Collaboration awards enable scientists to design new medicines, more precisely edit DNA and fight drug-resistant bacteria Scripps Research announces its 2024 recipients of Collaborative Innovation Fund grants.
February 06, 2025
LA JOLLA, CA Scripps Research is proud to announce the recipients of its Collaborative Innovation Fund (CIF) grants for 2024. These awards aim to empower three multidisciplinary teams in their quests to address some of the most pressing challenges in science and medicine through high-risk, high-reward research. By bringing together scientists with unique expertise, the CIF helps spark discoveries that can improve lives worldwide. Each project reflects Scripps Research's commitment to advancing science for the greater good.
The CIF exemplifies the power of teamwork and bold thinking in science, says CIF founder Tom Daniel, who is also a Scripps Research board member. The awarded projects tackle some of the most difficult dilemmas in medicine, combining diverse expertise to create solutions that have the potential to effect change globally.
Professor Phil Baran and Assistant Professor Yuzhong Liu comprise one of the winning teams. Their project, Biosynthesis and evolution of new-to-nature peptide antibiotics, strives to develop next-generation antibiotics to fight superbugs. Antimicrobial resistance poses a critical threat worldwide, claiming millions of lives each year. To help solve this problem, Baran and Liu are leveraging non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) enzymes that act like tiny assembly lines to build complex molecules such as antibiotics. Using these enzymes, the researchers will generate and screen libraries of new antibiotics that can target drug-resistant bacteria like tuberculosis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Another team of grant recipients includes Professors Sumit Chanda, John Teijaro, Christopher Parker and Benjamin Cravatt. For their grant-winning endeavor, Therapeutic discovery through programmable protein heterodimerization, the researchers are working on a technology that rewires how proteins interact inside our cells. By pairing proteins in unique ways, the team aspires to find hidden biological processes that could be harnessed to create therapies for various conditions. This work could lead to entirely new types of treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases and viral infections.
Participants of the third team are Scripps Research Fellow Shannon Miller and Professor Howard Hang. Their project, A CRISPR-free precision genome editing system for large DNA manipulations, entails developing a next-generation tool to edit DNA in human cells without relying on traditional CRISPR technology, which can sometimes cause harmful side effects. These issues include unintended cuts in DNA that can lead to damage in healthy cells. By avoiding the breaks in DNA that CRISPR requires, the team's method offers a safer and more precise way to develop therapies for genetic disorders like Crohn's disease.
The CIF is awarded through an internal grant competition that provides seed funding for research projects in their early stages, helping them progress to a level where they can secure additional funding from more conventional sources.
The fund emphasizes groundbreaking basic research with strong potential to drive significant technological advancements, apply emerging technologies in new ways, repurpose existing technologies for novel uses and integrate diverse methodologies across disciplines. The CIF has been supported by multiple donors, including prominent gifts from Daniel and philanthropists Charles and Gail McCabe.
These are the kind of visionary projects that embody the spirit of the CIF, says Daniel. They show how collaboration can drive transformative breakthroughs.
Learn more about, or contribute to, the Collaborative Innovation Fund.
Institute News Awards and Honors
North America Stories
04/06/2026
Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...
04/06/2026
This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...
04/06/2026
For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...
04/06/2026
Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin and Akamai have announced a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French mult...
04/06/2026
Telestream will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7952), demonstrating media work...
04/06/2026
Sony has announced the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm format image sensor block for the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera, targeting release in the first half of...
04/06/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N8025, June ...
04/06/2026
Bell Media's TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian broadcasters of FIFA Wor...
04/06/2026
The Challenge: Receiving Heavy Media Files From Road Games Quickly and ReliablyT...
04/06/2026
MASV, a managed file transfer platform used in broadcast and live sports product...
04/06/2026
NESN has announced the appointment of Fahad Haider as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Haider returns to NESN, where he previously served as Vice P...
04/06/2026
David J. Halberstam, who spent almost 50 years in sports as a broadcaster and an executive, died June 2 after a years-long battle with brain cancer.
Over his l...
04/06/2026
Although collegiate production programs are tasked with delivering high-quality ...
04/06/2026
California studio, two production trucks, global distribution system are combine...
04/06/2026
New global program empowers and supports storytellers through scriptwriting course and access to industry experts
TikTok and Sundance Institute today announce...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business onli...
04/06/2026
American Underground (AU), the Startup Hub of the South and a community of mor...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
NVIDIA and Microsoft Reinvent Windows PCs for the Age of Personal AI
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
RTX Spark - a 1-Petaflop Superchip, the Full...
04/06/2026
Inside the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Grade
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Simone Grattarola discusses shaping the look in DaVinci Resolve...
04/06/2026
Cine Gear Expo Announces 2026 Awards of Excellence Recipients
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Ed Lachman ASC, Caleb Deschanel ASC, and M. David M...
04/06/2026
St. Vincents Live with Orchestra Tour to Feature Berklee Alum Ruby Plume Berklee alumni St. Vincent and Ruby Plume will appear on the same bill across seven d...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
All the Truth in My Lies Coming to Netflix on August 28
Entertainment
04 June 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Download the imag...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Larry Tanz, VP of Content, EMEA, Delivers a Keynote Speech at ...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Turn Your Living Room into a Stadium With the New FIFA World ...
04/06/2026
Keeping conversations real on LinkedIn Published on Jun 4, 2026 Categories: Product News
LinkedIn Corporate Communications
Share
LinkedIn
Facebook ...
04/06/2026
June's forecast with GeForce NOW: 100% chance of gaming.
GeForce NOW is lining up new adventures for the month, from big-name blockbusters to quirky indies...
03/06/2026
SES and Viva, Mexico's ultra low-cost airline, have launched multi-orbit satellite inflight connectivity on Viva's Airbus aircraft. A total of 60 A320s ...
03/06/2026
The College Football Playoff, ESPN, and TNT Sports have announced kick times and...
03/06/2026
RED Digital Cinema will exhibit at Cine Gear Expo 2026 (Booth 33, June 5-6, Universal Studios Lot), hosting three panels and hands-on product demonstrations.
P...
03/06/2026
Roku has announced the Soccer Zone, a dedicated hub for FIFA World Cup 2026 content available across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argent...
03/06/2026
Liverpool FC and Wasabi Technologies have announced a multi-year extension of their partnership, with Wasabi continuing as the club's official cloud storage...
03/06/2026
Grass Valley has announced that Australian News Channel (ANC), operator of Sky News Australia, has deployed Grass Valley AMPP as part of the relocation of its n...
03/06/2026
The Riedel Group has announced the appointment of Gudrun Scharler as CEO of Riedel Networks. She succeeds Michael Martens, who has led Riedel Networks since 201...
03/06/2026
Clear-Com has announced the deployment of its intercom solutions at Itaka Arena ...
03/06/2026
Scott Coker has announced six senior executive appointments for his new global MMA promotion, which launched earlier this year with $60 million in financing. Ad...
03/06/2026
Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the FIFA World Cup 2026, has announced its digital and social media programming for the tournament, running Ju...
03/06/2026
The Bundesliga has announced the launch of Captain, an AI assistant built into t...
03/06/2026
Anthony James Partners (AJP) is serving as technology consultant for a moderniza...
03/06/2026
Audio-Technica has announced the recipients of its annual sales rep firm awards for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The awards were presented by Jim Schanz, Executive ...
Collaboration awards enable scientists to design new medicines, more precisely edit DNA and fight drug-resistant bacteria Scripps Research announces its 2024 recipients of Collaborative Innovation Fund grants.
