Alumnus Among Inaugural UVA SPARK Tank Winners

On August 4, 2026, the UVA Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology held its inaugural SPARK Tank competition, bringing together a dynamic mix of faculty from the School of Medicine and across UVA to showcase promising research projects with the potential to improve patient care.

The SPARK Tank featured a compelling slate of presentations spanning diverse areas of biotechnology and transformational medicine. Of the 45 submissions, eight finalists presented innovative approaches to addressing unmet medical needs, with a strong focus on patient impact.

The final cash awards went to six teams, each team winning $50,0000, to further advance their projects toward therapeutic readiness.

Among the winners was a team led by alumnus John Lukens, PhD ’08, from the UVA Department of Neuroscience, that showcased a potential new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease that aims to block a protein linked to inflammation and the loss of brain cells. If successful, the approach could help slow disease progression and protect brain function. Funding will support additional lab studies to advance the therapy toward human clinical.

Winners also included:

• Carolyn Lee, PhD, MD, Department of Dermatology, who presented an experimental treatment designed to prevent the earliest stages of skin cancer growth. Funding will support additional testing to evaluate the potential and prepare it for future development. 
• Danielle Cook, PhD, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, who presented a targeted cancer therapy designed to attack  tumor cells while leaving healthy tissue untouched. The approach focuses on a specific protein found on the surface of solid tumors (e.g., lung cancer). Funding will support studies to evaluate safety and 
• Bryce Paschal, PhD, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, who presented an innovative approach for prostrate and pancreatic cancers. Rather than focusing solely on genetic mutations, the strategy seeks to strengthen the body’s natural ability to fight tumors. Funding will support studies to test effectiveness and assess safety. 
• Ming-Feng Tsai, PhD, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, who introduced a novel concept for heart disease that slows the heart rate without reducing the heart’s pumping strength. Funding will support studies that further refine and validate the concept. 
•  Manoj Patel, PhD, Department of Anesthesiology, who demonstrated a cutting-edge gene-editing approach to correct disease-causing mutations in certain forms of epilepsy. The work has the potential to address the root cause of the disease rather than simply managing symptoms. Funding will help evaluate effectiveness and safety as the project moves closer to clinical development. 

The Manning Institute plans to make SPARK Tank an annual event, with the next competition anticipated in late spring 2027.

Learn more here.