The University of Utah is excited to announce the recipients of the second annual Innovation Awards. The awards recognize the efforts U students, staff, faculty and startups have made to pursue impactful research and contribute to the university’s culture of innovation.
The recipients will be acknowledged on Oct. 28 along with those who accomplished the following in fiscal year 2024: were issued a patent, completed Ascender Grant milestones, completed the first and second phases of the I-Corps program, or received SBIR/STTR funding.
Excellence in Innovation Undergraduate Student Award – Morgan Doane
Morgan Doane developed an AI-enabled platform that revolutionizes how student course feedback is analyzed and used to enhance teaching quality. His tool synthesizes feedback, peer reviews and faculty reflections to provide comprehensive, actionable insights for instructors. Doane’s innovative technical approach leverages novel AI tools and traditional data science methods and has significantly improved faculty development and student success. Doane’s conceptual redesigns have transformed the project into a powerful tool that far exceeded initial expectations. Doane's technical and entrepreneurial contributions demonstrate his ability to create impactful, real-world solutions.
Excellence in Innovation Graduate Student Award – Michael Adkins
Michael Adkins exemplifies the intersection of clinical, business, engineering and scientific innovation. A standout M.D.-Ph.D. student in the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab, Adkins has earned multiple accolades, including an NIH diversity fellowship, a $50,000 NSF I-Corp grant, and $51,000 in business competition awards. His research has led to patents and multiple research articles, is not only scientifically rigorous but also demonstrates commercial viability and immediate clinical impact. Adkins’s ability to immerse himself in customer discovery and entrepreneurial competitions while developing groundbreaking technologies positions him as a rising leader in healthcare innovation.
Investigator on the Rise – Justin English
Dr. Justin English has made remarkable strides in understanding and controlling how cells transmit information. A pioneer in his field, English invented VEGAS (Viral Evolution of Genetically Actuated Sequences), a groundbreaking platform for directed protein evolution in mammalian cells. His innovations are transforming how G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling is studied and controlled, with significant implications for drug discovery. GPCRs are the target of over one-third of FDA-approved drugs, and English's work offers a powerful new tool for developing high-affinity agonists for previously undrugged receptors.
Beyond his research, English is a true innovator and entrepreneur. He founded Evolution Bio to commercialize the revolutionary technologies developed in his lab, which has resulted in four issued or pending patents. English’s consulting work with major biotech companies and his lab’s partnerships with leading firms like Eli Lilly and Kallyope further illustrate his impact on both academia and industry.
Known for his energy, creativity and ability to inspire his colleagues, English is having a transformative effect on the University of Utah’s research and entrepreneurial ecosystem. His entrepreneurial spirit, combined with scientific ingenuity, makes him a deserving recipient of the Investigator on the Rise award.
Innovator of the Year – Roger Altizer
Roger Altizer’s work at the intersection of game design, health and technology exemplifies innovation that transforms lives. As co-director of the Digital Health Initiative and founding director of the Therapeutic Games and Apps Lab (The GApp Lab), Altizer has developed nearly 80 games and apps, including VR and AR tools for physical therapy, mental health and public health education. His unique contributions, such as creating the first video game in the Shoshone language and a mood management game for young adults on the autism spectrum, demonstrate his dedication to impactful, socially conscious design.
Altizer is also the creator of The Design Box, an award-winning participatory design methodology that involves end-users as co-designers. His research spans a wide range of health innovations, including games for adolescent mental health, which are now clinically endorsed for their efficacy in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Through machine learning and game-based tools, he continues to enhance patient outcomes, improve cognitive function and promote public health education.
A leader in entrepreneurial efforts, Altizer has advised numerous startups focused on therapeutic games, with several gaining traction in various healthcare settings. His work has earned him national and international recognition, including numerous speaking engagements at industry and academic conferences.
Breakthrough of the Year – Utah Bionic Leg
The Utah Bionic Leg, developed by mechanical engineering associate professor Tommaso Lenzi and his team in the HGN Lab, represents a revolutionary advancement in prosthetic technology. This motorized prosthetic for lower-limb amputees uses motors, processors and advanced artificial intelligence to give users greater power and control, enabling them to walk, stand, sit and navigate stairs with ease. The leg’s intelligent design helps amputees, especially older adults, achieve new levels of mobility by reducing the physical strain often placed on the upper body and intact leg when using traditional prosthetics.
The innovative prosthetic recently made the cover of Science Robotics and made Time magazine’s 2023 annual list of best inventions. It incorporates custom-designed sensors, a smart transmission system and robotic joints that allow for intuitive and continuous control, mimicking the functionality of an intact leg. The Utah Bionic Leg is equipped with robotic knee, ankle and toe joints, enhancing stability and comfort for users, and is designed to adapt to various activities like walking on different terrains or climbing stairs.
The development of the Utah Bionic Leg was driven by Lenzi and a dedicated team of University of Utah students, including Lukas Gabert, Brendon Ortolano, Marissa Cowan, Liam Sullivan, Grace Hunt, Clare Severe, Vishnu Subramani, Minh Tran, Sarah Hood and Joel Mendez. Their collaborative work on this breakthrough technology is now licensed to Ottobock, a global leader in the prosthetics industry, marking a significant step toward making this life-changing innovation.
Founder of the Year – Jan Kubanek
Jan Kubanek, associate professor of biomedical engineering and founder of Spire Therapeutic, is at the forefront of addressing the significant gap in effective treatments for mental and neurological disorders, where current therapies are often ineffective in one out of three cases. Kubanek developed Diadem, an ultrasound-based device offering noninvasive, targeted and personalized treatments for chronic pain and depression. Through Spire Therapeutic, a resident company at Altitude Lab, Kubanek is translating this groundbreaking technology into a marketable product, offering new hope to patients.
Spire Therapeutic has won multiple pitch competitions and is advancing its clinical-stage biotechnology pipeline. The company recently initiated a Phase 3 trial for chronic pain and depression, with additional innovative treatments on the horizon. Kubanek’s work aims to provide surgery-free and drug-free treatments to the millions of people with disorders of brain function who do not respond to existing treatments.
Startup of the Year – 3Helix
Founded in 2015, 3Helix, a University of Utah spinout company, has developed proprietary Collagen Hybridizing Peptides (CHP) that target damaged collagen molecules—key indicators of tissue injury and diseases involving abnormal tissue remodeling, such as cancer, myocardial infarction, arthritis, osteoporosis, and fibrosis. Collagen is essential for supporting cell growth and tissue formation, but targeting damaged collagen has traditionally been challenging with conventional technologies.
3Helix has been developing these peptides as a research tool for academic and industrial labs, while driving substantial innovations of their platform’s capabilities into therapeutic and diagnostic applications. CHP-based diagnostics offer noninvasive methods, such as medical imaging and serum testing, to improve patient stratification and reduce unnecessary treatments. Building on these advancements, 3Helix has since developed several cosmetic and therapeutic peptides, creating a new frontier in anti-aging technology with BASF and hope for patients with inflammatory and fibrotic conditions.
In addition to its scientific advances, 3Helix has formed multiple academic partnerships, received funding from the Utah Innovation Fund, and successfully graduated from Altitude Lab. These milestones underscore the company’s commitment to advancing both research and clinical solutions, making 3Helix a well-deserving recipient of the Startup of the Year award.
Lifetime Achievement – Carl Wittwer
Dr. Carl Wittwer, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Idaho Technology/BioFire Diagnostics since 1990, played a pivotal role as board chairman during the company’s acquisition by bioMérieux in 2014. As a professor emeritus of pathology at the University of Utah, Wittwer has made enduring contributions to molecular diagnostics, holding over 50 U.S. patents and publishing more than 200 scientific articles. His innovations include rapid-cycle PCR in the early 1990s, the LightCycler® system in 1995, high-resolution melting (HRM) in 2004, and extreme PCR in 2014, all of which have shaped modern diagnostic practices.
Dr. Wittwer remains committed to advancing faster, more affordable molecular diagnostic technologies. His latest work includes his appointment to the Advisory Board of Inbiome, where he continues to drive the development of high-throughput pathogen detection systems. His dedication to continually pushing the boundaries of molecular diagnostics has made him an invaluable leader in the field.