Pinku Mukherjee, Susan Trammell awarded NCInnovation research grants
UNC Charlotte researchers Pinku Mukherjee and Susan Trammell are among this year’s recipients of grant funding from NCInnovation, a nonprofit organization that helps unlock the innovative potential of North Carolina’s world-class public universities.
The organization’s Board of Directors approved $13.6 million in R&D funding for 17 research projects at 12 North Carolina public universities. Approvals followed a multi-month review and evaluation process led by external panels of subject matter experts and overseen by the Program Committee of NCInnovation’s Board of Directors. Mukherjee’s grant is for $1,120,542 across two years; Trammell will receive $810,505.
“North Carolina’s public universities are working on truly amazing technologies, from improving poultry and livestock mortality rates to treating diseases like Alzheimer’s and pancreatic cancer,” said Michelle Bolas, executive vice president and chief innovation officer of NCInnovation. “NCInnovation helps researchers advance their discoveries through the university R&D process toward commercialization, strengthening the university-to-industry pipeline that’s central to American competitiveness.”
John Daniels, vice chancellor of research at UNC Charlotte, stated, “NCInnovation’s investments in the research underway by Drs. Mukherjee and Trammell highlight the University’s nationally recognized programs in biological and optical science. The University is a leader in commercializing its growing R1 research portfolio to address real-world problems.”
Pancreatic cancer therapeutic research
Pinku Mukherjee, the Irwin Belk Distinguished Professor in Cancer Research, and team member Ru Zhou, research associate professor in biological sciences, are developing a novel T-cell engager derived from a patented monoclonal antibody against a tumor-specific protein that is present on 85% of solid tumors.
This T-cell engager, which directs the body’s own T cells to attack cancer cells, has shown significant effectiveness in treating chemotherapy-resistant pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is particularly deadly because it is typically diagnosed only in late stages due to a lack of screening tools and the fact that it progresses without obvious symptoms.
Since joining UNC Charlotte in 2009 from the Mayo Clinic, Mukherjee has established collaborations with regional health care systems and other universities to conduct cancer research.
Mukherjee was the 2018 recipient of the First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal, which recognizes excellence in research by a Charlotte faculty member, and the 2015 recipient of the O. Max Gardner Award, the highest faculty accolade given by the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina.
Laser technology to protect and store vaccines for transport
Susan Trammell, professor of physics and optical science, and team developed an innovative laser technology, called Light-Assisted Drying, to enable storage of vaccines and other therapeutics at room temperature.
This technology, which was awarded U.S. Patent 11,849,722 in December 2023, is a promising alternative to freeze-drying for storing and stabilizing proteins. Traditional preservation methods are slow, energy-intensive and involve complicated procedures. LAD, in under three hours, uses a near-infrared laser to gently remove water from the material and encase it in a protective sugar-based coating, preserving both stability and effectiveness. It works with a wide range of biological materials and offers a practical substitute for refrigeration-dependent systems.
Eliminating the need for refrigeration during transport and storage would reduce costs by up to 80%. Key stakeholders include public health agencies, pharmaceutical companies, livestock producers and health care providers.
This past fall, Trammell was recognized as a top inventor in a prestigious international patent competition. Additionally, she was named a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors.
About NCInnovation
Founded in 2020, the nonprofit NCInnovation was funded through a $500 million endowment from North Carolina’s General Assembly; it is focused on helping university innovations advance toward commercialization by supporting university applied research through the critical research and design phase between proof concept and readiness for the private market.