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08/11/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/11/2025 09:23

$1 Million from Prebys Foundation Supports Pivot Grants to Drive Medical Research at UC San Diego

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August 11, 2025

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The University of California San Diego School of Medicine announced the inaugural recipients of its pivot grant program, an initiative made possible by a $1 million gift from Prebys Foundation to help protect San Diego's biomedical research sector in response to declining federal funding for medical research.

"UC San Diego is a research powerhouse at the forefront of life-changing technological breakthroughs and medical advancements that benefit patients around the world," said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. "We are so grateful to Prebys Foundation for their visionary support of UC San Diego researchers with the goal of allowing them to continue their groundbreaking research despite budgetary challenges facing the campus."

Open to all UC San Diego faculty, the pivot grant program was designed to support early- and mid-career researchers conducting health-related research whose federal grants were impacted during the 2024-25 fiscal year. Eligible disruptions included grant terminations, stop-work orders, delayed Notices of Award and unexpected budget reductions.

"This program is about preserving momentum and protecting scientists," said Barbara Jung, M.D., associate vice chancellor and dean at UC San Diego School of Medicine and principal investigator for the gift. "When critical research is interrupted because of federal delays or cancellations, entire research teams can collapse. This program intervenes to make sure that doesn't happen here."

Each applicant was asked to demonstrate not only the financial impact of the disruption, but also the broader risks to their scientific progress, lab operations and research personnel-especially postdoctoral scholars and trainees.

"At Prebys Foundation, we believe in protecting the promise of science, not just the breakthroughs it produces, but the people who make them possible," said Grant Oliphant, Prebys Foundation CEO and President. "These grants are about ensuring that bold ideas and brilliant researchers don't get lost to circumstance. UC San Diego and the people who work there are one of the crown jewels of our region's innovation ecosystem, and we're proud to help keep its momentum strong."

Pivot Grant Recipients

The grant recipients represent a multidisciplinary cohort of 19 researchers who are studying critical areas such as cancer biology, neuroscience, infectious diseases and regenerative medicine. Each investigator has received between $50,000 and $100,000 in flexible support to pivot high-impact projects in sustainable directions.

The following UC San Diego research projects have received funding through the pivot grant program:

Agency for All

Holly Baker Shakya, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science

Rebecka Lundgren, Ph.D.
Associate Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine

Lotus McDougal, Ph.D.
Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine

Agency for All is a global initiative that explores how individual and collective agency-people's ability to make choices and act on them-drives health behavior and outcomes. By leveraging local perspectives and fostering equitable partnerships, the initiative aims to strengthen agency through evidence-based social and behavior change approaches.

(L-R) Holly Baker Shakya, Ph.D., Rebecka Lundgren, Ph.D., and Lotus McDougal, Ph.D.

Biophysical Cues in Shaping Macrophage and T-Cell Functions

Kolade Adebowale, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering

This project aims to understand how the physical environment around tumors and immune cells affects the way our immune system responds to diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

Cortical Plasticity During Reinforcement Learning

Takaki Komiyama , Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Neurosciences and Neurobiology

Using advanced imaging and genetic tools, this study explores how different brain regions, especially the orbitofrontal cortex, support reinforcement learning (RL). The project aims to uncover neural mechanisms of RL that could inform treatments for cognitive disorders and inspire artificial intelligence models.

Credentialing Novel Cardiovascular Disease Genes in Sex-Specific Genomic Investigation of Insulin Resistance

Amit Majithia, M.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine

This project investigates how sex and hormone therapy influence insulin resistance-a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). By combining genetic studies and functional assays, the research aims to uncover sex-specific genes that drive insulin resistance and contribute to CVD risk.

Developing Lectins as Inhibitors of Coronavirus Spike Protein

Alex Guseman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Lectins, a class of protein, can activate immune responses and transmit signals between cells. This research aims to develop a novel antiviral lectin, BOA, as a potential therapeutic or diagnostic tool for current and future coronavirus outbreaks.

EPHA2 Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer Mechanotransduction

Jing Yang, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmacology

This study investigates the role of the EPHA2 protein in the progression of breast cancer, which can potentially lead to new treatments for the disease.

GENDER Lead: Gender Leadership, Equity and Advancement for Development

Kathryn Barker, Sc.D.
Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine

As part of USAID's Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Hub, the Gender LEAD Program provides thought leadership on how to consider, evaluate and address the ways in which USAID country-level investments shaped and were shaped by gender influences.

Generalizable Sepsis Phenotyping (GRASP) Using Electronic Health Records and Continuous Monitoring Sensors

James Ford, M.D.
Assistant professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

Utilizing electronic health records and continuous monitoring data, this project is developing and validating machine learning algorithms to help health care providers detect patients at risk for sepsis.

Goblet Cells and Intestinal Immune Response in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

Ana Cristina Llorente Izquierdo, Ph.D.
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine

Located in the intestines and other areas of the body, goblet cells produce and secrete mucus to help protect the body from pathogens and toxins. This research is examining how chronic alcohol use disrupts goblet cell function and intestinal immune balance, which contributes to alcohol-associated liver disease.

Impact of Hormone Therapy on Viral Dynamics and Immune Responses

Sara Gianella Weibel, M.D.
Professor, Department of Medicine

This project investigates how hormone therapy, particularly estradiol, impacts HIV persistence, immune activation and metabolism. These insights will address a critical gap in infectious disease research and inform strategies for optimizing care and therapeutic interventions in populations receiving hormone therapy.

Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in the Child Welfare Service System

Marisa Sklar, Ph.D.
Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychiatry

In partnership with child welfare services, this project aims to implement evidence-based practices for improved behavioral health outcomes for youth and families.

Improving Age-Related Risk Assessment and Documentation for Older Adults with Cancer

Melody Schiaffino, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences

This study is examining how well providers assess and document the risks associated with cancer treatment in older adults, with the goal of informing and redesigning existing processes of health care delivery.

MOUD Hub: A Digital Therapeutics Application to Increase Uptake and Retention in Treatment with Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

Annick Borquez, Ph.D.
Associate Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine

Approximately 25% of people in need of medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) in the U.S. receive treatment. Increasing coverage could reduce the prevalence of opioid use disorder and premature deaths from opioid overdose. This project will pilot the MOUD Hub, a digital therapeutics application to support individuals engaged in evidence-based treatment of MOUD, including methadone and buprenorphine.

Plasma Proteomic Signatures of Physical Activity and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias

Steve Nguyen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science

This project uses machine learning to explore how staying physically active might help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and similar diseases, by uncovering the biological links between exercise, aging, and memory loss.

Proteasome Inhibitors as a Novel Drug-class for Treatment of Giardiasis

Anthony O'Donoghue, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Giardiasis is a common parasitic infection that can affect the intestines of humans and animals. Building upon preliminary data, this research seeks to validate that the parasite's proteasome, a vital component of the cells that break down and recycle proteins, can be used as a novel drug target to treat giardiasis.

Social Network Disruption, Viral Transmission and Care Dynamics Among the Forcibly Displaced

Britt Skaathun, Ph.D.
Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine

By combining social network analysis, behavioral data and viral genetics, this study examines how forced displacement and disrupted social networks affect the transmission and care of viruses.

Targeting T Cells for Enhancing Anti-Tumor Immunity in Pediatric Brain Tumors

Anusha Preethi Ganesan, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Pediatrics

This project is investigating how targeting neoantigen-specific T cells can enhance anti-tumor immunity in pediatric brain tumors. By uncovering the functional role of these T cells, the research seeks to discover new paths for effective immunotherapies in children.

"We aren't just funding research, we are preserving capability, leadership and innovation capacity in the region," said Samuel Ward, P.T., Ph.D., vice dean for research at School of Medicine and chair of the pivot grant review committee. "This program reflects our belief that talented scientists are one of the most valuable - and vulnerable - resources in health research. We're doing everything we can to support them and keep their work in motion."

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