The Jefferson Trust has awarded $812,064 to six new projects across the University of Virginia.
“In this Fall Cycle, we continued to see how the University community is incorporating artificial intelligence. Whether in education or medical research, the implications of this work could extend far beyond Grounds. As these projects and new ideas continue to evolve, we look forward to another Major Cycle round in the Spring semester,” shared Brent Percival, Executive Director of the Jefferson Trust.
Together, the six projects demonstrate how innovation and collaboration can create new opportunities in health, education, and career preparation.
The Trust offers two Major Cycles each year, one in the Fall and one in the Spring. The 2026 Fall Major Cycle Grants are:
Predicting Tumor Growth with Generative AI: $260,000
A multidisciplinary team will build GrowthNet, an artificial intelligence model that uses a patient’s current MRI to generate a 3D forecast of how their vestibular schwannoma brain tumor is likely to grow over time.
From Pump to Patient: Identifying Microplastic Exposure in the NICU: $80,000
This research initiative will examine microplastic concentrations in expressed and donor breast milk across collection, storage, and delivery stages. Results will guide safer NICU feeding practices, create interdisciplinary training opportunities for UVA students and trainees, and establish the evidence needed to reduce exposure among medically vulnerable newborns.
CICLEC Fellows Program in Catalysis and Sustainability: $135,000
The Catalysis Initiative for Clean Energy and Chemicals (CICLEC), a UVA Research Hub spanning the College of Arts & Sciences and School of Engineering, will establish UVA’s first cross-college undergraduate research cohort in catalysis and sustainability, the science behind clean fuels, chemicals, and energy.
UVA Finance Academy: $127,500
Open to all second-year students, funding helps expand the UVA Finance Academy across the full finance journey, from recruiting to internships to full-time offers, increasing access to high-opportunity careers and career preparation for UVA students.
Scaffold: An Adaptive Learning Platform for Engineering Education: $89,500
Funding will create Scaffold; an adaptive learning platform built specifically for teaching proficiency in core scientific skills common in engineering and science education.
Breathomics for Ischemic Stroke Differentiation in Humans: $120,064
From the Department of Anesthesiology, this project aims to develop a non-invasive platform that identifies exhaled biomarkers to provide rapid, objective decision support for detecting ischemic strokes.