January 29, 2025
The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Foundation has awarded $3.9 million in seed funding to multiple projects, including three $50,000 seed grants to faculty and research members from the Marquette University and MCW Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering: Dr. Ranjan Dash, professor and co-director of graduate studies; Dr. James (Jim) Hokanson, assistant professor; and Dr. Sayantan Sinha, postdoctoral researcher working under the mentorship of Dr. Amit Joshi. Their projects focus on computational modeling for cancer therapy, treatment of bladder dysfunction, and preclinical studies for targeted cancer therapy, respectively.
We also extend our congratulations to Dr. Brian Stemper, who is serving as a co-investigator on an awarded project spearheaded by Dr. Antje Kroner-Milsch of the MCW Department of Neurosurgery involving concomitant neurotrauma.
Approximately 34,000 new cancer cases occur annually in Wisconsin, placing a significant strain on healthcare systems. With increasing rates of drug-resistant cancers and cases among younger populations, there is a growing need for innovative treatments. Testing the vast number of potential pharmaceutical treatments on specific cancer types is costly and time-intensive, making computational modeling an essential tool for drug discovery.
In the project “Modeling Human Cell Cycle Dysregulation in Cancer for Drug Discovery,” Dr. Ranjan Dash, director of the Computational Systems Biology Laboratory (CSBL), collaborates with Dr. Scott Terhune, MCW Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and others to develop a mechanistic computational model of the human cell cycle. Using the BioModME20 software platform, this model will allow researchers to efficiently test drug combinations in silico before validating results in vitro. This approach focuses on glioma cells and the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib as proof of concept. The ultimate goal is to provide a framework for cost-effective and case-specific solutions for cancer patients.
Learn more about Dash’s Project
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), including urinary urgency and incontinence, affect nearly 50% of adults and can significantly reduce quality of life for those affected. Tibial nerve stimulation, a therapy that uses electrical signals to improve bladder function, shows promise but requires frequent clinic visits and utilizes outdated treatment parameters, limiting its effectiveness.
In the project “Chronic Tibial Neuromodulation Model Development,” Dr. Jim Hokanson, director of the Pelvic Diagnostics & Therapeutic Laboratory (PDAT), and his team aim to develop an animal model to study and refine tibial nerve stimulation. This research will explore ways to optimize therapy, identify patient-specific treatment parameters, and uncover the mechanisms behind the therapy’s efficacy. The findings could lead to more effective, personalized treatments for urinary incontinence and greater accessibility for patients.
Learn MORE ABOUT HOKANSON’S PROJECT
Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer among women in the U.S., and Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) represents its rarest and most aggressive form. With a disproportionately high prevalence in certain populations, such as Black/African American women and individuals under 40, IBC presents unique clinical challenges.
In the project “Au-Phagic Nanozyme for Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) Targeted Therapy,” Dr. Sayantan Sinha, a postdoctoral researcher in the Nanomedicine and Image-guided Interventions Laboratory (NIGIL) and collaborators seek a cost-effective combination therapy for IBC. This therapy will focus on reducing healthcare disparities by providing a therapeutic strategy that is accessible and affordable. By integrating basic research with clinical applications, the project aims to create adaptable treatment strategies that can be applied to other aggressive cancers.
Collaborators on this project include mentor Dr. Amit Joshi -- Professor and Vice Chair of Research and Clinical Affairs in the MU-MCW Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Nanomedicine and Image-Guided Interventions Lab, or NIGIL -- and an IBC clinician.
Learn MORE ABOUT SINHA’S PROJECT
Dr. Brian Stemper is a professor in the Marquette-MCW Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering and a principal investigator at the Zablocki VA Medical Center Laboratories (ZVAMC Labs). Dr. Stemper will serve as a Co-PI to PI Dr. Antje Kroner-Milsch, an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, also working at the ZVAMC Labs, to “Establish and Validate a Model of Concomitant Neurotrauma.” With this project, the team will work to develop a model with which we may elucidate potential concomitant effects of simultaneous spinal cord injury (SCI) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This research seeks to uncover how neurotrauma exacerbates recovery challenges and tissue damage, identify mechanisms driving injury severity, and discover potential treatment targets. The findings will pave the way for improved care and support future research initiatives.
Learn MORE ABOUT STEMPER’S PROJECT
LEARN MORE ABOUT Trauma Biomechanics and Rodent Behavioral Testing at ZVAMC Labs
The Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering proudly recognizes each researcher for their exceptional contributions to the field and their unwavering dedication to advancing knowledge and improving lives.
Learn more about ongoing research in the Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering.
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