WARF Accelerator Projects

This project involves the development of portable/handheld sensors for volatile organic compounds to potentially contribute to a safer home and work place environment. | Tech Summary (P150037US02)

This project focuses on the development of a prototype device to capture waste heat from mobile computing devices and convert the heat to electricity. The prototype, a postage stamp-sized patch called a rectenna, is designed to adhere to a heat-generating device such as a mobile computer chip set. Tiny, oscillating pillars on the patch are able to receive waste energy from a variety of sources and convert it into direct current, creating a voltage source capable of charging the battery of the mobile computing device. | Tech Summary (P100171US01)

With much of the world experiencing fresh water scarcity, it is important to develop new ways of obtaining potable water. This project will work toward developing a practical desalination battery prototype using a novel chloride storage electrode. The prototype will have the ability to remove salt from water while using dramatically less energy than currently existing solutions. | Tech Summary (P170083US01)

This project will focus on scale-up and optimization of a new method of obtaining sugars and lignin from biomass using recycled GVL. | Tech Summary (P130123US01)

Accelerator Program funds are being used for consulting and strategic market analysis on behalf of a new process to convert cellulosic waste into useful fuels and solvents. The process uses a catalyst to improve energy efficiency, reduce costs and minimize the use of corrosive chemicals compared with other methods for biofuels production. | Tech Summary (P120195US01)

Grid scale energy storage is needed to support intermittent renewable solar and wind energy resources for rapid decarbonization. This project will develop state-of-the-art liquid electrode redox materials for aqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs) through molecular engineering. Prototype RFBs will provide high energy density, long-lifetime electricity storage at a fraction of the cost of existing grid energy storage technologies.

This project involves the development and optimization of reagents based on a Streptomyces secretome for deconstruction of plant biomass. | Tech Summary (P110314US03)

This project focuses on the development of a CNF-based aerogel produced using an environmentally friendly freeze-drying process, with superior absorbency for various oils and organic solvents in water or on land. | Tech Summary (P140038US02), Tech Summary (P120283US03)

Read more about cellulose nanofibrils: Nano from the forest

This project concerns the development of heterogeneous catalytic systems for the oxidative dehydrogenation of small alkanes as a route to produce olefins, as well as closely related oxidation chemistry. | Tech Summary (P150387US02)

Learn more about this technology: Novel catalysts improve path to more sustainable plastics production

Read the Science paper: Selective oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propene using boron nitride catalysts

Mixed plastic waste and plastic films are unrecyclable and often end up in landfills or are incinerated because current technologies cannot process these types of plastics. A new technology out of UW-Madison, STRAP – solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation – has demonstrated efficient and effective recycling of mixed plastics and plastic films to high-quality, pure resins that can be reused in plastic applications. In this project, a 2 kg/hr unit will be designed, built and operated to demonstrate the patent-pending STRAP technology.

Bio-based polyol 1,5-pentanediol could be used in place of other petroleum-based polyols in paints, coatings and adhesives. Prof. Huber’s group has devised a simple, effective process to produce 1,5-PDO from bio-based furfural. In this project, they will optimize the process with different furfural feedstocks and industrially relevant catalysts as well as scale up the process to produce 1,5-PDO for industry evaluation. | Tech Summary (P160103US01) | Innovation Day Quick Pitch

This project focuses on the production of biorenewable sugars and other chemicals. | Tech Summary (P130123US01), Tech Summary (P130272US01)

This project seeks to advance the fabrication of a new class of ‘slippery’ polymer coatings with advanced anti-fouling and anti-microbial properties on the surfaces of flexible tubing commonly used to manufacture indwelling catheters. The project’s broad goal is to prevent colonization and biofilm formation and reduce systemic infections caused by microbial pathogens more effectively than conventional materials or technologies. | Tech Summary (P150342US02)

The goals of this project are to cast thin, cross-linked lyotropic liquid crystals into thin film composite membranes and demonstrate their suitability for ultrafiltration applications. | Tech Summary (P120009US01)

This project focuses on the refinement and optimization of promising perovskite materials as low work function electron emitters with higher performance and lower degradation rates than current technologies. These perovskite materials enable high performance, ultra-long-life electron emitters across a range of applications including electron microscopes, lithography equipment, linear accelerators and X-ray tubes used in medical, scientific and communication applications. | Tech Summary (P160033US02)

This project will focus on development and demonstration of an innovative chemical process for producing high-concentration sugars from lignocellulosic biomass such as corn stover, switchgrass, hardwood and softwood in a short time and under mild conditions. These sugars will be suitable as a feedstock for the production of clean fuels and chemicals.| Tech Summary (P110209US02)

Oleochemicals are a valuable class of reduced chemicals used in material, detergent, flavor, fragrance and energy applications. Current routes for producing oleochemicals, natural lipid sources or chemical synthesis, are not meeting the demand for medium chain length species, particularly oleochemicals with 6-10 carbons. This project will build upon IP conceived by the Pfleger group to produce industrial biocatalysts capable of producing relevant quantities of medium chain fatty alcohols, free fatty acids, polyesters and methyl ketones. | Tech Summary (P09329US02), Tech Summary (P140076US02)

The project involved process engineering analysis as well as examination of the technological and economic aspects of new biomass deconstruction techniques. The work highlighted the importance of recovering ionic liquid solvent from the process and results were presented at the WARF Biofuel Venture Capital Showcase in 2010. |Tech Summary (P09305US02), Tech Summary (P08210US)

This project focuses on altering the composition and structure of lignin via plant engineering to address biomass conversion recalcitrance problem, inherent in dealing with lignified plant cell walls. | Tech Summary (P100225US02), Tech Summary (P100281US02), Tech Summary (P100281US03)

Accelerator support will enable construction of a demonstration reactor for large-scale validation and optimization of a new type of fuel cell that uses a soluble molecular mediator/catalyst mixture rather than an expensive platinum catalyst. | Tech Summary (P140274US02)

Professor Stahl and his team have developed a new process for catalytic biomass fractionation that directly generates aromatic chemicals that are well-suited for use in new polymer applications. It operates by oxidizing and depolymerizing lignin while separating it from the carbohydrates, giving access to high yields of aromatic building blocks from the lignin while maintaining a high quality of cellulose and hemicellulose. This project aims to scale-up the process and demonstrate the production of sufficient quantities of monomers to support new collaborations, industrial partnerships and licensing opportunities.

This project will support research to control harmful lactate production in bioethanol plants by developing Lactobacillus casei strains engineered to produce ethanol rather than lactic acid.

This project aims to accelerate the commercialization of novel microcellular injection molding processing technology developed at UW–Madison for the mass production of lightweight, foamed parts with a high-quality surface in a cost-effective fashion without the need for expensive capital investment. | Tech Summary (P110013US01)

Distributed Direct Air Capture with Rapid Mineral Carbonation (DDAC-REACT) technology will enable lower cost, higher efficiency carbon removal by utilizing high CO2 industrial waste as feedstock and storing the captured CO2 in stable, mineralized form for disposal and as raw material for production of CO2-rich materials.

The project involves development of an electrode designed to improve the performance of photoelectrochemical and photovoltaic cells for use in solar energy harvesting and conversion. The electrode incorporates a network of three-dimensional nanowire structures to maximize the overall surface area and enhance charge transport. The increased surface area captures more light, while the advanced chemical composition of the nanowires expands the spectrum of light that can be captured. A separate application of the electrodes involves photoelectrochemical reactions such as water splitting, which may be used to create hydrogen for long-term storage. | Tech Summary (P110104US01)

These network-wide architecture and algorithm improvements are designed to minimize redundant content in a network, enabling network infrastructure as a whole to operate more efficiently. | Tech Summary (P09290US)

Read more about Aditya Akella’s research: Computer sciences’ Akella makes networks ‘future-proof’

Stratos provides a framework for building a rich scalable virtual topology (e.g., a middlebox) to enable applications for enhanced cloud computing, virtual network services and software-defined networking. | Tech Summary (P120286US01)

OpenNF provides fast and correct reallocation of in-progress network flows. It provides a novel state transfer mechanism that allows fine-grained redistribution of traffic flows and optional guarantees for loss-free and order-preserving moves. It also delivers interoperability with existing SDN platforms and network functions via the use of an API. | Tech Summary (P150073US01)

This project seeks to develop a commercially viable method of using graphene as a replacement for silicon and other materials currently used in semiconductors. Graphene, a thin layer of bonded carbon atoms, offers significant potential advantages over conventional semiconductor materials, including increased electron mobility and switching speed. | Tech Summary (P100012US02)

Read more: Graphene nanoribbon finding could lead to faster, more efficient electronics

This project involves the development of semiconductor materials based on carbon nanotubes with attractive properties for high performance electronics. | Tech Summary (P140200US01), Tech Summary (P130386US01)

Read more: Carbon nanotube finding could lead to flexible electronics with longer battery life

Read more: Carbon nanotube outperforms silicon

This system provides continuous, secure Internet capability in moving vehicles by managing and integrating multiple concurrent network connections, including WiFi, 3G cellular and satellite systems. | Tech Summary (P100120US02), Tech Summary (P100121US02)

The objective of this project is to develop a super-resolving direction finding and geo-locating system capable of accurately determining its location (coordinates) with very high resolution in a manner similar to what is done with GPS receivers. However, unlike GPS, the device can be used for localization, positioning and navigation in indoor environments rather than being limited to outdoor use. | Tech Summary (P110043US01), Tech Summary (P120184US01)

This project involves development of a new generation of quantum cascade lasers with greater output, increased efficiency, improved heat dissipation, higher reliability and longer operating lives than conventional quantum cascade lasers. Potential applications would include laser marking of plastics, mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy, atmospheric signal transmission, chemical detection and directed infrared countermeasures. This is phase one of two. | Tech Summary (P100284US01)

Major challenges have emerged as electronic devices move to faster switching, lower power, smaller sizes and increased integration densities, while requiring enhanced functionality. Materials that switch by a metal-insulator transition offer great potential for new electronic devices, but the accompanying structural transition generally limits the ultimate switching speed and endurance. The proposed project will demonstrate electronic devices (digital switches) based on a purely electronically driven metal-insulator transition in epitaxial heterostructures of the archetypal correlated material vanadium dioxide (VO2). | Tech Summary (P170254US01)

Technologies including large area displays, smart windows and solar photovoltaics depend on creating highly conductive transparent thin film layers spanning areas of square meters or more. This project seeks to establish key processing and stability parameters of a promising technology for transparent conductors based on the large-area crystallization of a correlated-electron material that has only previously been available in dimensions on the scale of centimeters on cost-prohibitive single-crystal substrates. The new process has the potential to displace current technologies by reducing materials costs and expanding the scope of applications through improved flexibility. | Tech Summary (P190259US02)

Self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) in thin films provides a large-area, high throughput route to creating dense nanostructures in length scales not easily achievable by traditional lithography processes. This project is focused on the development of new materials that will provide the performance required for BCP lithography and can be removed under milder conditions more suitable for advanced applications. | Tech Summary (P100296US02), Tech Summary (P09005US)

There is an increasing need, specifically in the semiconductor industry, to develop methods to access sub-5 nanometer (nm) features for microelectronics, using scalable and cost-effective methods. The inventors will address this challenge by demonstrating thin-film assembly and pattern transfer from an ultra-high χ block copolymer (BCP), which will have the right desirable etch contrast between two blocks for effective pattern transfer to a substrate to access sub-5 nm features. | Tech Summary (P09005US), Tech Summary (P140025US01)

The goal of the project is to demonstrate next-generation 3-D cameras with improved acquisition schemes capable of recovering `laser-scan quality’ 3-D shapes at long (>100 m) ranges, with minimal-power requirements. These cameras are based on single-photon sensors, a new sensor technology that has the unique ability to capture individual photons of light with extremely high (~10 picoseconds) timing resolution. This extreme sensitivity and time resolution makes single-photon sensors ideal candidates for low-power, long-range 3-D cameras with wide ranging applications including LiDARs for autonomous vehicles, low-cost and high-speed 3-D cameras for extreme robotics and drones, low-power 3-D cameras for mobile and embedded applications and high resolution airborne surveying.

The project will develop an optimized process for the determination of mechanical properties of geological formations at fine (~1 cm) scale by utilizing fiber optic sensing within wellbores. The technology combines fiber optic-sensed strain data with wellbore pressure perturbations to understand the elastic properties and variations of geological formations at near 1 cm scales. The technology offers detailed knowledge of subsurface mechanical and geothermal properties – information that is critical for the success of oil & gas, civil infrastructure, aerospace and geothermal industries.

This project aims to design and create a prototype THz emitter that can efficiently convert a laser pulse into a terahertz (THz) pulse of ultra-narrow bandwidth for high-spectral-resolution imaging. Synergistic computational and experimental efforts will develop design principles (selections of materials, device size and geometry), fabrication processes and operating conditions (laser fluence/duration) for realizing devices with desirable performances (bandwidth, frequency and power of the emitted THz pulse). The proposed narrowband THz emitter can enable selective and accurate spectral identification and imaging of a wide variety of chemical species and biological molecules with applications to diverse industry sectors from security screening to food quality control to biomedical imaging.

Prof. Kulcinski and his team have devised a system to detect explosives rapidly over wide areas by attaching small, lightweight fusion neutron generators to small drones, and detecting the chemical signature of explosives. The system can be applied to numerous environments, ranging from large public spaces to active military zones. The goal of this project is to develop and demonstrate a lightweight, low power neutron source.

This project features a novel computer architecture for matrix calculations that will have significantly improved computational throughput, energy efficiency and performance density as compared to CPU, GPU and other FPGA-based implementations for deep learning. The enhanced speed of this specialized matrix accelerator will facilitate more interesting and interactive intelligent applications. And, the improved computational throughput will enable efficient inference across many applications (text, image, voice, video, etc.) using much larger neural networks with higher accuracy.| Tech Summary (P160414US01)

The project seeks to build an optimized, commercially viable inductance-capacitance filter (referred to by industry as an LC filter) in the form of a single element combining the inductor and capacitor for testing in a grid tied inverter application. LC filters help smooth and “clean up” the power from the power supply to the power grid. This technology will allow power electronic circuits to become more power dense and cost efficient by integrating the components together, i.e., passive components up to 50 percent smaller and significantly lighter, which are benefits of critical importance in the automotive, aerospace and renewable energy industries. | Tech Summary (P140216US01)

The objective of this project is to accelerate the development of a commercially practical laser source on silicon (Si), with the demonstration of high performance ultra‐compact electrically‐pumped infrared laser prototype at 1550 nm band. | Tech Summary (P08398US)

This project involves a multiple quantum well light emitting device, which provides a current tunneling layer for electrons and holes comprised of non-metal inorganic materials that allow the passage of holes from a first layer to a second layer in a lattice mismatched heterogeneous junction. | Tech Summary (P140343US01)

The McDermott team is pursuing a novel scheme for the scalable coherent control of superconducting quantum bits (“qubits”) involving irradiation of the qubits using trains of quantized flux pulses derived from the Single Flux Quantum (SFQ) digital logic family. The SFQ control sequences can be synthesized with a cryogenic superconducting pulse generator that can be integrated tightly with the qubit array, allowing for a streamlined system footprint that can be scaled to millions of qubits to realize a fault-tolerant quantum computer. | Tech Summary (P140260US01)

This project develops hardware and software for faster plastic 3-D printing speed, reduced energy consumption and improved quality control. The proprietary rotating printer head provides shear energy for faster plastics filament melting, enabling faster 3-D plastics print speeds without requiring increased energy for heating. | Tech Summary (P210202US01)

Current additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are limited by a single material being deposited in the manufacturing process. The Pfefferkorn team’s multimetal additive manufacturing system allows for concurrent 3-D printing of complex parts with up to four different metals and controlled compositional gradient. A new generation of parts that can be manufactured by this technology exhibits improved properties and enhanced functionality compared to their single-material counterparts.

The emergence of 3-D point cloud data for the masses is on the horizon and combining this with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) display technology offers an enormous number of new technological applications and breakthroughs. Efficiently rendering 3-D point cloud data remains a challenging problem due to the size of the data sets combined with ever increasing display resolutions. Furthermore, current gaming and visualization engines are generally optimized for data to be constructed from triangles, not for points. This project will create a point cloud rendering software solution built inside a video game engine. The results will enable immersive experiences of real life environments, offering new ways of training, designing and gaming.

This extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) task-trainer device provides clinicians with hands-on training for lifesaving emergency oxygenation procedures. With this device, clinicians can practice feeling for a pulse to locate a vein and then insert the cannula on a mannequin or an actor to simulate scenarios in the field, hospital or in transit (e.g., ambulance, helicopter). UW Hospital has been using the first prototype of this device to train clinicians in end-to-end scenarios and is developing a research-backed training program for their ECMO protocols.

This project will further develop an encryption method whereby an IP Core [a logic circuit] is encrypted such that the structural information of the design is preserved but the gate/component functionalities are encrypted. The encryption is such that a designer can perform logic and fault simulation on the encrypted circuit without deducing the gate/component functionalities within the circuit. |Tech Summary (P140095US01)

This is a chip for high-end network routers that employs smart software and flexible high-performance architecture to replace multiple special purpose components used to perform lookup functions for packet processing. | Tech Summary (P09094US)

The goal of this hardware architecture project is to build a faster than real-time speech recognition chip called a memory processing unit. | Tech Summary (P140414US01)

This goal of this project is to prototype a motor drive incorporating high-performance wide bandgap (WBG) devices and eliminating expensive and bulky EMI filters. This new motor drive (also called inverters or motor controls) reduces the risk of bearing failures in motors due to the undesired common mode voltage while improving efficiency and reducing volume and weight of the system. Electrified transportation applications and other emerging applications focusing on mitigation of electromagnetic interference (EMI) will benefit. | Tech Summary (P160142US01)

The project involves 3-D prototype production of high performance cooling modules that can be used to cool integrated circuits. The closed-system modules are designed to contain fluids that can be circulated over heat generating components in computers and other devices. | Tech Summary (P04140US), Tech Summary (P110174US01)

Read more about the startup company formed in 2013 to commercialize this technology: Ebullient heats up with $1M for computer cooling tech

A substantial amount of engineering data, such as materials and machine components, is represented as tables in catalogs. Table-based catalogs are not easy to visualize, are discrete, are unordered and do not support customization, making efficient parts selection and product design difficult. This project proposes to use variational autoencoders (VAEs) to develop a differentiable latent representation that is easily visualizable and can significantly accelerate the design process.

The project involves development of smart and efficient simulation software for analyzing thin components, with applications ranging from mechanical chassis to orthopedic surgical implants. The software provides rapid feedback to design engineers without the hassle of laborious finite element analysis and can be interfaced with numerous CAD packages including SolidWorks and Google Sketchup. | Tech Summary (P08425US)

This technology enables development of the first camera that can image scenes without requiring a direct line of sight. These cameras can see around corners and image scenes with ubiquitous perception, without limitations brought on by occlusions or camera position. Such ubiceptive cameras have a plethora of life- and cost-saving applications: aerial sensing and mapping, environment exploration, manufacturing, robotics, safety and security, defense and many others.

This project combines fiber-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technology with recycled natural materials like wood pulp and cardboard fibers to create mechanical energy harvesting floor material. Footfalls on this material generate an appreciable amount of electricity that can be harnessed for use. Under heavy foot traffic, the potential for high power output and energy conversion efficiency make these flooring products feasible as an eco-friendly, efficient and affordable technology for green building and infrastructure. | Tech Summary (P160323US01) | Innovation Day Quick Pitch | Learn more about this technology.

This project will develop a low-cost, lightweight, miniaturized infrared spectrometer prototype, enabling data-driven automation of industrial and consumer applications. | Tech Summary (P140145US01), Tech Summary (P180193US01)

LiTell is an indoor localization technology that uses existing fluorescent and LED lights as location landmarks. It is deployable to existing infrastructure and provides accuracy to within 10 centimeters. LiTell will enable location-based services for all types of indoor venues, including novel applications for the retail industry, social networks, factory supply chains and public exhibition venues. | Tech Summary (P170079US01)

This project will establish whether substituted short chitin oligomers (COs) provide a greater benefit to plants than simple unsubstituted short chitin oligomers by developing an improved method to purify COs from bacteria, improved stability metrics for the different CO structures, and specific CO structures and concentrations that elicit the most favorable responses from the tested plant species under controlled conditions.

The Insect Eavesdropper is a cutting-edge device designed to monitor insect pests. Powered by a compact computer, it uses ultra-sensitive microphones to eavesdrop on the sound of insect feeding so farmers and researchers can track and manage pests. The goal is a wireless setup with machine-learning pest identification paired with an easy interface for use in agriculture.

Sedimentation of pigments and loss of color is considered a defect in fruit juices and a contributor to reduced shelf life. This technology will enable the user to limit sedimentation of juice pigments or, alternatively, induce sedimentation of pigments or desirable compounds to utilize as clean-label ingredients in foods.

This project involves the comparison of a prototype assay developed by the investigator and commercial products using a validated sample bank.

This project focuses on an antibiotic-free method to reduce parasite load and resistance in cattle and poultry. | Tech Summary (P120128US01)

This poultry byproduct has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used in animal feed as a growth promoter. Results were particularly noticeable in fish, promoting growth and seeming to make the fish more tolerant to environmental stress. | Tech Summary (P160017US01) | Innovation Day Quick Pitch

While being a rich source of protein, soy products often impart “beany” or “grassy” off-flavors into commercial food products. Currently many companies mask these off-flavors or do not use soy protein additives for sensitive products. This work will develop and refine a method that removes the suspected source of these off-flavors. | Tech Summary (P090393US02)

This project will develop a BunkScan, a computer vision and artificial intelligence tool for optimizing feed maintenance, minimizing waste and maximizing animal performance in beef and dairy cattle feedyards.

This project is designed to validate a new charged membrane filter technology that allows for larger pore sizes to be used while still achieving equivalent separation due to electrostatic repulsion forces. These larger pore sizes allow for greatly reduced fouling, increased throughput and reduced cost and operational changeover/maintenance. | Tech Summary (P110012US02)

This project will result in an algorithm for pre-symptomatic late blight disease detection validated on the two most economically important hosts of the late blight pathogen, potato and tomato, at multiple detection scales (direct plant, UAV-mounted, low altitude aircraft-mounted). This technology has the potential to revolutionize disease management and grower decision making, as well as long-term crop commodity modeling.

This project involves optimizing a method of using next-generation sequencing to diagnose microbial food contaminates in food and related products.

This project features a rapid and accurate immunoassay that will enable detection of microorganisms that signal contamination of food and water. | Tech Summary (P100326US02)

This project aims to develop an innovative nanoparticle-based delivery system for CRISPR genome editing machinery to achieve robust, efficient, precise, genotype-independent and DNA-free genome editing and engineering in plants for crop functional genomics research and genetic enhancement.

This project involves further development of a technology that improves binding of colorants to protein particles and biologically inactive yeast to produce a novel group of safe organic pigments for food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.

The researchers have identified genes in soybeans that confer tolerance to drought and Sclerotinia stem rot. Through this project, they will develop and test transgenic varieties with enhanced tolerance. | Tech Summary (P170294US03)

This project further develops a novel, more cost-effective method of producing protein-polysaccharide conjugates (PPCs). PPCs improve the water solubility, pH, heat stability and emulsification of proteins, and among other uses, provide a substitute for gum arabic in the foods and beverage industry. | Tech Summary (P08190US)

With accelerating global warming and industrial development, humanity urgently needs to develop new technologies to efficiently capture atmospheric CO2 while sustainably producing industrial chemicals, such as aromatics. The Maeda lab at University of Wisconsin-Madison recently identified a series of genetic mutations, called sota mutations, that can boost the production of aromatic compounds and, at the same time, enhance CO2 fixation in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This WARF Accelerator project will further apply this novel technology in agricultural and bioenergy crops to obtain critical data for commercialization, which will lead to sustainable production of high-value aromatic chemicals while reducing atmospheric CO2.

The Labrador retriever breed is the most common dog breed in the United States. Late-onset laryngeal paralysis polyneuropathy is a very common, debilitating and life-limiting disease of the Labrador retriever. Building on previous work, this project is expected to discover a specific candidate genetic variant that associates with this disease, thus facilitating development of a genetic screening test for the disease. | Tech Summary (P160048US02)

This project focuses on a protein isolated from cheese whey that can be made into acceptable high-protein, low-calorie foods and beverages, which will promote satiety and thus reduce the desire to overeat. | Tech Summary (P110272US03)

This project is aimed at improving industrial hemp using the proprietary process for genetic engineering and editing. The project will improve the efficiency of this process in elite strains, and will utilize it to address priority target traits including eliminating THC production while upregulating high-value cannabinoids, and increasing yield and value through high-density flowering.

This project involves the identification of chemical and biological methods for preventing the undesirable browning of cheeses such as Parmesan. | Tech Summary (P130152US01)

Lipid oxidation can cause off-color and quality deterioration in meat, poultry and fish. The ultimate goal of this project is to provide a solution that addresses these issues in a cost-effective and process-compatible manner. Specific aims of this proposal include demonstrating the effectiveness of adding PLA2 to mechanically separated turkey (MST) and establish the purity and concentration of this reagent.

This project examines different strategies to stabilize color and lipid oxidation of plant-based meat substitutes. | Tech Summary (P160349US02)

This project focuses on an antibiotic-free method to reduce bovine respiratory disease in cattle while increasing feed efficiency. | Tech Summary (P120128US01)

This project features a food-grade, non-GMO soybean with white mold resistance and excellent protein and oil content. | Tech Summary (P130103US02)

Professor Talaat is developing a diagnostic test that detects infection in dairy cattle with Mycobacterium avium paratuberculoisis (MAP, the causative agent of Johne’s disease) prior to the onset of any detectable signs or symptoms of the disease. | Tech Summary (P150020US02)

Phytochromes are a family of regulators that control the response of plants to light. Modification of these receptors should enable strains that will provide favorable properties important for increasing agricultural productivity. | Tech Summary (P100050US01)

Two new cranberry varieties with superior yield, berry size and color traits are being trialed in Nova Scotia. | Tech Summary (P100154US01)

This product addresses measurement of bacterial endotoxin in samples containing nucleic acid, particularly in the context of the preparation of biotherapeutics. | Tech Summary (P09241US02)

The understanding of how chemical exposures from commercial and medicinal products affect human neurodevelopment is woefully inadequate. Screening such chemicals using bioengineered organoid models derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hSPCs) provides a feasible solution to address this knowledge gap. This project’s goal is to translate the first standardized model of early human central nervous system (CNS) morphogenesis to a high-throughput screening format and pursue its commercialization. | Tech Summary (P130353US031)

A combination of a DPP4 inhibitor and an EP3 inhibitor normalizes the level of insulin secretion in diabetic patients who do not fully respond to a monotherapy of DPP4 inhibitors. | Tech Summary (P110240US02) 

Read more about Alan Attie’s research: Unpuzzling diabetes

The project focus is a drug target associated with elevated triglyceride levels (called liver fatty acid binding protein or L-FABP) and the potential to inhibit this protein to block the release of low density lipids from the liver into the blood stream, thus lowering elevated triglyceride levels. | Tech Summary (P110006US01)

This new method of preparing nucleic acid samples decreases the preparation time from 30 minutes to 10 seconds and provides equal or enhanced performance. | Tech Summary (P100050US01)

This project focuses on novel microwave antenna designs for improved delivery of energy to tumors during ablation procedures. | Tech Summary (P140132US01)

This project features an improved waveguide to enable better sparing of nearby brain tissue during stereotactic radiosurgery procedures. | Tech Summary (P130196US01)

Airway obstruction during sedation causes reduced oxygen supply, which can lead to cardiac arrest, brain damage or even death. Current technology for monitoring the airway during sedation, like pulse-oximetry, is erroneous and not capable of detecting early airway obstruction. This project will include a pilot study and further development of software and hardware for an ultrasound-based, non-invasive, real-time monitor that displays information about the ever-changing respiratory mechanics during the various stages of sedation.

This new mass spectrometry detector will enable more accurate analysis of proteins and peptides. | Tech Summary (P05110US), Tech Summary (P09192US)

This project involves MRI imaging techniques to improve imaging frame rates and provide real-time MRI guidance to interventional procedures. | Tech Summary (P08308US)

Read more: University spinoff aims to hit the mark precisely with brain-scanning tool.

In this project, we will perform validation experiments on a novel gene editing technique for pluripotent stem cell therapies developed in the Brown Lab at UW-Madison. This technology is very promising for preventing the immune system from destroying transplanted cells. Our work will focus on evaluating the potential for this technology in key settings that are actively investigated by biotech and pharmaceutical companies as they create new stem cell therapies for a number of diseases.

The therapeutic agent 4-hydroxybenzylretinone has been shown to destroy cultured mammary cell cancers and is undergoing further testing. | Tech Summary (P05114US)

There is a renewed commercial interest in vitamin D analogs to treat osteoporosis in light of recent reports linking long-term use of commonly used osteoporosis medications with increased incidence of fractures. Under a phase I Accelerator Program grant, the DeLuca laboratory devised a new research test that identified several vitamin D analogs with significant bone building properties. The new grant will support the second phase of the project, which will encompass final in vitro testing, synthesis of study compounds and animal studies to confirm biologic properties.

Dr. Drezner discovered a small peptide for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) and related disorders. This project will allow for additional lab work to be done on his findings. | Tech Summary (P100323US02)

A previous Accelerator project developed a modular linear multisource X-ray tube that would enable improved resolution for CT scans as well as the potential for metal 3-D printing in medical applications. This is a continuation on that project, finishing the prototype development of a next generation high-speed 3-D metal printer and demonstrating that a multisource electron beam design is capable of melting metal powder. | Tech Summary (P140374US01) | Innovation Day Quick Pitch

Acute and chronic rejection of transplants, side effects of immunosuppressive therapy and critical shortage of allogeneic donor-derived cells and tissues are major obstacles in successful and broader application of clinical transplantation as a therapy. This project, a synthetic fusion protein that combines the tolerogenic effects of two distinct mechanisms, has exhibited potential to mitigate all three major concerns by abolishing host-immune rejection response and by crossing allogeneic/xenogeneic barriers. The Galipeau team’s data show that allogeneic and xenogeneic pancreatic islet allografts that express the synthetic fusion protein remain functionally viable and reverse hyperglycemia in long-term when transplanted into immune-competent dog and diabetic mice.

This project features a polymer coating that can provide a chemically defined platform, is stable in a cell culture medium for over two months, can present stable peptides via a unique conjugation chemistry and can be tailored easily for other biofunctionalization applications. The polymer coatings can be used to sequester the growth factors that the cells themselves are producing during the manufacturing process, thereby mitigating the need for expensive recombinant growth factor supplements. | Tech Summary (P07188US), Tech Summary (P150079US01)

This project will use human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to create a highly immunostimulatory complex of immune cells as a novel cancer immunotherapy. Specifically, the project will use iPSCs to generate the cells used to produce the immunotherapy, determine whether these iPSC-derived cells form cellular complexes similar to the native cells, and test whether the resulting complexes replicate key immunostimulatory effects of the native complexes.

This product will test the efficacy and safety of a perivascular drug delivery platform in a porcine model of restenosis.

This project focuses on rapid ultrasound-based noninvasive determination of fetal and maternal status in high risk pregnancy at the point of care. | Tech Summary (P160185US02)

This project focuses on validating a new method for generating active T cells used in active cellular immunotherapy, CAR-T and other autologous therapeutic platforms. | Tech Summary (P150198US02)

Accidental or intentional high dose radiation injuries, mainly acute radiation syndromes, remain a major public health concern. The long-term objective of this proposal is to optimize production and scale-up of radioprotective and regenerative macrophages. The end product of this project, therapeutic macrophages, could also support development and commercialization of macrophages for a wide range of other applications that are currently under investigation by other groups. | Tech Summary (P140399US02)

Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (RPT) has shown compelling efficacy for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. This treatment modality employs radioactive molecules injected intravenously that target the PSMA receptors overexpressed by prostate cancer cells; however, current PSMA-targeting radioligands display suboptimal pharmacokinetics (PK) and off-target toxicity profiles. The work conducted here seeks to advance the next generation of prostate cancer radioligands with more favorable anti-tumor efficacy and reduced normal tissue toxicities.

The SmartValve is the first personalized system for real-time, personalized monitoring and management of hydrocephalus. SmartValve enables accurate monitoring of each patient’s intercranial pressure and adjustment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage to control brain swelling. This device will prevent CSF over-drainage by enabling personalized, real-time adjustment of CSF drainage based on physiological indicators as compared to competitive devices’ traditional reliance on manufacturers’ default valve settings. | Tech Summary (P170214US01)

The project involves development of highly purified strains of botulinum toxin as second- and third-generation treatments for neuromuscular disorders. | Tech Summary (P06269US)

The wound dressing provides structure to support new tissue growth and allows for delivery of drugs to minimize pain, eliminate infection or promote healing. | Tech Summary (P01328US)

This project focuses on the discovery and characterization of histidine kinase inhibitors that may prove effective in treating fungal infections. The compounds offer therapeutic benefits without the toxicity associated with conventional treatments.

This project is a novel, nontoxic nanoformulation of anti-cancer agents created by encapsulating paclitaxel, rapamycin and 17-AAG into PEG-b-PLA micelles, which can simultaneously deliver anti-cancer therapeutic agents with less toxicity than conventional therapies that are delivered sequentially. It’s hoped that the ability to safely and simultaneously deliver multiple drugs to target several cancer-related pathways at one time will help overcome the problem of cancer recurrence commonly seen in patients with solid tumors. | Tech Summary (P090383US03) | Innovation Day Quick Pitch

Hearing loss can have a significant negative impact on health and quality of life, and is an emerging worldwide health concern. Current hearing aids are bulky due to their energy supply. The inventors on this project have developed a nanotech-based, wearable and invisible hearing aid that is placed directly on the ear’s tympanic membrane, improving hearing and sensing capabilities. This project will build a nanomembrane prototype and demonstrate that nanomembranes have the potential to excite sound waves on the tympanic membrane. | Tech Summary (P120327US01)

Neural activity in the brain dramatically increases during the day and causes accumulation of metabolic byproducts that can interfere with learning, memory, alertness and concentration. This technology is a nighttime mouthguard that stimulates the cranial nerve and alters neural activity and blood flow in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, leading to improved brain clearance. Clearance of unwanted biomolecules during sleep can be used to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease and improve cognition in patients suffering mild to moderate neurodegenerative impairment.

Although MRI calibration is a routine procedure, current methodologies miss all but gross gradient miscalibration. Errors in calibration can affect the qualitative and quantitative results that are used in disease diagnosis and treatment planning. This project will further the development of a specially designed imaging phantom and analysis software that will provide rapid and robust characterization of errors leading to more complete MRI calibration. | Tech Summary (P160026US01)

This project is a plasmid DNA vaccine for prostate cancer. The vaccine encodes the PAP tumor antigen and may be used to prevent or delay metastatic disease following removal of the primary tumor. | Tech Summary (P05235US)

Read more: Madison Vaccines expands series A to advance prostate cancer drugs

The new product works as a coating for orthopedic implants to enhance bone growth at the implant site. | Tech Summary (P09202US)

This project’s goal is to test a new and highly sensitive immunological method for the detection of ovarian cancer. The method relies on a unique combination of cutting-edge advances in biophysics and medicine where ovarian cancer-induced changes in a patient’s immune system are sensitively detected at the level of single molecules in a blood sample. The technological basis for the new test is not limited to ovarian cancer, which means that the proposed study will have implications for very large numbers of cancer patients, both present and future.

Sufficient sleep is vital to human health, but there is currently no way to accurately estimate the amount of sleep a person gets from a biological specimen. This proposal will optimize and clarify the utility of DNA methylation changes that reflect sleep duration in humans. In so doing, this proposal will advance a key technology with widespread applications for monitoring and advancing human health.

This method allows for accurate, noninvasive detection and quantification of iron overload of the liver using conventional MRI technology. Accurate measurement of body iron stores is important and a quantitative biomarker is necessary to detect and diagnose iron overload. The biomarker also permits quantitative staging of the severity of iron overload to identify individuals at risk of iron-induced organ damage. | Tech Summary (P06190US), Tech Summary (P07150US)

This project will validate the small animal safety, toxicology and efficacy of a novel cardiac patch technology that increases the amount of blood the heart is able to pump and provides a new treatment option for congestive heart failure. The patch can be applied during procedures such as bypass surgery and, unlike existing patches, does not require sutures. | Tech Summary (P110346US02)

This project will advance noninvasive tendon force measurement technology for use in clinical, sports and research settings. The work builds on a recent discovery in Professor Thelen’s lab showing that wave speed in tendons can be measured with a simple wearable system and used to infer the tension in the tissue. The objective of this project is to prototype an adaptable module suitable for use on a variety of tendons, to implement a real-time software system to enable biofeedback and to collect pilot wave speed data for athletic and rehabilitation applications. | Tech Summary (P150362US01)

For decades, bacteria have been exploited as vectors for vaccines and therapeutics. However, the bacterial arsenal used has been historically limited to a few strains. In this proposal, we look to expand the use of lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), a probiotic, as a platform to safely deliver systemically therapeutic peptides. | Tech Summary (P160109US02)

Propionate is a short chain fatty acid that is produced by the gut microbiome through microbial consumption of fiber, and various reports have suggested that propionate may have a positive effect on weight, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. The researchers investigated the effects of tripropionin, a commercially available molecule comprised of three molecules of propionate, on adiposity and glucose tolerance in obese mice fed a high fat diet. At the single dose they tested, they noted a significant loss of weight due to fat loss and improved energy metabolism end points, and this project will establish a minimum effective amount of tripropionin to promote health and improve energy metabolism.

Dr. Zhao has developed a computational technique that expands the capabilities of existing blood-based biopsy tests. These standard cancer tests currently can only be used to identify mutations. The new approach allows these tests to be used to diagnose and differentiate cancer types.

The NeoThy humanized mouse is a promising new model for the in vivo study of the human immunological response to therapeutic interventions. This project focuses on 1) making the NeoThy a more robust research tool by evaluating cutting-edge mouse host strains for humanization, and 2) on generating proof of concept data required for scaling-up production to meet the high-throughput needs of the pharmaceutical and biotech communities.

Each cell within the human body displays its own unique properties, morphologies and behaviors. Rare “outlier” cells can affect our response to drug treatments, the immune system’s ability to target pathogens and cancer development. The Romero team has developed a simple and inexpensive experimental method to profile gene expression in thousands of single cells, allowing us to study how cell-to-cell variation affects biological and disease processes. | Tech Summary (P180094US02)