The What If…? Awards Program, a new philanthropic initiative designed to catalyze innovative early-stage research in biomedical and health science, is proud to announce its inaugural award recipients. Facilitated by the Science Philanthropy Alliance on behalf of an anonymous funder, the awards program supports high-risk, high-reward projects that pose bold “What If…?” questions in areas ranging from neurodegenerative diseases and cancer to artificial intelligence in clinical care and antimicrobial resistance.
Four research teams from institutions across Chicago were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants to receive $500,000 in pilot funding over two years. The selected projects include:
- Dr. Neil Kelleher, Professor, Northwestern University: “What if proteoforms are the key to better understanding and treating meningioma brain tumors?” — Leveraging advanced proteomics to pioneer brain cancer diagnostics.
- Dr. Juan Rojas, Assistant Professor, Rush University: “What if we rigorously tested whether AI scribes actually help oncologists and patients while saving costs?” — Assessing ambient AI listening tools in oncology clinics.
- Dr. Lisa Stabryla, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois-Chicago: “What if we could fight drug-resistant bacteria with AI-designed nanomaterials?” — Engineering nanoparticle “evolutionary traps” to prevent bacterial resistance.
- Dr. Rong Grace Zhai, Professor, University of Chicago: “What if female biology makes your brain more vulnerable to neurodegeneration, and we could reduce the risk?” — Investigating the X-linked expression of spermine synthase in Alzheimer’s disease.
“These researchers are asking audacious questions that could reshape how we understand, detect, and treat disease,” said Elizabeth Weiss, Senior Director of Philanthropic Advising at the Science Philanthropy Alliance. “The funder and the Alliance were inspired by their originality and the potential for real-world impact. The What If…? Awards are a statement that creativity, risk-taking, and scientific imagination deserve investment."
Administered by the Science Philanthropy Alliance, the RFP process was designed to surface interdisciplinary, collaborative projects that may be too speculative to attract traditional grant funding. Uniquely, proposals required no preliminary data, enabling researchers to put forward nascent ideas that push the boundaries of current thinking. The program was open to faculty at all career stages, resulting in a diverse cohort of awardees representing both emerging and established scientists.
“This program exemplifies what’s possible when philanthropy empowers scientists to pursue curiosity-driven research,” said France Córdova, President of the Science Philanthropy Alliance. “The What If…? Awards reflect a commitment to enabling transformative ideas that might otherwise go unsupported, and we’re proud to have played a role in bringing this vision to life.”
Finalists were selected following a multi-stage review process that included external scientific evaluations and internal programmatic review. Finalists were then invited to present their ideas in a live virtual pitch that allowed the selection committee to engage directly with scientists about their vision, creativity, and potential for impact. This format intentionally reduced the burden of lengthy application writing while also providing an opportunity for researchers to hone their communication skills—conveying bold, scientific ideas to a broad audience.
Each award includes $250,000 from the anonymous funder, with a required 1:1 philanthropic match from the recipient’s institution or other donors, bringing the total support per project to $500,000.
For inquiries, please contact info@whatifawards.org.
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About the Science Philanthropy Alliance
The Science Philanthropy Alliance is the world’s first and longest-standing organization dedicated to advising philanthropists on giving to discovery science. Founded in 2014, the Alliance has grown into a vibrant network of more than 40 member organizations and a global community of funders, scientists, and advisors committed to advancing scientific discovery for the benefit of humanity. We support both emerging and established science funders through tailored advisory services and convene leaders across philanthropy, academia, and government to foster connection, shared learning, and innovation. Learn more at sciencephilanthropyalliance.org.
Media Contact:
Dustin Sposato
Communications Manager, Science Philanthropy Alliance
dsposato@sciphil.org