Sylvester Innovates Fund Will Accelerate Early-Stage Cancer Discoveries and Inventions
The $1 million initiative aims to drive translational oncology breakthroughs.
A new innovation fund will accelerate translational oncology research at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Carefully designed to advance faculty-led projects, the Sylvester Innovates Fund (SIF) will provide up to $1 million for promising cancer discoveries and inventions with clinical potential.
“Our Sylvester Innovates Fund—Biomedical Competition is designed to accelerate the translation of promising cancer research into clinical and commercial applications,” said Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., Sylvester director, Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research, executive dean for research and professor of medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology at the Miller School. “In fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, the initiative highlights Sylvester’s research talent, attracting interest from investors, biotech and pharmaceutical partners and creating opportunities for collaboration, licensing and long-term impact.”
Funding Cancer Research
In the program’s initial stage, Sylvester is offering up to $200,000 to support early-stage concepts without a patent, and $200,000 to $500,000 for more advanced projects nearing a patent application, according to Desert Horse-Grant, Sylvester’s chief transformation officer.
“Our $1 million fund is supported through private philanthropy,” she said. “We will be actively fundraising to build an ongoing pipeline of donations for the most promising advances in experimental therapeutics, diagnostics, digital health and other inventions.”
To apply for the funding, faculty members should submit letters of intent by August 8, and finalists in the biomedical competition will provide full submissions by September 26. A panel of distinguished external reviewers will hear the “pitches” in November. The awards will be announced in December. To provide additional feedback to researchers, a monthly series of lunch-and-learn sessions with external reviewers is planned for 2026.
“We want to continue to develop powerful clinical applications from Sylvester’s laboratories,” said Horse-Grant. “This fund will accelerate discoveries, advance translational research, foster innovation, support precision medicine, enhance academic-industry partnerships, develop internal talent and increase Sylvester’s visibility and impact.”
A Collaborative Approach
William Silverman, Ph.D., M.B.A., executive director of the Coulter Program and New Ventures at the University of Miami’s U Innovation, said the new Sylvester fund reflects the university’s commitment to translational innovation by supporting early-stage cancer technologies. It was developed through a collaboration between Sylvester and U Innovation’s Coulter Center for Translational Research and Office of Technology Transfer to ensure that promising ideas receive the structure, mentorship and resources needed to move from concept to clinic.
“Experimental therapeutics are central to Sylvester’s mission of advancing precision oncology,” added Dr. Silverman. “The fund enables investigators to explore novel approaches that may not yet be positioned for investment funding, accelerating the development of new treatments that can directly benefit patients. It is designed to de-risk early-stage projects through rigorous internal and external review processes, making it a key driver of industry engagement.”
Whitney Hough, Ph.D., M.B.A., director of the Office of Technology Transfer for U Innovation, said the fund will foster dynamic innovation, supporting researchers who take risks to solve the world’s greatest cancer problems.
“This initiative will enhance UM’s profile as a hotbed for cutting-edge research, thereby leading to increased industry partnership,” she said. “By providing resources such as intellectual property protection, licensing strategies, and startup creation support, we help bridge the gap between academic research and real-world medical applications. It’s thrilling to be part of an effort that propels UM’s research capabilities forward and positions us as a leader in cutting-edge cancer solutions.”
Artavazd Arumov, Ph.D., entrepreneur-in-residence at the Miller School, said one of the most important elements of the innovation initiative is the ongoing involvement of an experienced, industry review committee.
“The Sylvester Innovates Fund will support successful industry collaborations through increased out-licensing to existing biopharma companies and the successful launching of home-grown startups,” he added. “The support of our world-class external reviewers is critical to ensuring that we advance technologies with the proper strategy for success top of mind.”
Learn More About the Sylvester Innovates Fund
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Tags: cancer research, Desert Horse-Grant, Dr. Stephen Nimer, institutional research grants, philanthropy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sylvester Innovates Fund, U Innovation