbilt's dedication to fostering a culture of innovation.

The program provides support for proof-of-concept commercialization, advancing early-stage projects with high innovation potential and developing research projects with societal relevance. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation manages the fund in consultation with Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Office of Research and university academic leadership.

The Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization oversees the proposal submission and review process, working in close collaboration with deans across Vanderbilt's schools and colleges.

The most recent application cycle for the Innovation Catalyst Fund closed at the end of October; additional cycles are planned for February and June. All full-time faculty at VU and VUMC are eligible to apply.

For more information about the Innovation Catalyst Fund, visit the Innovation Catalyst Fund website or email [email protected].