The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is an international recognition program that honors nurses and nurse practitioners and expresses gratitude for their exceptional care. Patients and families can nominate RNs or APRNs from either the UConn John Dempsey Hospital or University Medical Group.

“We really want to recognize nurses who have made special connections with their patients and ensure that they get that recognition and that they realize the impact that they have had from the patient’s perspective,” says Valerie Ling, nurse manager who oversees UConn Health’s nursing excellence programs.

Not long after her arrival in March 2025, Ling started working with Nanette Pink, nurse manager of the hospital’s orthopedics and surgery floor, to bring the DAISY Awards to UConn Health.

“The impetus is really to recognize the work our direct-care nursing staff do day in and day out, whether in inpatient or outpatient settings, and to hear directly from patients and their families about the impact these nurses have had on their care,” Pink says.

DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The DAISY Foundation was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in his mid-30s from complications of an autoimmune disease. The kindness and compassion his nurses showed during his hospitalization inspired the family to create the DAISY Awards as a way for patients and families to recognize nurses. In the 27 years since Barnes’ diagnosis, healthcare organizations throughout the world have adopted the DAISY Awards.

“It is internationally recognized for nursing, and it’s something that no matter where a nurse’s career may lead, the DAISY Award is something that they can be proud of throughout the world,” Pink says.

In that way, the DAISY Awards are similar to the Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing, another high-profile nursing accolade that spans the profession. But unlike Nightingale nurses, who are nominated by peers or supervisors in recognition of their impact on the profession, DAISY awardees are largely nominated by patients or patients’ families specific to an individual patient encounter.

There are occasions when it’s fitting for a coworker to nominate a nurse for a DAISY Award, for example, when a physician observes a nurse’s special connection with a patient, but it is primarily intended as a way for patients and their families to say, “Thank you.”

“It really does focus on the patient experience, and it focuses on pausing to acknowledge the impact that nurse had on that patient or that family,” Pink says.

UConn Health is taking nominations on a rolling basis and will select up to four honorees per quarter. Winning a DAISY Award once does not disqualify any nurse from winning again in the future.

“Investing in and supporting this program allows us to systematically recognize the compassionate care our nurses provide, boost staff morale, and strengthen our commitment to a healthy, resilient practice environment,” says Michelle DeLayo, associate vice president of nursing operations and quality. “When a patient or their family member nominates one of our nurses for a DAISY Award, that recognition is even more meaningful because it demonstrates the profound impact our staff member had on another human being, and reinforces the pride we feel every day to work with such an amazing nursing team.”

Those interested in nominating a UConn Health nurse for a DAISY Award can do so through the online nomination form.

What is University Dentists, and how does it differ from student and resident clinics?

Manz: University Dentists is a multidisciplinary dental practice comprised of faculty providers from the UConn School of Dental Medicine. Located in the UConn Health Farmington Campus, University Dentists provides comprehensive general dental care as well as specialist dental care including endodontics, oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral and maxillofacial radiology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oral medicine, orofacial pain, orthodontics, periodontics, and prosthodontics.

Karia: The main difference is who treats you. When I’m in the student clinic, I’m teaching, and the students do the treatment under our supervision. When I’m in University Dentists, I’m treating patients myself. The student and resident clinics are a great option, with lower fees, though student care in particular takes longer because teaching is part of the process. University Dentists works more like a private practice, and because our general dentists and specialists work together, most of your care can stay under one roof.

What does the practice offer?

Manz: Due to the breadth of general and specialty care, University Dentists provides consultations, comprehensive diagnosis, and follow-up services – all within the same practice. Our academically based faculty providers offer contemporary treatments rooted in evidence-based care and work collaboratively to help each patient achieve and maintain optimal oral health.

What are your areas of interest?

Manz: I practice comprehensive general dentistry utilizing evidence-based practices and modern approaches. Dental care can be stressful for some, so I always make an effort to thoroughly explain root causes of issues and the rationale for treatment options. My areas of clinical interest include preventative, restorative, and implant care, as well as cosmetic dentistry.

Karia: I’m a prosthodontist, a specialist in restoring and replacing teeth with crowns, veneers, implants and dentures. I help people who are missing teeth, have worn or broken teeth, or have dentures that don’t fit well, as well as people who simply want to change their smile. My particular interest is digital dentistry. We can often scan your teeth instead of using impression putty, plan your treatment on screen and show you a preview of the result before we touch a tooth. I like patients to help design their own smile, and I always talk through the simplest option, not just the most extensive one. My research looks at making digital treatment more accurate and predictable, from veneers to full-mouth implants.

Gargano: My areas of interest include general dentistry, cosmetic and restorative dentistry, fixed prosthodontics, and digital dentistry.

How much time do faculty dentists divide between seeing patients and teaching?

Gargano: The balance varies depending on each faculty member’s role and appointment. Some faculty have a primary clinical role, while others have a greater emphasis on teaching, administration, research. My role includes academic and administrative duties, as well as teaching and supervising residents in the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program and students in the predoctoral clinic.

Karia: For me, it’s two half-days a week in University Dentists treating my own patients. The rest of the week is split between teaching and research. On the teaching side, I supervise dental students in clinic, lecture and lead our partial denture course. What I see in my patients shapes what I teach, and teaching keeps me current, because students question everything.

How can I make an appointment?

Manz: Please visit our website or call (860) – 679 – 3170 for more information or to schedule an appointment. If you are a UConn Health or state employee, openings are available to fulfil HEP dental requirements by the end of the year.

This TTA 3.0 grant complements an earlier pilot grant announced in January, building on its success by deepening UConn Engineering’s focus on AI and pairing institutional innovation with structured support and cross-cohort learning.  

With a TTA 3.0 Pilot Grant, the UConn team developed the AI-Enabled Guided Intelligent Systems (AEGIS) short course, designed to prepare Connecticut’s engineering workforce to design, deploy, and govern agentic AI systems that complete multi-step engineering tasks. Students participated in the first offering of this short course in the summer. Company cohorts and open enrollment options are now available. Interested companies or engineering professionals can learn more about the short course online.

With the TTA 3.0 Innovation Grant, UConn’s College of Engineering will create a 12-credit graduate certificate composed of four courses: AI Literacy for Engineering and Technical Professionals, Agentic AI for Engineering Workflows, AI for Physical Systems and the Manufacturing Floor, and AI for Model-Based Systems Engineering. 

The grant and the certificate aim to equip engineers with the skills needed to thrive in a labor market being reshaped by AI. 

“Engineers are increasingly being asked to use AI to solve complex problems, but knowing how to use an AI tool is different from knowing how to integrate AI responsibly across an entire engineering workflow,” says George Bollas, associate dean for research. “This certificate is designed to give engineers that systems-level perspective. Our goal is to prepare engineers not only to simply adopt AI, but to lead its responsible implementation.” 

As principal investigator, Bollas will oversee the cross-disciplinary, industry-inspired AI graduate certificate. He is also the director of the Pratt & Whitney Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering. 

“UConn Engineering has a strong track record of developing graduate programs that respond to the evolving needs of engineering and industry,” says dean JC Zhao. “This new certificate builds on that strength by bringing together expertise from across the College and our industry partners to create a rigorous, interdisciplinary program for practicing engineers. It is another example of how we are expanding our graduate-level offerings to provide engineers with opportunities to develop specialized expertise throughout their careers.” 

UConn Engineering is partnering with Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, for this initiative.

“Pratt & Whitney is committed to helping prepare the next generation of engineers for the increasingly complex demands of aerospace manufacturing,” says Pratt & Whitney Vice President of Engineering Matthew Teicholz. “AI is increasingly an important part of how we approach manufacturing, supply chains, and other engineering challenges, but its value depends on how effectively it can be integrated into real-world systems and processes. This partnership with UConn will help develop engineers who can connect AI capabilities with the practical needs of industry, while creating a model that can benefit manufacturers and suppliers across Connecticut.”

ConnStep, a nonprofit organization focused on Connecticut’s manufacturing growth, will also provide support to ensure the program reflects supply-chain challenges experienced across the state’s manufacturing ecosystem in multiple industries.

“Congratulations to the recipients and a growing roster of employer partners that are working side by side, pairing higher education’s expertise with employer insight to prepare people to succeed in an AI-driven economy,” said Kristen D. Fox, CEO of the Business-Higher Education Forum in a release issued by the forum. “By embedding employer voice, from curriculum design to work-integrated learning, this kind of close collaboration helps ideas move faster and reach further — giving these programs the durability to take root and serve as a model other partnerships can build on.” 

According to Bollas and his team, the program will address a critical gap in Connecticut’s  workforce. The new certificate will prepare engineers to apply AI across system lifecycle, from machine-learning models of physical systems to agentic workflows and AI-enabled model-based systems engineering. Students learn to generate, evaluate, verify, and govern AI-supported engineering models and decisions with appropriate traceability, safety controls, and human oversight.  

Bollas said it addresses a growing need for engineers who can integrate artificial intelligence into the analysis, design, operation, and governance of complex engineered systems.  

“In aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, energy, transportation, and related sectors, AI is increasingly used not only for data analytics, but also for system modeling, health-state estimation, predictive decision support, workflow automation, requirements development, architecture analysis, and verification and validation,” Bollas says. “These applications require professionals who understand both AI methods and the systems engineering principles needed to ensure technical rigor, traceability, safety, reliability, and accountable human oversight.” 

Bollas went on to say any engineers are asked to adopt AI tools, automate decision processes, and improve operational resilience, but they often lack a systems-level framework for applying AI across interconnected products, production systems, suppliers, data flows, requirements, constraints, and lifecycle decisions.  

This certificate will position systems engineering as the discipline for responsible and scalable AI deployment in manufacturing and supply-chain environments.  

The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) “Systems Engineering Vision 2035” report anticipates that AI will reshape systems engineering methods, support system modeling and digital twins, and accelerate design and validation while introducing new challenges involving verifiability, safety, and trust. The U.S. Department of Defense has also identified model-based digital engineering, authoritative sources of truth, digital continuity, and workforce development as central to the modernization of complex-system acquisition and engineering practice. 

More broadly, AI and big data are identified as the fastest-growing skill area through 2030, and 86% of surveyed employers expect AI and information-processing technologies to transform their organizations, according to the World Economic Forum’s “The Future of Jobs Report 2025.” 

“The concentration responds to this need by preparing professionals who can apply AI within rigorous systems engineering processes rather than treating AI as an isolated computational tool,” Bollas says. “Graduates will be well positioned for careers in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, energy, and other technology-intensive sectors, supported by the U.S.’s Bureau of Labor Statistics projected growth of 34% in data-science employment and 7% across engineering occupations through 2034.” 

UConn will launch the course sequence in spring of 2027. 

NAPA is one of two organizations chartered by Congress to support good governance. Academy membership comprises scholars, public administrators, and former public officials elected for their significant contributions to the field.

Selection follows a rigorous review of each candidate’s contributions to public administration and policy. The 2026 class joins more than 1,000 academy fellows, including former cabinet officers, members of Congress, governors, mayors, state legislators, prominent scholars, and executives.

“Professors Hatmaker and Jakubowski’s election to NAPA reflects both the strength of their scholarship and service and the depth of expertise within the School of Public Policy,” says Angela Eikenberry, professor and director of the School of Public Policy. “We are proud to see them recognized among the scholars and practitioners whose work is shaping the future of public administration.”

Hatmaker’s research examines public sector employee work experiences and behavior, most recently addressing workplace incivility. Her work has appeared in leading public management journals such as the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Public Management Review, and Review of Public Personnel Administration. She serves on several academic journal editorial boards and was previously an Associate Editor for the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. Hatmaker has also served as the director of the MPA and MPP programs and as the chair of the Public and Nonprofit Division of the Academy of Management.

“I am honored to be elected a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. I’m truly grateful for the recognition and am eager to contribute to NAPA’s work in helping government meet the challenges ahead,” says Hatmaker. “I especially look forward to working with my fellows colleagues to advance public sector workforce excellence and government’s ability to deliver services effectively.”

Jakubowski is president and CEO of Connecticut Foodshare, the official Feeding America food bank serving Connecticut. With 125 employees and more than 6,700 volunteers, the organization distributes more than 45 million meals each year through a statewide network of more than 600 pantries and mobile distribution sites.

Throughout Jakubowski’s tenure, Connecticut Foodshare has been named a top workplace nine times by the Hartford Courant and Hearst newspapers. In 2020, he received the prestigious C-Suite Award from the Hartford Business Journal for the organization’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Association of Leadership Programs in 2019 and the Polaris Award for Visionary Leadership from Leadership Greater Hartford in 2021.

“What a tremendous honor to be elected a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. I have always been taught that public service is a virtue — and during these difficult times, I’d argue it is more important than ever,” says Jakubowski. “I look forward to working with fellows across the country as we collectively work to promote service in the public and nonprofit sectors.”

Hatmaker and Jakubowski join several other UConn School of Public Policy scholars and alumni who are NAPA fellows, including Eikenberry; Mohamad Alkadry, professor of public policy; Amy Donahue, professor emerita of public policy; and Matt Hart ’97 JD, ’98 MPA, adjunct instructor of public policy.

I’m pleased to announce that following a national search, I have appointed Andreas Bohman as UConn’s inaugural Chief Transformation Officer (CTO).

Owing to his impressive experience and demonstrated record of effectiveness and achievement, Andreas is uniquely positioned to advance our strategic priorities and bring about meaningful change within key aspects of our business operations as we continually evolve to best meet the needs of our students, faculty, staff, and state.

As CTO, he will have direct responsibility for key functional operations while leading cross-functional initiatives across the University that strengthen institutional effectiveness, improve service delivery, increase organizational agility, and generate savings and new revenue.

Serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, he will work with members of the leadership team to advance institution-wide transformation, break down organizational silos, and move priorities from strategy to execution. He will also provide executive oversight for several of the University’s core administrative and operational functions, including Facilities and University Planning, Human Resources, Information Technology Services, and University Safety with a focus on service, accountability, modernization, and continuous improvement.

He will continue the process of translating our strategic plan and operational priorities into an executable roadmap with clear ownership, measurable outcomes, and transparent results. He will pursue early, visible improvements in service delivery and organizational effectiveness, while closely partnering with our Chief Financial Officer and Provost on the new budget model and other strategies that strengthen UConn’s financial outlook and create capacity for continued investment in faculty, students, and programs.

Andreas comes to us from the University of Washington in Seattle, where he has served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer since 2022. At UW, a public research university with a budget of $12 billion, he leads enterprise technology strategy, governance, and operations, overseeing approximately 600 staff and stewarding a $170 million operating budget and broader $700 million institutional technology investment portfolio.

This role includes responsibility for the administrative systems, data, and processes underpinning financial management, research administration, and core university operations. Its scope extends across UW Medicine, the university’s academic health system, through enterprise-wide policy authority and shared infrastructure.

He is joining UConn at a critical moment in our history as we focus on enterprise transformation, operational excellence, and administrative modernization – including the implementation of a new budget model – all with the aim of positioning UConn for a successful and fiscally sustainable future.

With that in mind, among other achievements at UW, Andreas:

• • Serves as a founding member of the Incentive Based Budgeting (IBB) Executive Committee, shaping the design and implementation of the university’s budget model and aligning financial accountability across academic and administrative units.
  • Co-chaired the institution-wide strategic planning effort, integrating financial planning, capital priorities, and resource allocation with long-term academic and research strategy for the university.
  • Built new revenue and funding streams, securing $29.8 million in new institutional investment since FY23 by realigning proposals with university priorities across cybersecurity, research, and student services.
  • Led the design and implementation of a unified information and technology governance model, creating an executive committee and boards that set strategy, prioritize funding, and steward its institutional technology portfolio.
  • Established an enterprise performance management discipline, using dashboards, KPIs, and benefit and ROI tracking to measure service quality, cost, and outcomes, including enterprise-wide KPIs reported to university leadership.

From 2018 to 2022, Andreas served as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA. There, he managed a $50 million operating budget and $150 million capital budget with a team of more than 400 staff. His portfolio of responsibilities included Environmental Health and Safety, Information Technology, Information Security, Facilities Management, Capital Planning, Institutional Effectiveness, Project Management, Sustainability, Business Intelligence, and Public Safety.

Earlier in his career. he served in the U.S. Army as a military intelligence and special forces officer both in active duty and in a reserve capacity. He earned his MBA from Washington State University, a Master of Science in Information Assurance and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Norwich University in Vermont.

The CTO encompasses the responsibilities of a traditional Chief Operating Officer, but the role is far more than that and is so named to reflect the fact that leading and shaping change is a fundamental aspect of the position.

For a period of time, UConn previously combined the Chief Financial Officer and COO positions under a single Vice President for Administration/CFO. However, considering the complexity and demands of both roles, last year the decision was made to once again split this role into two: CFO and CTO. Higher education is facing intense financial, technological, and demographic pressures and we need to continually adapt and evolve administratively in order to manage this effectively, which this structure supports.

I would like to thank the search committee, which was composed of UConn Health CEO Dr. Andrew Agwunobi (chair), CFO Anthony Rini, Provost Pamir Alpay, Director of Governmental Relations Joann Lombardo, Deputy Director of Athletics/Chief Operating Officer Jason Butikofer, Chief of Staff Phil Hunt, Vice President of Facility Services and University Planning Eric Kruger, and Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer Kimberly Fearney.

In addition, I would like to thank the senior leadership team, which had the opportunity to interview each of the candidates and provide feedback to me directly. The broader community’s participation in this search, including the executive committee of the University Senate, was invaluable.

During the interview process, Andreas emphasized the importance of listening as change is conceived of and implemented at an institution, noting that transformation is most enduring and successful when it is brought about in partnership with key stakeholders, including our labor partners, and the broader community.

He also emphasized that cohesive teams, beginning at the leadership level, are the foundation of lasting change. With that in mind, when he starts at UConn on Jan. 4, he will begin by meeting with unit leaders within his areas of responsibility as well as administrative leadership including each dean as well as faculty, regional campus deans, students, and labor leaders.

Please join me in congratulating Andreas and in welcoming him to the University of Connecticut.

Leading with joy and love for all,

Radenka
President

The Office of Professional Well-Being and Engagement started the Ambassador Program in 2024, and celebrated its ambassadors with a pinning ceremony Oct. 7, midway through Employee Appreciation Week.

Ambassadors attend meetings monthly, take part in professional development sessions quarterly, build connection by promoting events and programming in their work area, and collaborate on community impact projects.

“It’s really a program that highlights community, it highlights impact and ways in which you can really get involved with UConn Health outside of your everyday responsibilities,” says Kara Wright, a patient access training specialist who’s been an ambassador for nearly a year. “There are so many different people from different departments who come in, you can learn from them, grow from them, understand different aspects.”

Alison O’Connor is an education and development specialist in the Office of Professional Well-Being and Engagement, a division of UConn Health’s Human Resources Department. She says the original vision for the Ambassador Program was to bring together employees from different locations, divisions and backgrounds to create a community that promotes and supports employees and a sense of belonging and connection outside their regular job titles.

“What’s come of that is a strong and engaged group of employees that’s continuously growing,” O’Connor says. “The difference and impact of this community stretch beyond what we thought was capable. We’ve had time to learn about each other, grow closer, and continue to build and promote a culture of belonging together.”

Laura LaRosa, a coding and documentation integrity manager, has been with the Ambassador Program since its inception.

“A lot of it is like, ‘What can I do to help move UConn forward?’ I’ve been here 14 years, in different roles,” LaRosa says. “How can I help contribute to the positivity and the growth?”

O’Connor and colleague Jill Hebert, engagement and well-being specialist, are the liaisons for the Ambassador Program, which now has 37 ambassadors. They say the pinning ceremony will happen annually to celebrate the new ambassadors who’ve joined and to give them a pin to wear to the programming they support to symbolize their role in the community.

“We recognize the work of the group, often behind the scenes,” Hebert says. “The pinning celebrates the helpers, dedicated to our mission of celebrating and connecting others.”

David Miner, an information technology project manager, also goes back to the start of the program.

“I’ve always found getting involved is the best way to understand an organization,” Miner says. “To me, it was another opportunity to network and to understand all the other nuances outside of project management or the projects that get done in the IT sphere.”

LaRosa says the program enables more voices to be heard when it comes to organizing recognition events and other employee engagement efforts.

“When we celebrate UConn, there are certain folks who are inadvertently left out — not because there was any intention to leave them out — like a nurse who has patients on an inpatient unit can’t just say, ‘Oh, guys, I’m going to go to Pumpkin Palooza,’” she says. “So it’s our opportunity to give feedback for those people, that when they’re organizing stuff, we can say, ‘Wait, what about third shift?’ Or ‘What about some of the docs who literally don’t get a second?’ How can we get the celebration to them?”

In that way, ambassadors can be the voice of the people, having a say in planning events for the UConn Health community, Wright says.

“I love to help people, and the ambassador program is so collaborative,” she says. “The value of collaboration and teamwork in cultivating that, that’s what drives me.”

Employees interested in learning more can visit the Ambassador Program page on The Hub, UConn Health’s intranet (while connected to the UConn Health network).

“We appreciate our ambassadors so much, and this program wouldn’t be what it is today without them,” O’Connor says.

“It feels like you’re being part of something that’s bigger than you are, which is always nice,” Miner says. “That helps you kind of find a place and help where you can.”

Anxiety is a heavy psychiatric burden in US adolescents. Anecdotes and regional data indicate that many teens show symptoms of anxiety, and it’s also known that a great deal of teens who need mental health support aren’t getting it. But until recently, there was not a national survey tracking it. Now there is. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health began asking adolescents aged 12 to 20 about anxiety in 2024; those first data just became available this year, and they confirm that anxiety is quite prevalent.

“Prevalent, meaning it’s quite common. It’s problematic,” says Rhee. He says the survey shows significant numbers of the 15,730 adolescents who responded to the survey reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms. Girls were more likely to experience moderate to severe anxiety than boys—about 17% of girls reported moderate anxiety, and 11% reported severe anxiety symptoms, versus 6% and 4% respectively of boys. The survey also shows that greater levels of reported anxiety were associated with higher levels of depression, suicidal thoughts, and substance use.

Teens with anxiety are not getting enough help, either. The survey reports that only half of adolescents with moderate or severe anxiety symptoms were getting mental health support. Males, racial and ethnic minorities, and the uninsured were less likely to get mental health help than others.

Since this was the first time the survey asked about anxiety, it’s just a snapshot in time of a single group of adolescents. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health is given annually, so future years should show a more complete picture of anxiety in teens and how it affects other aspects of mental health over time.

“We need to see if anxiety plays a protective, or an adverse, role in social development and health,” Rhee says.

The project aims to more holistically address Black women’s lived experiences and support healthier choices that promote weight stability.

“Receiving funding for this work says something encouraging: that we still value rigorous, innovative science that can meet real human needs. It is significant to uplift science for obesity prevention, in the community that has weathered the weight of so much. I am hopeful that this work will contribute to solutions to address obesity that may impact communities well beyond the bounds of this project,” says Blackman Carr.

She is collaborating with Kim Gans, a principal investigator at the UConn Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention and Policy (InCHIP) and professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Amy Gorin, professor of Psychological Sciences and Senior Vice Provost for Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Initiatives; and Keisha Bently-Edwards, associate professor of medicine at Duke University’s Division of General Internal Medicine.

Black women often face higher levels of stress, which can make it harder to maintain healthy behaviors and develop self-regulation skills. This can contribute to poor diet, physical inactivity, and delayed self-care, potentially leading to weight gain.

The study will leverage acceptance-based strategies and mindfulness-based stress reduction, which teach individuals how to honor their values and intentions to achieve more healthful outcomes. While mindfulness-based stress reduction has been found to improve heart health in Black women, it has not been widely applied to weight gain prevention.

During the trial, participants will learn problem solving and goal setting skills to promote healthy eating and exercise even when faced with unsupportive emotions, thoughts, and environments. They will also meet with a dietitian monthly and receive social support and feedback on their progress.

Overweight and obesity impact about 82% of Black women. Higher body mass indexes (BMI) can increase the risk of chronic disease like heart disease or type 2 diabetes. For Black women, the risk of weight-associated disease increases when BMI is 35 kg/m² or higher, suggesting maintaining body weight could decrease chronic disease risk.

“Losing weight is hard. Anyone who has been on that journey will tell you of the ups and downs along the way. Preventing weight gain can be a strategy to avoid the onset of weight-associated diseases. It is also a culturally relevant approach for Black women whose beauty standards value curvy frames. A ‘maintain, don’t gain’ orientation resonates well among those whose goal is not thinness,” says Blackman Carr.

The project aims to fill a critical gap in weight management research by testing a weight gain prevention intervention for Black women and tailoring it to address the health burden of chronic stress.

“From a public health perspective, prevention is as important as treatment. Still, what I observed was a large gap in prevention approaches to address obesity in Black women,” says Blackman Carr.

Current evidence indicates that preventing weight gain could reduce heart disease risk and improve heart health. However, most work in this area has not explored the effects of weight gain prevention or implication of stress for Black women. Most studies in this area have been conducted among mostly young, white women whose body weights ranged from normal to overweight.

Moreover, there is very little research exploring the effects of weight gain prevention interventions for Black women. Nor does the existing research evaluate how stress impacts intervention efficacy.

The Shape Program from Duke University researchers is the only study that specifically evaluated weight gain prevention strategies in Black women. The program was an 18-month randomized controlled trial of a weight gain prevention intervention consisting of building self-regulatory skills for Black women with overweight between the ages of 25 and 44 years.

Although innovative, the trial did not include participants with normal body weight – a common target for weight gain prevention treatment. It also did not investigate the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction or acceptance-based treatment strategies.

For her study, Blackman Carr will recruit Black women between the ages of 18 to 44 years of age whose body mass indexes range from normal to class 1 obesity – a more inclusive range.

She believes that results from this project could demonstrate how stress-reduction and acceptance-based treatments could help individuals maintain body weight, improve health, and lower heart disease risk during stress.

Blackman Carr studies racial disparities in obesity and related diseases, and the cultural and social contexts that influence diet and physical activity behaviors. Her recent work has focused on Black men and women and controlling hypertension through adherence to a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH).

The project intentionally weaves community-engaged methods. A community advisory board will guide development and implementation of the study intervention. The board includes representatives from Black Girls Run!, a national health organization, Brown Skin Women, a textured hair stylist, and others who reflect the women participating in the study.

“My goal is that what we collectively produce will be highly relevant, meaningful, and effective for the women we aim to serve in this work and beyond,” says Blackman Carr.

It’s not every day that a new entrepreneur gets a $40,000 check and $5,000 in pro bono services.

“I had been running on 24 hours of full nerves, and I felt like a tank that is pressure rated. I had surpassed what my body could tolerate,’’ says Jalbert ’23 (CLAS) ’27 MS. “When they announced that I had won the top prize, I was calm at first and then I was crying. And I’m not a crier. The recognition is so powerful.’’

As a scientist, it is complicated to enter an entrepreneurship-pitch competition, he says.

“You have to explain a lot of context and make people understand the value of what you’re working on, in addition to why they should support your startup,’’ he says. “But I don’t mind. I like being seen as the ‘nerdy science guy.’’’

Jalbert is finding new ways produce a proprietary omega-3 aquafeed and share his love of seafood with customers who live far from the ocean. He is trying to revolutionize the $767 million shellfish industry by enabling more resilient oyster production and boost the success of hatcheries farther from the ocean.

“We want to be the Angus of oysters,’’ he says, referring to the famous cattle breed. The recognition has strengthened his resolve to continue the work in an industry that he loves.

Wolff Competition Awarded more than $150,000 in Prizes 

AccessFlora was one of five UConn-affiliated startups competing in the Wolff New Venture Competition on Tuesday night at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. The annual event is hosted by the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI).

“Every year, the Wolff New Venture Competition reminds me just how much entrepreneurial talent we have here at UConn,’’ says Alycia Chrosniak, Assistant Director of Brand and Venture Development at CCEI and an event organizer. “What makes this competition so special is that we’re not just celebrating great ideas, we’re celebrating entrepreneurs who are actively turning those ideas into businesses with the potential to make a meaningful impact on the world.’’

“It’s a great reflection of the strength of UConn’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, the groundbreaking research and innovation happening across the University, and the incredible potential of our students, faculty, and alumni to bring those ideas to life,” she says.

Build-A-Brush Takes Second Place

Build-A-Brush, a customizable children’s toothbrush with detachable blocks on the handle, that strives to increase children’s interest in brushing, won the second-place award and a $15,000 prize. The startup also earned the Audience Choice Award and an additional $5,000 prize.

The toothbrush is the brainchild of three-time UConn alumnus and pediatric dentist Dr. Dante Paolino, and his business partner Dr. Zachary Gelber. The brush is sold under the corporate name Babsy and, at $25 per kit, it was selling quickly at the Wolff event. Paolino graduated from UConn with a bachelor’s in biology in 2011, a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) in 2015, and from an advanced pediatric residency program in 2019.

Healthy baby teeth are important to a child’s health, he says. A parent himself, Paolino said his children have used some impressive stall tactics to avoid brushing their teeth. “If a child has multiple cavities after their first pediatric dental checkup, parents will do anything to prevent that from happening again,’’ he says.

SEAWELL Beverage Rides the Wave to Third Place

Father-daughter entrepreneurs Bill Smith ’78 (BUS) and Lindsay Smith are both experienced boaters who enjoy a day on the water. But they also know that boaters easily become dehydrated due to a combination of heat, sun, and wind. They’ve created a new sparkling, non-alcoholic, juice-infused beverage, called SEAWELL, that contains essential electrolytes, a crisp taste, and only 40 calories per can. The  new beverage took third place and those attending the Wolff competition were among the first to taste-test the two varieties.

“We wanted something that was craveable and enjoyable, a premium beverage crafted in New England for the boating lifestyle, that can refresh and replenish the whole crew,’’ says Lindsay, the company CEO. The entrepreneurs tapped experts at three colleges, including UConn’s nutrition science professor Jennifer Fields, who helped them perfect the hydration component of the beverages.

The inventors plan to meet new customers at boat shows, marinas, retail shops and through pop-up sales. They will officially launch SEAWELL in the spring in the New Haven-to-Newport corridor.

Scientific Companies ‘Wowed’ the Judges

Two healthcare startups in the competition also impressed the five-judge panel.

Scientist, researcher, and newer entrepreneur Xingyu Wang ’22 Ph.D. showcased an innovation called EVA, a smart-sensing device, embedded in a menstrual pad, that collects data from menstrual blood or vaginal fluid to assess reproductive-health information. The company, operating as WE-Sensing, won the Mark & Jamie Summers Innovation Award of $5,000.

“The doctors I’ve spoken with are all very excited,’’ says Wang, who co-founded the company with engineering faculty Baikun Li and Yu Lei. “Historically, women’s health has received insufficient attention in medical research and testing. Although this is improving, more data is needed to better understand and address women’s health needs.’’

Meanwhile, ChromaShield, a company that uses a color-changing patch to detect radiation-therapy-induced skin inflammation, won two awards, the Baystate Financial impact Award of $5,000 and the Wiggin(x) Legal Services Award, worth $15,000.

“We wanted a simple, patient-centered innovation to combat [skin damage] and offer early signs of a problem,’’ says Suma Denti ’28 (CLAS), part of a three-member undergrad team that includes co-founders Charli Hughes ’28 (ENG) and Neha Shanavas ’28 (CLAS). “We can’t reverse all the skin damage, but we can enable earlier detection, allowing healthcare providers to mitigate the problem,’’ Dendi says.

In addition to the top five startup finalists, the event included a showcase of 22 entrepreneurs who had participated in previous Wolff competitions. Many took home substantial awards for their growing businesses, totaling $41,000 in cash and pro bono services.

This year’s event honored the late Bette Wolff, who co-founded the competition with her husband, Thomas John Wolff. Her sons, Greg and Gary, say she had an entrepreneurial spirit and a natural instinct for creating value, and was fiercely  committed to the competition and to young entrepreneurs and their success.

Hosted by the Connecticut Technology Council (CTC), the annual CT Women of Innovation awards recognize Connecticut women for their achievements in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This year, the Council selected 46 finalists from a pool of 100 nominees: scientists, researchers, academics, manufacturers, student leaders, entrepreneurs, and technicians driving scientific advancement and business growth throughout Connecticut. 

Linda Barry, MD, Jennifer Mathieu, and Breanna Robbins were nominated in the Academic Innovation & Leadership category for post-secondary institutions.  

At the UConn School of Medicine, Linda Barry is a professor in the departments of surgery and public health sciences; the associate director of the UConn Health Disparities Institute; and the associate dean of the Office of Multicultural and Community Affairs.  

For over 15 years, Barry has taught and mentored over 400 students at UConn and has created several successful programs, including the Visiting Externship for Students Underrepresented in Medicine (VESUM) program and the Women in Surgery Interest Group. 

“Any child interested in medicine and science should be able to pursue their dreams. Mentorship can be key to putting them on the right path and providing access to transformative opportunities,” says Barry, sharing her guiding philosophy. 

Jennifer Mathieu ‘09 (CLAS), ‘23 MBA, is the executive director of UConn’s Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where she has spent more than a decade building programs, partnerships, and ecosystems that help entrepreneurs turn innovative ideas into successful ventures. Under her leadership, CCEI has supported more than 1,400 startups and 2,500 entrepreneurs, with alumni companies generating more than $2 billion in follow-on funding, and has gained international recognition as a leader in venture creation.  

Mathieu also serves as an instructor and member of the leadership team for the NSF I-Corps Northeast Hub, helping researchers and entrepreneurs translate emerging technologies and research into real-world ventures. An entrepreneur herself, Mathieu brings firsthand experience building a business from the ground up, informing her commitment to helping others navigate the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship. 

“I’m passionate about helping people take innovative ideas and turn them into ventures that create real value in the world,” says Mathieu. “Whether we’re supporting a researcher commercializing a breakthrough technology, a student launching a startup, or an entrepreneur building a growing business, the most rewarding part of my work is creating the connections, resources, and confidence that help people take that next step. Being recognized alongside so many accomplished women in STEM makes this especially meaningful and is a wonderful reminder of the collective impact we can have in strengthening Connecticut’s innovation ecosystem.” 

Breanna Robbins is the co-director of the Industrial Affiliates Program through UConn’s Institute of Materials Sciences (IMS). She comes to UConn after substantial industry experience, including most recently, over a decade at Rogers Corporation where she held a variety of engineering, new product development and global strategy roles for their Elastomeric Materials Solutions division.  

“I am thankful that I progressed through my career getting to see first-hand how different materials can enable cutting-edge technologies beginning with materials manufactured in Connecticut,” says Robbins. “In my role at UConn, being able to sit at the intersection between industry challenges, material characterization and research for the future is exciting and extremely rewarding.”  

Kelly Burke ‘05 (ENG) was nominated in the Research Innovation & Leadership category. Burke is a professor and head of the chemical & biomolecular engineering department in the UConn College of Engineering. She is also a member of the department of biomedical engineering and a core member of the Polymer Program in the Institute of Materials Science. Her research seeks to understand how biomaterials can be used to direct the behavior of the cells and extracellular matrices that form human tissues, with particular interest in the soft tissues of the gastrointestinal tract that have been damaged by disease and trauma. 

Madisyn Brooks was nominated in the Collegian Innovation & Leadership category. Brooks is a Ph.D. candidate in the department of physics, where her research focuses on astrophysics. She studies the farthest black holes and galaxies that astronomers can observe with the James Webb Space Telescope. She is interested in understanding how black holes grow and evolve alongside their host galaxies.  

Brooks is also a frequent host of planetarium shows at the Cynthia Wyeth Peterson Memorial Planetarium at UConn Storrs. She has previously been recognized as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. 

“I am thankful to be recognized for my work at UConn by being nominated as a CT Woman of Innovation finalist,” says Brooks. “I would have not been able to accomplish what I have done so far without the help of my advisor Dr. Jonathan Trump and the planetarium director Dr. Matt Guthrie; they both push me to be curious and ambitious in my work.” 

Aida Ghiaei ’02 MS was nominated in the Community Innovation & Leadership category. As the director of graduate recruitment, support and engagement for the UConn College of Engineering, she has spent more than 16 years creating pathways for students to succeed in engineering and beyond.  

Through mentoring, outreach, leadership development, graduate recruitment, and community building, Ghiaei has supported more than 1,000 UConn students in reaching their academic and professional goals. She has helped develop and support the John Lof Leadership Academy, which prepares graduate engineering students to become confident, culturally competent leaders, and leads the College’s annual Graduate Student Poster Competition, helping students learn to communicate complex research clearly to audiences beyond their technical fields.  

For Ghiaei, building a strong engineering community means helping students not only become excellent engineers, but also confident communicators, mentors, and leaders. 

“Every student has the potential to make an impact when they are given the opportunity, the support, and someone who believes in them,” says Ghiaei. “My goal is to help students see possibilities for themselves that they may not yet see — and then help them build the path to get there.” 

The winners of each category will be announced at a reception on Tuesday, October 27, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Woodwinds in Branford. 

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Lindsay DiStefano, Ph.D., ATC as UConn’s vice president for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Lindsay was named interim vice president in October 2025 after serving as associate vice president for research development since 2023.

Since joining UConn in 2009 as an assistant professor of kinesiology, she has built an exceptional career in teaching, research impact, community engagement, and institutional leadership. She earned tenure with promotion to associate professor in 2015 and promotion to full professor in 2021. She served as head of the Kinesiology Department from 2018-2023, during which the Ph.D. program was ranked in the top three programs in the country for Kinesiology. She also holds affiliate appointments in the departments of Public Health Sciences and Orthopedic Surgery at the UConn School of Medicine.

Throughout her work in the OVPR, Lindsay has played a pivotal role in stabilizing UConn’s research enterprise in a time of unprecedented turbulence. Amid significant changes in federal research funding and agency priorities, she led the development of programs to support researchers facing funding disruptions, helped faculty secure prestigious grants, and is launching a program to connect faculty with industry partners to expand opportunities for research support. She was instrumental in securing major state funding to support faculty and research programs severely affected by changes in federal funding.

She has prioritized collaborative action and communication as key to moving research forward amidst disruptions. To that end, she has made a point of engaging researchers across disciplines, recognizing that different disciplines require different kinds of support. She has worked closely with colleagues at all UConn’s campuses to address immediate challenges while advancing shared research goals. She has created opportunities for researchers to meet, exchange ideas, and build collaborations; she also reestablished the Research Advisory Council and worked closely with university research leaders to support the research community. UConn colleagues have communicated to me their appreciation for her efforts, which have been highly effective in bringing the UConn community together to advance our research mission.

Lindsay is a highly respected and productive researcher in kinesiology where she has made significant contributions to promoting healthy physical activity in children. She has published over 100 refereed journal articles and served on several grant review and editorial board committees. She has been funded during her UConn tenure by federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Her research on physical activity in children has led to positive community impacts with Husky Nutrition and Sport. She recently secured a new award from NIH that will provide up to $5.5 million over six years to support a national clinical trial titled “Remain in the Game: Dissemination of Primary Prevention to Keep Children Physically Active for Life.” The project will evaluate a pragmatic approach to help high schools adopt evidence-based injury prevention programs that reduce sports injuries and support lifelong physical activity.

Lindsay’s rare and exceptional record of impactful research and teaching, broad knowledge of the federal funding landscape, commitment to community engagement and service, and proven academic leadership make her uniquely qualified to serve as vice president for research. I look forward to working with her and the OVPR team to build on the progress underway and support our faculty, staff, and students in advancing UConn’s research mission. Please join me in congratulating Lindsay on her appointment.

Sincerely,

Pamir Alpay
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Want to connect with clubs, programs, or resources geared toward student innovation and creative thinking?

Not sure where your interests rest, and just want to see what kind of innovative opportunities UConn has to offer?

If so, regardless of your year, your school, or your major, the Experience Innovation Expo is for you.

All UConn undergrads are invited to learn more about opportunities for exploring their own creativity, engaging in entrepreneurial pursuits, and finding a path to innovation at the 2026 Experience Innovation Expo on Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Student Union Room 304 at UConn Storrs.

“Whether students are in their first year, wanting to learn more about programs, or in their senior looking for jobs, the Experience Innovation Expo is a place to make connections with some of the most involved organizations, groups, and students on campus,” says Laura Park ’29 (ENG/CLAS), the Experience Innovation Expo’s planning team lead. “It’s a great place to make personal connections that can lead to future opportunities through casual and low-stakes conversation.”

First launched in 2018, the Experience Innovation Expo has evolved – and changed names – over the years, but the Expo’s goal has remained the same. This student-organized event offers a one-stop shop where undergraduates can get first-hand experience from their peers about programs, centers, events, clubs, organizations, and opportunities within the realm of innovation at UConn.

“There’s a lot at UConn that’s easy to miss,” says Eshwar Balakumar ’28 (BUS), the expo’s event materials lead. “You could stumble on a research program, a club, funding, a makerspace, or an internship that turns out to be a great fit. And talking to someone who’s actually in a program beats reading about it online. You can ask what they do day-to-day and whether it’d suit you. Even if you show up with no idea what you’re looking for, you’ll probably leave with a couple of things to look into.”

Sponsored by the Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the expo is part of the University’s 2026 Day of Discovery, designed to help students connect with opportunities for enrichment, research, and innovation.

This year’s expo will feature UConn organizations like Formula SAE; the School of Business Innovate Labs; the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills; the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, or CCEI; the Intellectual Property Law Clinic; and the Entrepreneurship in Food and Agriculture course, as well as information about academic offerings and additional courses and information about resources – including financial – to help students pursue ideas.

“It’s really a good opportunity to learn,” says Jeremy Richard ’29 (ENG), marketing lead for the student organizing team. “You don’t have to know everything, you can just go up to each table and literally ask, ‘What does your club/organization do?’ You can explore interests, get advice, gain new perspectives, and make connections that could lead to future opportunities.”

“I think students should plan to attend the Experience Innovation Expo to get a better understanding of the opportunities available to them at UConn related to innovation, entrepreneurship, design, research, and more,” says Daris Pon Mohan Kumar ’27 (ENG), the expo’s logistics co-lead. “I think that everyone who attends can find an opportunity that they are interested in and get involved!”

In addition to Balakumar, Kumar, Park, and Richard, this year’s Experience Innovation Expo student organizing team includes Anthony Carisio ’29 (BUS), logistics co-lead, and Andre LaRochelle IV ’29 (BUS), technology lead.

The entire team, says Park, has been responsible for planning and coordinating the event, which they hope their fellow undergrads will take advantage of this year.

“This event is made for students by students with the goal of connecting students from all years and majors to UConn’s premiere programs in innovation across disciplines,” Park says. “Working with this team has been a particularly rewarding experience for me; my team’s creativity and ideas create a positive feedback loop for our innovation and ultimately drives the success of putting on this event.”

The Experience Innovation Expo, part of UConn’s Day of Discovery, is a free event for UConn students.

To learn more about educational, networking, and entrepreneurial opportunities available through the Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, visit werth.institute.uconn.edu.

Then join the UConn Quantum Computing Club for Qiskit Fall Fest 2026, an interdisciplinary event open to anyone in Connecticut who’s curious about quantum computing.

Sponsored by IBM Quantum, UConn’s Quantum Computing Club was selected as one of 200 hosts worldwide from out of more than 900 university applicants in 2026.

UConn’s three-day event will take place Oct. 15 through 17, both in-person at UConn Storrs and online – participants can register at uconnquantum.org/qiskit-fall-fest-2026.

“Connecticut already has an exciting and growing quantum ecosystem, with researchers, universities, and companies working on important developments in the field,” says Shai Verma ’27 (ENG), vice president of UConn’s Quantum Computing Club. “As students, we see an opportunity to help connect that ecosystem with the next generation of people interested in quantum technology.”

Once selected as a host, each university organization designs and runs a quantum computing program that features hands-on learning opportunities like workshops, technical talks, hackathons, coding challenges, panels, and more in order to give students direct experience with quantum computing.

UConn’s hackathon will be held in-person only on Saturday, Oct. 17, with technical workshops, networking opportunities, and other panels held hybrid in the preceding two days to help participants prepare.

“The event is entirely student-led, with our core team managing everything from speaker outreach and industry partnerships to sponsorships, programming, and logistics,” says Verma. “We’ve also been fortunate to secure partnerships with qBraid, QuantumCT, and two faculty research labs at UConn. Bringing together support from industry, academia, and Connecticut’s growing quantum ecosystem has been one of the most rewarding parts of organizing this event.”

This free event is open to undergraduates and graduates at UConn, as well as working professionals, researchers, educators, business owners, and anyone curious about the field – no prior experience with quantum or specific technical or particular disciplinary experience is required.

“Quantum computing sits at the intersection of computer science, physics, mathematics, engineering, and several other fields,” explains Verma. “While a background in programming, mathematics, or physics can be helpful for some of the technical challenges, we encourage students from all majors to attend. There’s much more to the quantum industry than just building quantum computers, and we want people to see the different ways they can contribute to this emerging field.”

In 2023, the National Science Foundation awarded the UConn-led quantum engine proposal a $1 million development award, leading to the establishment of the QuantumCT nonprofit. In July 2026, the QuantumCT Engine was awarded a two-year, $15 million initial grant, and if benchmarks are met, that funding could reach $160 million over the 10 years. The state of Connecticut has committed $120 million to the initiative, bringing the potential quantum investment to more than $280 million.

Verma notes that the biggest reason to attend the Fall Fest is the opportunity to experience quantum computing in ways that far exceed a classroom or textbook.

“Quantum technology is an exciting and rapidly developing field, but it can sometimes feel intimidating or difficult to access, especially for anyone who is just starting out,” Verma says. “Whether someone wants to explore a potential career path, build something interesting, meet others who share their interests, or simply understand what all the excitement around quantum computing is about, I think they’ll find something valuable here.

“And even if someone walks in knowing nothing about quantum computing, we’d consider it a success if they walk out curious enough to keep exploring.”

For more information about this event, or to connect with UConn’s Quantum Computing Club, visit uconnquantum.org.

To learn more about quantum in Connecticut, visit quantumct.org.

But after significant weight loss has been achieved, these exciting milestones start to plateau. At this point, it can be harder to find motivation to continue healthy behaviors and maintain the weight loss.  

“Weight loss maintenance is one of the most challenging problems in obesity treatment, regardless of how the original weight loss was achieved – whether through surgery, lifestyle intervention, or medication,” says professor Tricia Leahey, co-director of the UConn Weight Management Research Group.  

Leahey, principal investigator, and her fellow co-director and co-investigator, professor Amy Gorin, received a new, $3.8 million R01 research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate new interventions for weight loss maintenance. 

These pilot interventions will be grounded in the principles of behavioral economics, which help explain why humans sometimes make choices that seem irrational. 

The interventions aim to address what’s known as the intention-behavior gap – the gap between what a person intends to do (such as going on a walk) and what they actually do (such as watching a movie on the couch). This gap tends to widen after a person’s initial weight loss has been successfully achieved and can be compounded by biology and other factors working against long-term maintenance.  

The gap is one critical factor why most people who achieve clinically significant weight loss regain nearly all the weight within a few years, meaning that health risks such as heart disease and diabetes return. 

Weight loss maintenance is one of the most challenging problems in obesity treatment, regardless of how the original weight loss was achieved.

With an eye toward designing solutions that will ultimately help reduce the risk of these chronic diseases for more people, Leahey, Gorin, and their co-researchers will conduct a five-year trial, recruiting over 500 participants across the country.  

“Narrowing the gap between intention and behavior is critical to supporting weight loss maintenance success. This trial tests four novel strategies for doing so,” says Gorin, who is a professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences as well as UConn’s Senior Vice Provost. 

In phase 1 of the trial, participants will be supported during an initial period of weight loss. Participants who successfully lose over 5% of their body weight and are interested in participating in the maintenance trial will move onto phase 2, in which they will be randomly assigned an intervention to test. 

Making Healthy Choices Easier

The interventions are designed to combat common obstacles that people encounter as they try to maintain weight loss. 

One example of such an obstacle is the tension between short-term and long-term gratification. Humans, like all animals, are psychologically inclined to choose behaviors that feel good in the moment. But sometimes these behaviors (e.g. snacking mindlessly) are at odds with their long-term goals (maintaining a healthy weight). 

To help address this, one intervention specifically targets future thinking, helping participants keep in mind their long-term goals and build the skills to prioritize their future wins. 

Another intervention focuses on variety. More than just the spice of life, variety is essential to infusing interest and purpose into everyday activities.  

So, rather than instructing participants to aim for the same exact exercise or dietary every week, this intervention will have them alternate between different goals. They may focus on increasing their daily step count for two weeks, then shift to focus on reducing sugar-sweetened beverages for the next two. 

A third intervention will focus on rewards. According to Leahey, research has found that even small financial incentives – averaging just three dollars a week – are effective at not only providing extrinsic motivation for weight loss maintenance, but also fostering intrinsic motivation. 

These small boosts may help by mimicking the feelings of reward and accomplishment people might experience at the beginning of a weight loss journey. 

The fourth and final intervention focuses on choice architecture – the idea that our surroundings shape our choices. 

“It’s this idea of setting your environment up for success,” says Leahey. “We can eliminate triggers in our environment that are inconsistent with our goals, and increase cues for healthy eating and activity. Instead of having potato chips out on the counter, we can have a fruit bowl, or pre-cut vegetables for snacks. We can pre-prepare healthy meals so that they’re easily accessible and ready.” 

Health Support in Your Pocket

This trial will be able to deliver interventions virtually, to participants across the country, through a mobile app. Participants will also be given wearable fitness trackers and log their food intake. They will receive personalized feedback and support throughout their entire participation. 

This mobile format “allows us to reach individuals we may not have been able to reach before – for instance, folks in rural settings, or who may have barriers related to transportation or childcare or unconventional work hours,” says Leahey. “It allows us to recruit a more diverse population, which is an important aspect of this trial as well.” 

Designing these interventions for success in a mobile environment also means that they could be highly translatable to various care contexts, says Leahey. 

“Since it’s all app-based, there isn’t a lot of need for human interaction, which drives costs and is oftentimes unrealistic in real-world settings,” she says. 

At the end of the trial, the researchers will evaluate which intervention (or combination of interventions) produced the largest treatment effect for less than $500 – the maximum amount Medicare and Medicaid services will reimburse per patient for obesity treatment. 

Given the portable format and low overhead costs, the results of the trial could be adopted by commercial weight-loss companies (like Noom or Weight Watchers), workplace wellness programs, and community organizations like YMCAs. 

The mobile format also reflects a core value of UConn’s Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP), which prioritizes innovative approaches to public health challenges. Leahey is the director of InCHIP, and she notes that the InCHIP’s grants management team was instrumental in securing and facilitating this award. 

In addition to Leahey and Gorin, the research team includes: 

• Linda Collins, co-investigator (NYU School of Global Public Health) 

• Nickie Buckner, software solutions (One Cow Standing, LLC) 

• Brian Yates, consultant/cost analysis 

• Talea Cornelius, biostatistician (Columbia University) 

The lab provides rapid diagnosis of and recommendations for addressing turfgrass pathogens and other problems.

The lab serves professional turfgrass managers, including golf courses, athletic fields, and lawn care operators.

“They are observing unexpected performance of their turf,” says John Inguagiato, associate professor of turfgrass pathology. “It could be areas dying out or just not performing as expected. They are looking to address and remedy the situation as fast as possible, so, our lab strives to provide a diagnosis and recommendations to address those problems within 24 hours.”

The lab and the experts who staff it can help managers identify if the problem is environmental (like heat or excess water), mechanical injury (from traffic or aggressive cultural practices), or disease caused by a pathogen.

Knowing the root cause of a problem can help managers understand how to prevent it from occurring in the future. Proper diagnosis of a problem can also help avoid unnecessary application of fungicides –  saving money, time, and minimizing environmental exposure.

“Some of these problems can be very challenging to diagnose just simply looking at the symptoms in the field,” Inguagiato says. “It really takes sending in a sample and having somebody carefully clean and observe roots under a microscope to be able to observe whether or not a pathogen is present or if there is some other cause.”

With the lab’s recent move into the George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center, in addition to a space upgrade, the Turfgrass Disease Diagnostic Lab is hoping to offer a nematode quantification service. The UConn Minor Center will host an Open House for the public on October 17, 2026 from 11am-3pm.

“Not every golf course struggles with [nematodes],” Inguagiato says. “But it’s important for them to keep track of their nematode populations and whether they have damaging threshold populations.”

Given that the diagnostic center is staffed by professional turfgrass researchers, occasionally these two streams converge. Recently, Inguagiato and his graduate student Matthew Antunes ’25 ’26 (CAHNR) discovered a new pathogen.

The lab received a sample from a putting green on a Connecticut golf course. At first glance, the sample shared symptoms with a known disease called Brown Ring Patch. But Brown Ring Patch shouldn’t have been occurring at the time of year when they received the sample.

Subsequently, similar symptoms began showing up elsewhere in New England. The lab staff isolated the pathogen, sequenced its DNA, and confirmed that it was a new fungus. They named the disease it causes “Yellow Ring Patch,” and Antunes is preparing to publish his research on the identity of this new fungal species.

“It all came from a sample that came in through our diagnostic lab and our ability to recognize that,” Inguagiato says. “In addition to this characterization, we’re working on management strategies to develop recommendations for golf course superintendents to manage this disease.”

This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Fostering Sustainable Landscapes at the Urban-Rural Interface.

Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

The Connecticut Endometriosis Working Group, which had its first meeting in 2021, brought together patients, advocates, healthcare providers, researchers, and legislators under the leadership of State Representative Jillian Gilchrest. After two years of work, in 2023, Connecticut passed House Bill 6672, “An Act Concerning Endometriosis,” and became the first state in the nation to mandate dedicated statewide data and biospecimen infrastructure for endometriosis.

The legislation directed UConn Health, working with JAX, to establish a program supporting research into earlier detection and better ways to manage the disease.

From partnership to statewide infrastructure

That program became EndoRISE (Endometriosis Research, Innovation, Support, and Education) and brought research infrastructure together with public awareness and clinical education in a coordinated statewide effort.

The team behind this effort has a new publication in Frontiers in Reproductive Health describing the EndoRISE model and how its core components could be adapted by other states and health systems.

“The EndoRISE program was a labor of love that started with a small group of patients, advocates, legislators, doctors, and scientists, who wanted to make a difference in the lives of millions of women who suffer from endometriosis,” said Danielle Luciano, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UConn Health and co-director of EndoRISE. “This paper presents a blueprint for other states to follow so there can be programs like this all over the country.”

“After passing the bills, we kept hearing from researchers, advocates, and patients in other states who wanted to know how we built this program and what steps we followed, so we wrote it all down… It took patients, clinicians, scientist and legislators working side by side, and we hope sharing that process helps accelerate endometriosis research well beyond Connecticut,” says Elise Courtois, Ph.D., JAX assistant professor and co-director, EndoRISE

Building a resource for research

At the center of EndoRISE’s success is a statewide biorepository that combines biological samples with detailed clinical information. UConn Health brings medical, surgical and clinical expertise, while JAX contributes expertise in basic research, genomics technologies and biobanking, and advanced molecular technologies that honor the generosity of enrolled patients who donate their tissues to advance research.

Standardized and validated protocols through the WERF-EpHect tools across participating institutions mean researchers can work with high quality, technology forward, consistently collected, carefully characterized samples.

Since its inception, more than 10,000 biospecimens including tissues biopsies (endometriosis lesions and endometrium biopsies), biological fluids (Blood, plasma, serum, peritoneal fluid, urine) and cells (peripheral mononucleated cells (PBMC) and peritoneal fluid cells) have been collected across two hospital institutions in Connecticut.

“For researchers like me, EndoRISE is an extraordinary opportunity: standardized, deeply phenotyped surgical biospecimens validated for single-cell and spatial technologies, RNA and proteomics advanced assays,” Courtois said. “In a field where funding has been historically scarce, it lets investigators start asking biological questions instead of spending years assembling a tissue dataset. And because the state supports it through policy, the benefit is long-term.”

Samples are now being distributed to academic laboratories and biotechnology companies nationally and internationally, opening the resource to researchers investigating endometriosis biology, biomarkers and new approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Getting results

At JAX, those samples are already enabling new discoveries. In a new study published in Nature Communications, JAX researchers used biospecimen from the EndoRISE biorepository to create a detailed spatial map of endometriosis lesions, revealing how nerve, immune, and other cells interact within the tissue microenvironment.

By mapping where different cells are located and how they communicate, researchers identified interactions between neurons and immune cells that may help amplify pain and inflammation in endometriosis. The study, which was published on October 9, marks the first time the team has used tissue samples from EndoRISE and demonstrates how carefully collected, clinically characterized samples can be put to work to help those suffering from endometriosis.

Beyond the biorepository, EndoRISE is also helping broaden how researchers approach endometriosis. In September 2026, the program sponsored an NIH workshop exploring connections among chronic overlapping pain conditions and other multisystem disorders, helping position endometriosis research within a broader scientific conversation about systemic disease, inflammation, and shared biological mechanisms.

A model built to travel

EndoRISE’s core approach of bringing policymakers, clinicians, researchers, and patients together around shared standards for collecting and using samples and data to advance endometriosis research provides a template for other states and organizations seeking to strengthen endometriosis research. While the model would need to be adapted to different health systems, regulatory environments, and communities, many of its fundamental pieces can be replicated.

Instead of building isolated programs from scratch, future efforts could build on what EndoRISE has learned and potentially connect through common approaches to data and biospecimens, creating a broader network for endometriosis research.

“Connecticut had the foresight to envision the biorepository not simply as a state-based research initiative, but as an investment in infrastructure designed to foster collaboration and truly catalyze discovery,” said Lisa Roy, director of government & community relations  at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington, Conn.

“We are incredibly proud of our legislature for pioneering this effort and grateful to the patients, advocates, researchers and clinicians whose collective expertise and commitment have made it possible,” Roy said. “Together, we are building a foundation to advance endometriosis research and improve outcomes for those living with the disease.”

For states hoping to follow Connecticut’s example, the opportunity may be bigger than replicating the EndoRISE model. By adopting common standards for samples and data, future programs could connect with each other rather than operate independently—expanding the number and diversity of samples available to researchers while reducing the need to build new systems from scratch. Over time, that could lay the groundwork for a coordinated, multi-state network for endometriosis research and a stronger case for federal investment.

“Endometriosis is a complex disease without a cure,” said Luciano. “Building programs like this to share tissue, data, knowledge, and experience will definitely lead to more answers for our patients.”

Suhitha Sreedhar, a senior in the School of Business, will get a front-row seat to those conversations. She is one of the UConn delegates who will attend the United Nation’s Conference of Parties (COP), an annual symposium held this year from Nov. 9 to 20.

Sreedhar, a management major with a minor in social responsibility and impact in business, is excited for the trip, seeing this as a culmination of her work at UConn and a boost to her future aspirations.

“My dream is to run a company that creates responsible supply chains for fashion companies all over the world,’’ Sreedhar said. “I grew up in a culture that didn’t have a focus on recycling or sustainability, so it has become my mission.”

During Monsoon Season, It Barely Rained

Growing up in Andhra Pradesh in southern India, gave her a first-hand look at how failing to acknowledge climate change can have devastating effects.

“Even in India, most people try to pretend like climate change isn’t real, and don’t invest in even the simplest of things, like recycling,” Sreedhar said. “This summer I went back for monsoon season, and it barely even rained. As a large producer of crops, it was devastating for the region.”

Sreedhar’s parents were a big influence on her worldview. Her mother and father both run organizations that provide needed social services to her community. Their example has led Sreedhar to find ways to give back.

One of her proudest accomplishments has been launching and running UConn’s Thrift Den with seven other students. Originally known as the Swap Shop, Sreedhar and her co-founders continued the thrift-store tradition in the basement of the Family Studies building, but with a twist.

“The only rule is you take one item per week. When you’re obligated to take [only] one item, you’re forced to think if it’s something you really, really want,” Sreedhar said. And that contemplation also leads to less overconsumption and a more sustainable lifestyle.

Student Has Impressed Many With Intelligence, Enthusiasm

All this work has caught the attention of many people across UConn, including Arminda Kamphausen, Director for Global & Sustainability Initiatives and the GE Global Learning Center in the School of Business. Kamphausen got to know Sreedhar well when she applied for a London study-abroad scholarship.

Looking ahead, Kamphausen sees a bright path for Sreedhar, and is especially impressed by her strong principles and her involvement across UConn.

“Suhitha will be successful at whatever she puts her mind to. I personally know she has impressed faculty, academic advisors, staff, and fellow students with her intelligence, enthusiasm, kindness and commitment to giving 100 percent,’’ she said. Her drive is strong, whether completing an internship in London, running programs for the Office of Sustainability, or mentoring fellow students through the Undergraduate programs advising office, she said.

“As an international student she has made engaging in experiential learning at UConn a huge priority and continues to reap the benefits of these real-world experiences,” Kamphausen said.
And even though Sreedhar is graduating next year, she’s taking in the moments that will create lifelong memories and reflecting on her time at UConn.

“I think at this moment in time, to be able to go to COP and to say I have done this, it is all because of UConn,’’ she said. “I’ve had a lot of amazing professors and mentors. Every time I felt lost here, even if they couldn’t help me, they always pointed me to a person who could.”

Eli Freund is a freelance writer for the School of Business.

She and fellow clinic student Justin Taverna ’26 JD were working on State v. Sellers through UConn Law’s Criminal Defense Appellate Clinic. Offered in partnership with the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services, the clinic allows students to work on criminal appeals under the supervision of experienced appellate attorneys.

Under the guidance of Connecticut public defenders and UConn Law adjunct professors Erica Barber ’14 JD and Jennifer Bourn ’04 JD, both former clinic students, Cheek and Taverna helped develop the appeal. Cheek remained with the clinic for an additional year to prepare a reply brief and present part of the oral argument. Their efforts contributed to a significant victory when, on August 25, the Connecticut Supreme Court reversed Rashad Tee Sellers’ murder conviction and ordered a new trial.

The case illustrates how the clinic combines legal training, mentorship, and public service.

“The Criminal Defense Appellate Clinic demonstrates the benefits of clinical legal education,” says Jessica Rubin, associate dean for experiential education. “Students learn by handling complex matters under expert supervision, while helping to provide legal representation to clients and serving communities across Connecticut.”

Challenging the Evidence

Sellers had been convicted of murder and sentenced to serve 50 years in prison. The appeal centered on scientific evidence that the state used to connect him to the crime, including lead particles found on his clothing that were described as being associated with gunshot residue.

Over the course of the appeal, the students reviewed the trial court’s record, researched the relevant scientific and legal issues, and helped develop the defense’s
arguments. Cheek ultimately presented the opening portion of the oral argument before the Connecticut Supreme Court, just days after completing her final exams.

Although arguing before the state’s highest court was initially intimidating, Cheek says extensive preparation helped calm any nerves.

“Erica coordinated about five different practice moots with a variety of students and practitioners to make sure I was fully ready,” Cheek explains. “Their feedback was immensely helpful, and I was able to improve my argument with each round. When the big day arrived, I was a little nervous, but I felt confident in my knowledge and ready to discuss the case with the court.”

The Supreme Court ruled that the trial court should have more carefully evaluated the reliability of the evidence before admitting it. Because that review never occurred, the court overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial. The court also noted that the gunshot residue evidence was the only link between Sellers and the firearm used in the homicide.

Learning While Serving Clients

The Criminal Defense Appellate Clinic typically enrolls five or six students and handles about three cases each year, including murder appeals, Fourth Amendment issues, search-and-seizure questions, and motor vehicle stop cases. Since its launch, four clinic cases have reached final disposition, with victories in three, including two murder appeals.

The depth of the students’ involvement benefits both their education and the clinic’s representation of clients. For Cheek, the significance of that responsibility became especially clear after meeting the client.

“I remember the weight and importance of the appeal hitting me after I met the client and wondering whether I was equipped to take on a case like this,” Cheek says. “Luckily, I had two incredible attorneys as mentors, so over time the weight of the case stopped being something that caused me to hesitate or doubt myself and started being something that motivated me to push myself.”

That combination of responsibility and close faculty mentorship is a defining feature of the clinic. Students spend substantial time studying their cases, developing knowledge that can strengthen the clinic’s representation of clients.

“We spend so much class time and have so many additional brains and really bright people who are reviewing the case materials and bringing their ideas and thinking them through,” Bourn says.

Students also bring fresh perspectives that can challenge assumptions experienced attorneys may take for granted.

“I think the students see the injustice that maybe we’ve become not blind to, but used to,” Barber says.

A Tradition of Mentorship

For Barber and Bourn, teaching the clinic continues a tradition that helped shape their own careers. Both participated in UConn Law’s appellate and trial clinics as students during what Bourn called the “Tim Everett and Todd Fernow era.”

“My whole career is attributable to the clinic,” Barber says.

She credits the clinic with leading to her first judicial clerkship and first law firm job. That mentorship continues today. Fernow still returns as a guest lecturer, and Barber regularly seeks his advice on challenging legal issues.

Bourn says the clinic confirmed her decision to pursue public defense work.

“The clinic was really the first time in law school that I felt like, ‘Oh yeah, this is why I came. This is what I want to be doing.’”

Today, Barber and Bourn hope to provide the same support for their own students, encouraging graduates to stay connected as they build careers in criminal defense, appellate advocacy, and public service.

She goes to work, takes part in everyday life and, on most days, feels much like herself. But each day also includes treatment for breast cancer that had already spread to her bones when she was diagnosed.

“I have this incurable disease, but my day-to-day life is really not that different,” says Costa, “For the most part, I’ve been able to continue doing just about everything else that I was able to do before the diagnosis.”

Costa wants people to understand that both things can be true: someone can be living with a serious illness and still look and feel well. Sharing that experience, she hopes, can help others better understand metastatic breast cancer and the people living with it.

For Costa, the path to diagnosis began with back pain. Learning that she had breast cancer and that it had spread to her bones came as a surprise.

Metastatic breast cancer, also called stage IV breast cancer, is cancer that has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to another part of the body, such as the bones, liver, lungs, or brain. Some people develop it after being treated for an earlier breast cancer. Others, like Costa, learn that the cancer has already spread when they receive their first diagnosis.

Even when it spreads to the bones, it is still breast cancer. The tumors are made up of breast cancer cells, and doctors choose treatments that target those cells.

In Costa’s case, the cancer weakened her bones and contributed to fractures. Her care includes medication to help protect her bones, along with treatment to control the cancer.

Dr. Daniel Morgenstern, her oncologist at UConn Health’s Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center guides that care based on the particular features of her disease. Costa’s cancer is hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative. That means hormones, including estrogen, can help the cancer grow, while another protein called HER2 is not elevated in the way it is in HER2-positive cancers. These features help doctors determine which treatments may work best.

Costa takes medications that limit the cancer’s ability to use estrogen. Her treatment has also included a targeted medication from a class called CDK4/6 inhibitors, which helps slow cancer cell division and growth.

For her, treatment looks different from what many people expect.

She has not needed surgery, radiation, or intravenous chemotherapy as part of her treatment plan so far. Instead, she takes medication in a pill form each day and receives an injection to help protect her bones. Having an oral treatment plan has allowed her to continue working without an extended leave or regular hours spent receiving infusions.

That does not mean treatment has been easy or free of side effects. There have been days when she has not felt well, and her medications have needed adjustments.

But overall, she says, treatment has helped her feel progressively better.

Her background in cancer research gave her some familiarity with the medications being discussed and helped her ask questions. Still, she has had to learn what it means to live with cancer herself: to take treatment each day, manage its effects and adjust when her care changes.

“There’s something special about caring for a patient who is also a scientist. Her understanding of cancer biology and interest in the latest research bring a thoughtful perspective to our conversations and make her care a true collaboration,” says Morganstern.

She also has learned how easily people can misunderstand an illness they cannot see.

Without some of the outward signs people associate with cancer treatment, Costa can appear well even while she is managing an ongoing disease. She wants people to recognize that someone’s appearance does not tell the whole story.

There may be times when a person with metastatic breast cancer looks or feels sick, she explains, and other times when they do not. They need understanding, care, and support through both.

Metastatic breast cancer is generally considered incurable, but it is treatable. The goal is to control the cancer, manage symptoms and help people live as well as possible for as long as possible. Some people live with the disease for years, and treatment may change over time depending on how the cancer responds.

For Costa, advances in treatment are a source of hope. She has seen options continue to evolve since her diagnosis, underscoring why ongoing research matters to people living with metastatic disease.

She recently began working with METAvivor, an organization focused on metastatic breast cancer research and advocacy. By sharing her own experience, she hopes to bring more attention to a part of breast cancer that can be less visible and to the people whose treatment continues long after the initial diagnosis.

Costa’s life includes cancer, but it also includes the routines and experiences she enjoyed before it. She hopes her story helps others understand that living with metastatic breast cancer can mean ongoing treatment alongside a full, active life, and that feeling well does not lessen the need for support.

Now, as a 2026-27 Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center/Orthopaedic Research Society (BMRC/ORS) Fellow, Lee will apply that principle to a new challenge, osteoarthritis.  

Lee, a postdoctoral fellow in biomedical engineering professor Yupeng Chen’s Nanomedicine Lab, will spend the one-year fellowship investigating an mRNA-based approach designed to help protect cartilage, the smooth tissue that cushions our joints, and support its repair.  

“For me, this fellowship is a chance to bring two parts of my research together: getting a possible treatment into cells and understanding what those cells do next,” says Lee. “I have worked on drug delivery since graduate school. Now I can lead a project that asks whether our approach can help protect cartilage.”  

The fellowship, which runs from October 2026 through September 2027, will allow Lee to work with professor Yupeng Chen at UConn and professor Chuan-Ju Liu at Yale School of Medicine. For Lee, the project also represents an important step toward building an independent research program.  

Osteoarthritis can make everyday activities like walking and climbing stairs painful, as the disease damages cartilage and other structures within a joint. Current treatments, including exercise, physical therapy, medications and – in advanced cases – joint replacement, can reduce pain and improve mobility. Repairing damaged cartilage, however, remains difficult. 

Lee’s project will investigate whether messenger RNA, or mRNA, can be used to give cartilage cells temporary instructions to produce a protein called Atsttrin. 

Earlier animal studies suggest Atsttrin may help protect cartilage and support its repair. Lee and his collaborators want to explore that possibility using living human cartilage cells. 

Delivering those instructions presents another challenge. Cartilage is densely packed, making it difficult for potential treatments to reach cells within the tissue. 

To address that problem, Lee’s approach packages mRNA inside tiny, rod-shaped carriers called Janus base nanoparticles. Made from materials inspired by DNA, the nanoparticles are designed to protect the mRNA and help deliver it into cells. The mRNA provides temporary instructions and does not alter the cells’ DNA. 

Once delivered, researchers can study how the cartilage cells respond using a human cartilage-on-a-chip model. 

Tissue chips create small laboratory environments that reproduce selected features of human tissue, allowing researchers to study potential treatments under carefully controlled conditions. Lee’s project uses a chip containing gels with living human cartilage cells surrounded by nutrient-containing culture medium. 

The system does not require tubing or syringe pumps. Instead, nutrients reach the cells through passive diffusion, spreading from the surrounding medium into the gels. 

Lee is working with biomedical engineering Ph.D. candidate Maxwell Landolina, who is developing the new cartilage-on-a-chip model. 

Beyond providing a platform for Lee’s osteoarthritis research, tissue chips could eventually help streamline drug development and reduce reliance on animal testing. The long-term goal is to develop models capable of reliably answering specific research questions that might otherwise require animal experiments. 

Lee’s fellowship project brings together several areas of research he has pursued at UConn. 

His work in Chen’s lab has included developing tiny carriers that help RNA reach the locations where it needs to function inside cells. 

In a 2021 study featured by UConn Today in “Escape From the Endosome!,” Lee and his colleagues demonstrated how their materials could help RNA escape small compartments that can trap it after entering a cell. 

Later research explored how the shape of a carrier affects its movement through dense tumor tissue and how nanomaterials can deliver a drug and RNA together. At the same time, Lee studied materials designed to support cartilage cells and presented the team’s osteoarthritis research at the 2024 Orthopaedic Research Society meeting. 

“My research has kept returning to the same problem: a treatment can only help if it reaches the right place and can work there,” Lee says. 

The Bethel Fellowship gives him an opportunity to bring those research paths together. 

In early experiments, the researchers detected Atsttrin protein after delivering the mRNA instructions. The next step is determining whether that protein can help human cartilage cells protect and rebuild the tissue surrounding them. 

The fellowship will also build upon the lab’s work developing tissue-chip technologies. 

The lab’s first-generation tissue-chip system operates inside an incubator that maintains controlled conditions for the cells. Researchers have also been developing a smaller version for experiments in space, where space and supplies are limited. 

Chen’s lab has partnered with NASA, the International Space Station National Laboratory, and Axiom Space to study its Janus base nanomaterials in microgravity. Experiments aboard the ISS allow researchers to explore how the materials assemble in space and whether those insights could improve their therapeutic applications back on Earth.

The newer design uses a compact housing for the gels and culture medium, requiring less material while making the system easier to package and transport. For the fellowship project, Lee plans to adapt those features to allow researchers to test more samples and treatment conditions simultaneously. 

During the fellowship, Lee plans to compare the Atsttrin mRNA treatment with another experimental mRNA approach designed to reduce inflammation. Researchers will investigate whether Atsttrin offers an additional benefit by helping cartilage cells produce and preserve the supporting structure that gives cartilage its strength and cushioning. 

The team also plans to test cartilage cells from younger and older female and male donors with osteoarthritis, using tissue removed during joint replacement surgery. 

Running multiple experiments will allow the researchers to repeat tests using cells from the same donor while also comparing results among different people. Repeating experiments can help determine whether findings are consistent, while studying multiple donors may provide early clues about whether responses differ based on factors such as age or sex. 

“This is still an early laboratory study, and we need more testing to learn whether the approach could safely and effectively help people with osteoarthritis,” says Lee. “The long-term hope is to help people keep their joints working well.”  

Promising findings could eventually lead to larger studies examining safety, dosage and treatment effects. 

Lee and his collaborators also envision increasingly sophisticated tissue-chip systems. Future versions could incorporate additional structures within a joint, including bone and the synovium, the tissue lining the joint. 

Adding those components could allow researchers to investigate how inflammation in one tissue affects another and what happens at the interfaces between different joint tissues, while maintaining a compact system capable of running multiple experiments. 

For Lee, the fellowship provides an opportunity not only to investigate those possibilities but also to take another step toward establishing his own research direction. 

By combining nanomedicine, mRNA delivery and tissue-chip technology, he hopes to better understand what happens after a potential therapy reaches its target and whether that knowledge can ultimately help researchers find better ways to protect and repair damaged cartilage.