The 12th Annual BEAR Cage Competition finals will be held from 1:30–3:30 p.m. on Monday in the International Participants Center, Hall C (Level II, OCCC West) at the ATS 2026 International Conference.
The top three submissions chosen by the DDDD Committee will pitch their highly innovative research proposals to a panel of translational science experts representing academia, industry, and government sectors in front of a live audience at ATS 2026 Orlando.
The finals are a conference highlight every year: The “Shark Tank”-style learning environment gives each finalist a platform to present their proposal, with real-time feedback from the judges’ panel and audience. These interactions help fuel and advance the strategic thinking required to translate novel ideas into impactful innovations.
This year’s finalists are:
Xiang Gao, PhD
Job Title: Chief Scientist
Company: Scientific Horizons Consulting
Proposal Title: “A Precision Intranasal Nebulization Platform (PIN) for Targeted Nasal Drug Delivery”
Emily Mitchell, MD
Job Title: Co-Investigator
Institution: University of California, San Diego
Proposal Title: “Breaking the Silence: Eye-Tracking for Restoring Patient Agency and Communication in the ICU”
Keziyah Yisrael-Gayle, PhD
Job Title:Postdoctoral Fellow/Founder and CEO
Institution: University of California-Riverside/TollRAir
Proposal Title: “Development of an Extended-Release Aerosol Formulation of Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) Inhibitors to Protect Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Non-Allergic Asthma”
Once the final presentations conclude, the panel will announce the $10,000 grand prize winner. The two runners-up will be awarded $2,500 each for their efforts. One of the advantages of the BEAR Cage competition is that the prize money is not grant funding, which means the finalists can invest their winnings into the projects they’re most passionate about at their own discretion.
Chantal Darquenne, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, and Kathryn Hibbert, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, are co-chairs of the BEAR Cage competition.
“I love the prospect of helping early-stage investigators translate their ideas or research into potential products,” Dr. Darquenne said. “Working with the next generation is really rewarding and enjoyable.”
In 2025, Yi-an Hsieh, MSE, and Joshua Freedman, MSE, won for their joint pitch, “Digital Incentive Spirometer to Improve Patient Adherence and Clinical Workflows.” The prototype spirometer sought to address key barriers to patient use and adherence. To address poor tracking of spirometry data, the prototype relied on automated data tracking and a clinical interface for data access. The novel device used a direct airflow mechanism and a readily visible display that provides real-time guidance, mitigating the risk of faulty use. Patient feedback was also provided on-device with an easy-to-view screen, obviating smartphone pairing used by other spirometers that could be too complex or difficult, especially for post-surgical patients.
“I think this is a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase what we are working on. We appreciate the ATS’s support of this project,” Ms. Hsieh said after the 11th Annual BEAR Cage competition.
Dr. Darquenne urged all early-career investigators to apply for the 2026 competition, even if their idea requires some refining. “It’s not very onerous to apply, and at the end, it might give you an opportunity to discuss your idea in front of an audience that’s sincerely interested in what you have to say and to receive valuable feedback,” she said.
For any questions about the application process or the competition for ATS 2026, please email [email protected].
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