Three projects selected for WARF/Nexus NeuroTech Ventures Challenge Grant
CONTACT:
Jeanan Yasiri Moe
Director of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs
[email protected] | (608) 960-9892
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and Nexus NeuroTech Ventures have awarded $100,000 in development funding to three innovative research projects aimed at transforming the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. Selected from a competitive pool of 13 applicants, the winning teams are pioneering technologies with the potential to improve brain health outcomes in Wisconsin and beyond.
The Neurotechnology Challenge Grant invited proposals for novel approaches to diagnosing and treating brain disorders, with a focus on translational potential and real-world impact. The three selected projects span disciplines and departments, reflecting the breadth of neurotechnology innovation at UW-Madison.
“We are thrilled to partner with WARF in supporting bold, translational neurotechnology coming out of UW-Madison,” says John Propst, Head of Incubator Program at Nexus NeuroTech Ventures. “Each of these projects embodies the kind of science-driven innovation our firm seeks to back—technologies that are not only novel, but also grounded in strong scientific fundamentals with clear pathways to impact patients living with brain disorders.”
The selected projects are led by the following PIs:
- Larissa Albantakis (Psychiatry) — Personalized Thalamic Stimulation with Temporal Interference
- Ali Mohebi (Psychology) — Dopamine Clamp
- Vatsan Raman (Biochemistry) — Multi-Metabolite Parkinson’s Disease Diagnostic
“We’re proud to support UW-Madison researchers who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in neuroscience,” says Erik Iverson, CEO of WARF. “Our partnership with Nexus NeuroTech Ventures reflects a shared commitment to accelerating innovation that can change lives and improve brain health across the globe.”
Projects not selected for funding through the Accelerator Challenge Grants may still be connected to other supportive resources within WARF.
About WARF
Celebrating a century of service in 2025, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) patents and licenses discoveries from UW-Madison research, manages an investment portfolio generated from licensing and investment proceeds, and provides annual grants to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Morgridge Institute for Research to support further scientific investigation and research. By driving collaborations among researchers, investors, industry and entrepreneurs, WARF commercializes innovations from campus through various initiatives. WARF Accelerator improves the commercialization potential of university intellectual property through industry engagement and investment in proof-of-concept milestones to validate market potential, demonstrate commercial value and de-risk technology. WARF Therapeutics partners with UW-Madison and Morgridge Institute researchers employing an industry-focused approach to improve the value propositions of drug candidates. WARF Ventures is an early-stage venture fund that invests in startups based on UW/WARF technologies. Learn more at warf.org.
About Nexus NeuroTech Ventures
Nexus NeuroTech Ventures is an investment firm dedicated to advancing pioneering technologies — including medical devices, software, diagnostics, technology-enabled care services and research tools — for brain disorders. Spanning seed through crossover, Nexus invests with the goal of improving the lives of people affected by neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric conditions. See nexusneurotech.com for more information.
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