Live Blog: Arizona's Bioscience Roadmap
Welcome to the Flinn Foundation Bio Blog where you will receive the latest news throughout 2025 (and beyond) on the next iteration of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap.
The Roadmap is the nation’s longest-running, statewide bioscience strategic plan. Bookmark this page for regular updates on the biosciences in Arizona and the development of the new Roadmap coming this fall.
Live Blog: Arizona's Bioscience Roadmap
News and Updates
ASU’s Mehdi Nikkhah receives Flinn grant to accelerate Glioblastoma therapeutics
August 13, 2026
Mehdi Nikkhah, Ph.D., an Arizona State University professor of biomedical engineering, is the principal investigator on a team developing a “GBM-on-a-Chip” platform that closely mimics the human Glioblastoma microenvironment for use in drug development. Nikkhah says this technology will allow…
U of A College of Medicine-Phoenix researcher developing diagnostic for top gynecological cancer in U.S.
August 05, 2026
Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz, Ph.D., of the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix was one of seven researchers awarded a $100,000 grant from the Flinn Foundation Translational Seed Grants Program in 2026 for her work in endometrial cancer. Herbst-Kralovetz said she is…
Flinn Foundation increases funding, opportunities for bioscience research, entrepreneurship programs
August 03, 2026
Application period begins Monday, Aug. 3, for Translational Seed Grants, Bioscience Entrepreneurship programs Apply for Translational Seed Grants Program by Friday, Sept. 11. Apply for Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program by Friday, Oct. 30. Two flagship Flinn Foundation bioscience programs that have…
Story behind medical device startup is personal for Flagstaff entrepreneur
July 30, 2026
Inspired by personal family hardship, bioscience entrepreneur Whitney Slightham tells the story of the founding of Ateleva from the Moonshot Flagstaff Campus. Ateleva is developing a targeted lung therapy to help critical care patients wean off ventilators faster. The minimally…
Flinn Foundation seed grantee Sandeep Gupta of ASU helping epilepsy patients avoid seizures
July 23, 2026
Sandeep Gupta, Ph.D., is leading a research team at Arizona State University to help epilepsy patients who do not respond to medication avoid seizures. Gupta, a professor of computer science and engineering and head of the ASU IMPACT Lab, was…
Arizona Bioscience News: Flinn funding increases; AZ start-ups raise $434.7M; UA professor receives grant; HonorHealth researches brain tumor therapy
July 16, 2026
Flinn increases funding, opportunities for bioscience research, entrepreneurship programs / Flinn Foundation Two flagship Flinn Foundation bioscience programs that have supported Arizona-based translational research and entrepreneurship for more than a decade are increasing their funding and providing a new pathway toward commercialization. Applications open…
HonorHealth researcher developing therapy to attack brain tumors
July 09, 2026
Raffaella Soldi is leading a research team at HonorHealth Research Institute developing SNAP-TIL 101, a next-generation TIL-based therapy built on PepSeq technology to attack Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) tumors, which remain a formidable clinical challenge with limited efficacy of current immunotherapies.
