Ten proposals were selected for the 2025 round of funding from the LAUNCH: Center for New Ventures' program that supports faculty in advancing the life-changing potential of technology emerging from their research.

Researchers have discovered a potentially safer yet effective treatment for multiple disorders that display altered dopamine signaling. The “key?” A molecule that targets a specific protein called the kappa opioid receptor (KOR). Researchers have discovered a potentially safer yet effective treatment for multiple disorders that display altered dopamine signaling. The “key?” A molecule that targets a specific protein called the kappa opioid receptor (KOR).

Recently, a paradigm-shifting review published in MedComm-Future Medicine redefines the skin as a “central command center” that orchestrates health across multiple organs. Led by Prof. Ting Li’s team at Macau University of Science and Technology, the study identifies key molecular messengers, particularly the immune protein IL-17A, that derive bidirectional signaling along the newly defined “skin-organ axis”. By combining evidence from clinical trials with advanced microfluidic organ-chip models, this work proposes a roadmap for revolutionary therapies targeting systemic diseases from arthritis to depression.