UC Davis STAIR HEALTH Program invests in faculty-led health innovations
(SACRAMENTO)
UC Davis Health is awarding more than $390,000 to help scientists advance promising research toward commercial applications through the Science Translation and Innovative Research (STAIR) HEALTH proof-of-concept program.
Awardees of the 2024-25 STAIR HEALTH grant include Brahim Mehadji, assistant professor in the Department of Radiology, Rachel Russo, voluntary assistant clinical professor in the Department of Surgery, and Xinbin Chen, professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at and distinguished professor in the Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences at the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine.
Awardees of the 2024-25 STAIR HEALTH grant include Brahim Mehadji, assistant professor in the Department of Radiology, Rachel Russo, voluntary assistant clinical professor in the Department of Surgery, and Xinbin Chen, professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at and distinguished professor in the Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences at the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine.
The program helps university innovators overcome two of the most challenging phases of technology development: securing early stage funding and conducting product development.
“I’m excited to welcome this new cohort of STAIR-funded projects,” said George Baxter, chief innovation and economic development officer for UC Davis. “We look forward to supporting these researchers as they move their innovations closer to commercial application.”
The STAIR program operates in close coordination with the Office of Research and the Technology Transfer Office. Since its inception, Venture Catalyst proof-of-concept programs have awarded more than $4.3 million to UC Davis, helping generate $184 million in follow on funding, 29 intellectual property agreements and 23 startups.
“Early-stage funding is critical to unlocking the full potential of academic research," said Don Taylor, chief ventures officer for UC Davis Health Ventures. "By supporting these projects at a pivotal stage, we are not only accelerating innovation but also building a strong pipeline of technologies that can deliver meaningful clinical and economic value.”
“Through initiatives like STAIR and the Investing in the Future of Medicine Fund, we are making intentional investments in innovations that have the potential to transform care delivery,” said Jennifer Doll, chief financial officer for UC Davis Health. “This work is essential to advancing our mission while positioning UC Davis Health at the forefront of next-generation health solutions.”
Following best practices used by federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Venture Catalyst and Health Ventures convened external review committees consisting of industry professionals, investors, and experienced entrepreneurs. These reviewers evaluated proposals, recommended award recipients, and provided valuable feedback to all applicants.
2024-25 STAIR HEALTH funding recipients
Brahim Mehadji
Precision PET Probe: Revolutionizing Minimally Invasive Cancer Surgery
Demand is growing for advanced imaging tools in minimally invasive cancer surgery. Mehadji’s team will develop a new PET (Positron Emission Tomography) radiotracer-optimized probe that uses both physical blockers and Compton-based collimation to make imaging more accurate and useful during cancer-removal surgery. The goal is to enable PET tracer–guided minimally invasive radio-guided surgery—currently not feasible due to the absence of suitable laparoscopic devices—by developing and optimizing a novel probe through advanced design and realistic computer simulations. The one-year grant will support prototype fabrication and initial validation.
Rachel Russo
Neuroprotective Patch Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause lifelong disability, and there are few effective treatments. Early, targeted drug delivery is important to improve recovery and outcomes. Russo and her team are developing a neuroprotective therapy based on extracellular vesicles—small particles naturally released by stem cells—in a novel formulation designed to deliver protective cargo directly to injured spinal tissue after intravenous injection or intranasal spray. The goal is to improve recovery through early, targeted treatment, potentially given before or instead of surgery.
Xinbin Chen
Unlocking p53 for Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Treatment
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths after lung cancer. p53 (from the TP53 gene) is a major “guardian” that helps prevent damaged cells from becoming cancerous. When the gene is mutated, this protection is lost, which could lead to more aggressive variants, like triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Chen's team is studying how to target mutant p53 using Elesclomol, a copper ionophore. The project aims to improve treatment specificity and effectiveness for aggressive cancer types, like TNBC.
