Wayne State’s Grand Challenges initiative marks first year with interdisciplinary research, new opportunities

Dr. Gil Mor, Dr. Ezemenari M. Obasi, and Dr. Lauren Hamel at the Board of Governors meeting on Oct. 2.

DETROIT - One year after launching Wayne State University's research Grand Challenges initiative, Dr. Ezemenari M. Obasi told the Board of Governors on Oct. 2 that the university is seeing progress in bringing researchers together to tackle complex problems facing Detroit and beyond.

Obasi, vice president of the Division of Research & Innovation, said the initiative aligns with the university's refreshed strategic plan and aims to measure research success not just in grant dollars, but in its impact on the communities Wayne State serves.

"I think today what we're going to really lean into is sort of this cross-disciplinary integration piece," Obasi said, describing the goal of bringing different areas of science together to produce breakthroughs and community impact.

The initiative focuses on four research Grand Challenges: driving lifelong health, powering innovation with AI, revolutionizing mobility and fostering sustainable environments.

Wayne State's research and development activity increased 16%, and its R&D ranking improved to No. 112 nationally and No. 75 among public universities. The university also recorded increases in invention disclosures (27%), license agreements (100%) and U.S. patents issued (14%).

The initiative has awarded five seed grants from 22 applications and three development grants from 15 applications to help researchers pursue collaborative projects, he said.

Improving cancer care through patient-reported data

Dr. Lauren Hamel, professor of oncology at Wayne State University's School of Medicine, discusses her team's cancer research during the university's Board of Governors meeting Oct. 2.

One example of research Grand Challenges in action is an interdisciplinary cancer research project led by Dr. Lauren Hamel, a professor in the Department of Oncology in Wayne State's School of Medicine.

Her team includes Dr. Felicity Harper, professor of oncology; Dr. Inas Khayal, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering and computer science; Dr. Suzan Arslanturk, associate professor of computer science and industrial and systems engineering; and Dr. Ammar Sukari, professor of oncology. Khayal and Arslanturk are faculty members in Wayne State's James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering.

The researchers are studying how better communication and real-time symptom tracking could help cancer patients and their doctors make more informed treatment decisions. Side effects can go underreported when patients and providers lack a complete picture of symptoms between appointments, Hamel said.

"The vast majority of patients with cancer experience treatment-related side effects," she told the board, noting that in as many as 50% of cases, those effects can lead to reduced treatment or stopping treatment altogether.

The project builds on MyPatientPal, a digital app developed by Harper and her team at Karmanos Cancer Institute that allows patients to track the presence and severity of side effects each day. A provider dashboard also lets clinicians review patients' reports between appointments and monitor symptoms.

Wayne State University Board of Governors member Dr. Michael Busuito asks Dr. Lauren Hamel whether her team's approach to tracking cancer treatment side effects has been done before, noting that physicians often face difficult decisions about when treatment's side effects outweigh its benefits.

Researchers are analyzing video recordings of patient-provider conversations to understand how side effects are discussed and whether those discussions lead to treatment changes. They plan to use machine learning and artificial intelligence to identify relationships among symptoms, treatment decisions and patient outcomes.

Hamel said the research Grand Challenges funding has helped advance the work as the team pursues additional support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A grant application is pending, and the team plans to incorporate findings into a resubmission in 2027.

Although the project focuses initially on cancer care, Hamel said the digital approach could be adapted to other areas of health care.

"We're starting in cancer, but there's nothing preventing us from moving into other care contexts," she said.

Obasi said Grand Challenges aims to support research initiatives that make a tangible difference in people's lives.

"Our research Grand Challenges program will make an impact through our research and scholarship by creating tools, products and services that will change lives for the better," he said. "These projects demonstrate this program in action that are helping to solve some of society's most urgent problems."

Separate research explores environmental factors and pregnancy

Dr. Gil Mor, director of Wayne State University's C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, presents his research on environmental exposures and pregnancy outcomes to the university's Board of Governors on Oct. 2.

A separate presentation at the Oct. 2 meeting highlighted research led by Dr. Gil Mor, supported by a $7.2 million NIH grant. The work examines why environmental exposures during pregnancy may affect male and female fetuses differently, with potential consequences for their health later in life.

Mor, director of the C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development and vice chair of research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, described research conducted through the Exposome & Pregnancy-Associated Triggers of Host Immunity and Sex-Dimorphic Outcomes (EPATH-S) Center. The grant is part of the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health's Specialized Center of Research Excellence program.

The research has particular relevance to Detroit, where Mor's team is investigating links between environmental pollution and the city's high rate of preterm birth. Researchers have found a correlation between areas with higher pollution levels, particularly benzene, and higher rates of preterm birth.

Mor's team is examining whether differences in disease susceptibility between males and females begin during fetal development, before sex hormones become active. The research also considers how fathers' behaviors may influence pregnancy outcomes.

Wayne State University Board of Governors member Dr. Anil Kumar asks Dr. Gil Mor about research linking environmental pollution in cities such as Beijing and Mumbai to pregnancy complications and children's health during the board's Oct. 2 meeting.

"We cannot blame the woman for all the problems of the children," Mor said. "What the father does - smoke, drink or whatever - will have an effect on the success of pregnancy in a sexual dimorphic manner."

The center's research also examines e-cigarette exposure, maternal inflammation and other environmental factors that may affect fetal development differently in males and females. Researchers are also studying how preterm birth can have consequences across generations.

The center will host the Pregnant Women Health Fair on Sunday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the C.S. Mott Center, to offer outreach for pregnant women and those planning to become pregnant.

"Our success is going to be measured not only by the number of papers that we publish," Mor said, "but how we are impacting the community and bringing more people to understand better this area of research."