UConn Researcher Emilie Korchak Awarded Grant for Hao-Fountain Study

Korchak conducts her research within the lab of Dr. Irina Bezsonova, focusing on how specific genetic mutations disrupt the structure and function of the USP7 protein. By utilizing NMR spectroscopy and biophysical binding assays, she aims to decode why these variants trigger developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and autism. This discovery process is essential for the future design of targeted medical treatments.

The grant was presented by Uplifting Athletes, a nonprofit that leverages sports culture to fund rare disease research, alongside the Foundation for Hao-Fountain Syndrome. The funding was officially awarded during the Young Investigator Draft ceremony held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. This program, which mimics the NFL Draft, selects promising early-career scientists nominated by patient advocacy organizations. Since its inception, the initiative has become a vital pipeline for rare disease research, with over $1.2 million distributed to investigators to date.