Kaptur Announces Over $5.5 Million Federal Investment in UToledo Research

Toledo, OH — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced that several University of Toledo research projects will receive awards from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. In total, $5,559,857 will be awarded to fuel the pursuit of understanding across many disciplines of medical research.

“Our region is privileged to have an institution like University of Toledo that is committed to furthering medical knowledge for the benefit of all,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “As a recently designated R1 Research Institution, UToledo’s extremely talented scientists and medical professionals lead the way in pioneering research. Federal investments in medical and scientific research are critical to new innovations, and I am honored to have helped secure today’s awards. I look forward to seeing the many impacts of the University of Toledo’s research in our Northwest Ohio communities and beyond in the years to come.” 

The awards include:

• $401,618 for research on the relationship between gut bacteria and blood pressure regulation under Dr. Tao Yang 
• $249,000 for research on the Zika virus’s harm to blood-retinal barriers under Dr. Sneha Singh
• $455,827 for research on opioid toxicity in the human body under Dr. Issac Schiefer
• $561,300 for research on bone marrow blood cell development and its effects on diseases like leukemia and lymphoma under Dr. Fan Dong
• $768,796 for research on Lyme disease prevention under Dr. Mark Wooten
• $1,675,569 for breast cancer research under Dr. Jianmin Zhang
• $496,344 for research on developing pancreatic cancer therapies under Dr. Shi-He Liu
• $448,793 for research on early cell development in the reproductive process under Dr. Tomer Avidor-Reiss
• $502,610 for research on arthritis and spinal disc degeneration under Dr. Mohammad Yunus Ansari

As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Kaptur is dedicated to securing bipartisan support and funding for Northwest Ohio communities. She has also been instrumental in delivering Federal support to the UToledo’s research efforts, a major factor in its recent recognition as an R1, top-tier university for Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. In August 2026, she announced over $1.8 Million in National Science Foundation and National Institute of Standards and Technology research awards and nearly $4 Million in US Department of Health and Human Services awards for the university.

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