A number of faculty members from the School of Medicine (SOM) have recently received new competitive grants, each exceeding $100,000 in total award amount. The projects began in June and July 2025.
Stephanie Wheeler is leading a project on cancer disparities among American Indians in North Carolina, focusing on youth and young adult cancer risk factors. This research is supported by the V Foundation for Cancer Research with an award of $100,000.
Dana McCarty received $100,000 from the Foundation For Physical Therapy Research to compare delivery models of immersive physical therapy in neonatal intensive care units (NICU), aiming to improve outcomes for infants and parents.
Ankit Malik was awarded $150,000 by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation to study epithelial IRF-1 signaling and its role in intra-epithelial T cell residency related to protection from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Adam Miller’s work investigates neural networks underlying preteen social motivation as a potential risk factor for suicide among preteens. The Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness granted this project $200,000.
Joseph Muenzer secured $163,938 from Project Alive to examine outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in individuals with Mucopolysaccharidosis II (Hunter Syndrome).
Jeff Stringer’s project focuses on regulatory advancement and commercial preparation of AI-assisted obstetric ultrasound. NCInnovation awarded this effort $500,000.
Evan Dellon leads a multidisciplinary translational model research project using porcine approaches under the PROMOTER initiative. The NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) provided funding totaling $768,064.
Stephen Schworer received $300,000 from the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) to study how T2-skewed basal cells contribute to small airway mucus plugging in asthma.
Asha Talati is identifying equity-focused strategies for implementing reproductive genetic care with support from the American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation (AAOGF), receiving $120,000.
Lori O’Brien’s research on kidney developmental origins was funded by the NIH National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) with an award amounting to $427,625.
Anna Kahkoska’s OA-TECH program aims to integrate continuous glucose monitoring for older adults with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association contributed $200,000 toward this individualized program.
Jessica Thaxton is investigating cellular responses to stress as mechanisms behind immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance in cancer treatment. This project is backed by an $800,000 grant from the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
Blossom Damania received a grant of $195,000 from the Lymphoma Research Foundation of America for developing novel therapies targeting EBV-positive lymphomas.
Simon Gray will use his grant from the American Gastroenterological Association ($300,000) to explore immunologic and microbial mechanisms behind therapy failure in inflammatory bowel diseases.
Erica Brenner secured a grant worth $450,000 from the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) to assess safety and effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in women diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease.
Leah Frerichs’ work integrates culturally relevant mind-body interventions into physical education programs aimed at preventing serious mental illness among rural Black youth; she received a Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation grant totaling $200,000.
Barbara Savoldo’s research focuses on pediatric brain tumor treatment using off-the-shelf CAR-NKT cells. The Department of Defense awarded her team $621,920 for this work.
Evan Ashkin continues his FIT Community Health Grant into its third year with support ($149,588) from NCDHHS Office of Rural Health.
Miles Bryan ($509,979) and Todd Cohen ($489,065), both funded by DOD DA Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, are researching potentiated CHIP variants as therapeutics against tau pathology and neurodegeneration. Cohen also received another grant ($300,000) from BrightFocus Foundation focused on Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics involving CHIP/STUB1 chaperoning mechanisms.
Vanessa Jewell has been granted $100,000 by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation for evaluating REAL-Fam’s feasibility supporting diabetes self-management among children through family participation initiatives.
Zibo Li’s work centers on developing rapid radiofluorination methods suitable for PET tracer analog construction—funded at $122,260 by NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB).
Sarah Conlon studies fimbriae roles in Klebsiella pneumoniae-mediated liver abscess formation; her project is supported by NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at a level of $427,625.
Richard Loeser obtained a Department of Defense grant worth half a million dollars for drug discovery aimed at preventing post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
Jill Fisher examines ethical frameworks surrounding oral food challenges within allergy clinical practice processes; she was awarded over two hundred thousand dollars by Greenwall Foundation.
Hugh Tilson oversees NC Health Talent Alliance efforts supporting four regional AHECs thanks to an award valued at eight hundred twenty thousand dollars provided by Duke Endowment.
Chemtai Mungo evaluates cervico-vaginal microbiome impacts on HPV clearance among HIV-positive women participating in phase II trials conducted in Kenya—a study backed with two hundred thousand dollars via American Society Of Clinical Oncology.
Katelyn Rittenhouse works on improving pregnancy evaluation using machine learning initiatives under EQT foundation sponsorship valued at one hundred fifteen thousand seven hundred dollars.
Stephanie Gupton investigates focal adhesion kinase substrates involved in exocytic vesicle fusion processes—her NIH National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke-funded study totals four hundred thirteen thousand four hundred eighty dollars.
Li Wang develops knowledge-empowered lifespan neuroimage analysis tools thanks largely due nearly half-million dollar support sourced again through NIBIB.
Andrea Knittel heads Justice Core—a Duke Endowment-supported jail diversion program aiming improved maternal/infant health outcomes amongst pregnant people experiencing substance use disorders—with funding reaching eight hundred sixty-nine thousand dollars.
Marianne Muhlebach receives clinical fellowship/research backing worth one hundred five thousand via Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
David Kram leads predictive biomarker development utilizing living tumor tissue samples aiding mRNA-LP cancer vaccine trials—his NPCF-sponsored research totals three hundred fifteen thousand one hundred fourteen dollars.
