From left to right: Mistletoe Research Fellows Sung Bum Kang, Catherine Applegate, Alejandro De la Cadena, and Renato Ferreira Leitao Azevedo. 

It isn’t every day that postdoctoral researchers accustomed to working in the lab can apply their academic expertise to cutting-edge startups — the crux of why the Mistletoe Research Fellowship was created in 2018.

The professional development program awards research grants to postdoctoral fellows and provides them the opportunity to collaborate with startups, creating a pathway between academia and industry research with an emphasis on social and humanitarian impact.

Four Beckman researchers were recently selected for the prestigious fellowship: Beckman Institute Postdoctoral Fellows Catherine Applegate and Alejandro De la Cadena; Sung Bum Kang, a postdoctoral researcher within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Renato Ferreira Leitao Azevedo, a postdoctoral researcher within the Illinois Department of Kinesiology and Community Health.

They comprise four of 24 fellows across the U.S. and Singapore at 14 approved institutions, including Illinois.

Catherine Applegate.

Applegate studies novel cancer therapies through nutritional science and bioengineering.

“It’s a rare opportunity for postdocs to apply their independent thinking to the industry world — startups that primarily exist to solve today’s environmental and healthcare challenges,” Applegate said. “And the fact we’re meeting scientists in other fields that are profoundly interested and passionate about their work enables diverse conversations that are invaluable.”

In the near term, fellows will attend a matchmaking event to be paired with social impact startups matching their expertise. The startups primarily focus on solving health and climate problems; participants will tap into their academic prowess to analyze current products and conduct literature research to identify ways to improve the startups’ core functions.

Fellows will also receive $10,000 for professional development.

Applegate plans to conduct robust research aimed at minimizing animal use in research by demonstrating how individual biological specimens differ, and why this is an important biological consideration. For instance, when using animals for research, it’s possible — and likely — that differences among individuals may lead to variations in data and results.

The research and subsequent findings conducted as a result of this program will remain the intellectual property of the fellows, who may help facilitate how the startups use their ideas independently of the university.

“Our work won’t be connected with the university, but instead will stay with us, the individual fellow, and the company,” Applegate said. “Other universities pushed back on this, but the University of Illinois agreed to participate given the value of the collaboration and the benefit for postdoctoral fellows to enrich their professional development.”

Applegate and the rest of the fellows attended a workshop in December where they met like-minded individuals fascinated by startups and entrepreneurs, as well as the familiar world of academia.

“Not only does the fellowship allow us to collaborate with researchers and industry professionals, but it also enables us to receive funding independently of a lab,” Applegate said. “Because of this, fellows have the ability to generate preliminary data that can then be used to apply for additional funding as principal investigators.”

Applegate explained that it’s unique — and a standout benefit of the fellowship — that the fellows receive funding as opposed to a lab or established principal investigator. This enables researchers to pursue their own independent projects now and in the future.

Alejandro De la Cadena.

De la Cadena’s research includes developing unprecedented microscopy techniques to scrutinize the tumor microenvironment.

“The networking opportunities within this cohort are amazing and with about a 10% application success rate, winning this fellowship not only makes me very grateful for the support received from my mentor, Professor Stephen Boppart, and my group at Beckman, but also motivates me to push science forward and make a real impact on human health,” De la Cadena said. “In addition, I’m excited to learn new skills, and discover a new dimension of entrepreneurial innovation. This fellowship is a great opportunity.”

With funding from the fellowship, De la Cadena plans to purchase state-of-the-art lasers and equipment for developing novel imaging technologies in addition to attending a few international conferences to assist with his research in advanced imaging.

Sung Bum Kang.

Kang, who researches thermal properties, photonics, and eutectic self-assemblies for functional devices, will use fellowship funds to conduct research focused on developing innovative energy storage solutions using advanced materials.

“Specifically, I aim to explore the feasibility of using novel nanomaterials for improving the performance and efficiency of energy storage devices,” Kang said. “This research will involve synthesizing and characterizing various nanomaterials, including metal oxides, carbon-based materials, and nanocomposites, to assess their electrochemical properties and suitability for energy storage applications.”

Renato Ferreira Leitao Azevedo.

Azevedo, a researcher focused on digital health interventions, also intends to use the fellowship funds for research purposes.

“The focus of my work is on fostering positive behavior changes, facilitating successful decision-making, and promoting health, education, and wellness,” Azevedo said. “This research will also explore the effectiveness of design and utilization of information and how technology can address inequities, especially among older adults.”