Congratulations to Murtaza and Michelle Stephens of the Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine Awarded the first 2024 WARF Innovation Award for their work, Simplifying the Process for Early Detection, Screening of Cancer

The first 2024 WARF Innovation Award has been awarded to Muhammed Murtaza, Director of the Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine and associate professor of surgery, and Michelle Stephens, surgery researcher in the Murtaza lab within the Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine, for their work, Simplifying the Process for Early Detection, Screening of Cancer.

Simplifying Cancer Detection

The first 2024 WARF Innovation Award has been awarded to Muhammed Murtaza, Director of the Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine and associate professor of surgery, and Michelle Stephens, surgery researcher in the Murtaza lab within the Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine, for their pioneering work in simplifying the process for early detection and screening of cancer. Their innovative diagnostic method allows for at-home collection of blood samples, making cancer screening more accessible and cost-effective, particularly for individuals in low-resourced and rural settings. This advancement is poised to improve health equity for millions of people.

Recognition and Impact

An independent panel of judges selected the winners from a pool of six finalists, chosen from over 350 innovation disclosures submitted to WARF in the past year. Each winning team receives a $10,000 award to further their research. Erik Iverson, CEO of WARF, praised the winners, stating, “Each year, our Innovation Awards shine a spotlight on the most exciting early-stage discoveries on campus. We’re pleased to celebrate the nominees and all UW-Madison innovators working to discover and translate research with the power to impact lives”.

 

For more information about the 2024 WARF Innovation Awards and the groundbreaking work of the winners, visit the WARF News & Media page.