Dr. Muhammed Murtaza, Associate Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, and Michelle Stephens, researcher in the Department of Surgery, received the 2024 WARF Innovation Award for their work, Simplifying the Process for Early Detection, Screening of Cancer. The innovation that they developed is a diagnostic that allows for at-home collection of blood samples, making the early screening and detection of cancer easier and more cost effective.
“We are delighted to receive this award,” Dr. Murtaza said. “Detecting cancer early can improve our ability to cure it and I am thrilled that WARF has recognized the tremendous potential of our discovery to make blood-based early detection of cancer widely accessible and cost-effective.”
Many of today’s most effective cancer detection and screening methods are costly and require that patients drive to a clinic for a blood draw. This innovation helps lower the barrier to access for individuals in low-resourced and rural settings.
“We’re honored to receive this award and look forward to advancing diagnostics technology in partnership with WARF,” Stephens said.
An independent panel of judges selected the winners of this award from a field of six finalists drawn from hundreds of invention disclosures submitted to WARF over the prior 12 months. The winning teams each receive an award of $10,000.
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) supports scientific research within the UW-Madison community by providing financial support, actively managing assets and moving innovations to the marketplace for financial return and global impact.