By: Colorado BioScience Association & Boettcher Foundation
Grant Funding Drives Scientific Discovery and Retains Leading, Colorado-Based Biomedical Researchers
DENVER, May 21, 2026 — Boettcher Foundation and Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) congratulate the 2026 Class of Boettcher Investigators, eight outstanding early-career biomedical researchers at four leading Colorado academic and research institutions. Each scientist will receive a $250,000 grant through the Boettcher Foundation’s Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Awards Program to fund up to three years of independent scientific research, with total grant funding reaching $2 million.
This year’s class represents the next generation of scientific excellence and marks another milestone in Boettcher Foundation’s 17-year commitment to strengthening Colorado’s biomedical research ecosystem. The Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Awards provide critical early-career support and position recipients to compete for additional private, state, and federal research funding while helping Colorado retain top scientific talent.
“The awards are critical to Colorado’s future because of the investment in researchers at one of the most important stages of their careers, when bold ideas have the potential to create lasting impact,” said Katie Kramer, president & CEO of the Boettcher Foundation. “Colorado’s leadership in bioscience depends on ensuring that emerging researchers have the resources to pursue innovative work.”
The 2026 Class of Boettcher Investigators leads groundbreaking research across a broad range of urgent health challenges. Their work includes preventing dangerous implant infections, improving treatments for acute myeloid leukemia and juvenile arthritis, uncovering new causes of high blood pressure in the lungs and developmental disorders, developing earlier detection methods for infections during pregnancy, and exploring how diet and lifestyle influence the infant gut microbiome and long-term immune health. Together, these projects highlight Colorado researchers’ drive to tackle complex diseases through bold, interdisciplinary science.
The 2026 Class of Boettcher Investigators includes:
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Casey M. Gries, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences – Disrupting zinc-dependent biofilms to prevent Staphylococcus aureus implant infection.
R. Adam Harris, D.V.M., Ph.D., Diplomate ACVP, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences – Dissecting NRAS-mediated leukemic stem cell persistence to enable durable AML therapy.
NATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH
Chen-Shan (Julia) Woodcock, Ph.D., Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine – RNA quality control regulates pulmonary endothelial pathophenotypes in pulmonary hypertension.
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO ANSCHUTZ
Alessandra Brambati, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacology – Regulation of microhomology-mediated end-joining during cell division.
John Janetzko, Ph.D., Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Pharmacology, and Pharmaceutical Sciences – All swell doesn’t end well: investigating how GPCR signaling dysfunction affects cell-volume regulation in disease.
Katherine Kissler, C.N.M., Ph.D., College of Nursing – Dynamic digital physiological signatures of impending intraamniotic infection.
Kentaro Yomogida, M.D., Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine – NK cell–fibroblast crosstalk in the pathogenesis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER
Matthew Olm, Ph.D., Department of Integrative Physiology – How diet and lifestyle shape the infant gut microbiome and immune disease risk.
Since its inception, the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Awards Program has supported 121 Boettcher Investigators, including this year’s class, and awarded close to $29 million in grant funding. These researchers have gone on to secure more than $150 million in additional research funding from federal, state, and private sources.
Colorado continues to build momentum as a leading hub for biomedical research and health innovation, powered by world-class academic institutions, top talent, collaborative partnerships, and strong support for early-stage discovery. Boettcher Foundation’s Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Awards strengthen the state’s long-term competitiveness by helping emerging investigators accelerate breakthroughs for patients.
“Colorado’s future as a leading hub for health innovation depends on bold scientific thinking and sustained investment in emerging researchers,” said Elyse Blazevich, president and CEO of Colorado BioScience Association. “The Boettcher Investigators are advancing high-impact discoveries across some of the most urgent challenges in human health while strengthening Colorado’s position as a center for biomedical research and innovation. These awards help accelerate breakthrough science, support exceptional talent, and reinforce the collaborative research environment that sets Colorado apart.”
For more information about the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Awards Program, visit the Boettcher Foundation website.
Headshots of the individual recipients are available by request.
About the Boettcher Foundation
At Boettcher, we believe in the promise of Colorado and potential of Coloradans. Every day we build up and connect doers and difference makers from across the state, working to elevate people, programs, and organizations. Because by investing in Colorado leaders, we provide a foundation for transformational impact and community building.
About Colorado BioScience Association
Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) creates co-opportunity for the Colorado life sciences community. CBSA champions a collaborative life sciences ecosystem and advocates for a supportive business climate. From concept to commercialization, member companies and organizations drive global health innovations, products and services that improve and save lives. The association leads Capital and Growth, Education and Networking, Policy and Advocacy, and Workforce Cultivation to make its members stronger, together. Learn more: cobioscience.com
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Contact:
Curtis Esquibel
Boettcher Foundation
303.565.6291
curtis@boettcherfoundation.org
Sheliah Reynolds
Primavera Group for Colorado BioScience Association
720.289.4739
sheliah@theprimaveragroup.com
