The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation Proudly Announces Dr. Aliesha O’Raw’s Selection for the American Cancer Society BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program
In a significant development within the cancer research community, the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) has proudly revealed that Dr. Aliesha O’Raw, a leading Principal Investigator at the institute and Co-Founder of OnVagus, has been selected for the prestigious 2026 cohort of the American Cancer Society (ACS) BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program. This highly selective initiative aims to accelerate cancer diagnostic and therapeutic startups through comprehensive mentorship, specialized entrepreneur training, and critical early-stage investment. At its core, this program supports innovators whose work promises transformative impacts on cancer patient outcomes.
The ACS BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program offers participating startups financial resources, including a $100,000 SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) investment funded by the ACS BrightEdge Investment Fund. This financial backing is supplemented by extensive mentorship opportunities and tailored educational modules designed to enhance startups’ commercialization strategies, sharpening their skills to move potentially groundbreaking innovations from lab bench to bedside efficiently. Being selected in this competitive environment is a testament to Dr. O’Raw’s pioneering work and entrepreneurial acumen.
Dr. O’Raw’s focus with OnVagus, the biotechnology venture she co-founded, targets one of oncology’s most devastating complications—cancer-associated cachexia. Cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome characterized primarily by muscle wasting, severe weight loss, anorexia, and systemic inflammation. Despite its prevalence, affecting approximately 80% of cancer patients and accounting for over one-third of cancer-related deaths, cachexia remains incurable. OnVagus is advancing a novel, non-invasive therapeutic approach that leverages the gut-brain axis to combat this syndrome, offering hope for vastly improved patient quality of life and survival rates.
The science underlying OnVagus’ innovation is built on harnessing bioelectronic medicine principles where modulation of the vagus nerve, a critical component of the autonomic nervous system, can influence metabolic and inflammatory pathways. By stimulating this nerve non-invasively, the device aims to reverse the pathological features of cachexia observed in preclinical studies, including mitigation of muscle atrophy and chronic systemic inflammation. This approach sidesteps traditional pharmacological interventions, eliminating the need for drugs, needles, or surgery, thus minimizing potential side effects and improving patient compliance.
Dr. O’Raw highlighted the significance of her selection, emphasizing the strategic advantage the ACS BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program presents to OnVagus. The program’s mentorship network comprises seasoned experts who bring diverse perspectives, from clinical oncology to biomedical engineering and venture investment. This cross-disciplinary support is vital for refining the technology’s commercialization pathway and accelerating OnVagus’ entrance into human trials, scheduled for the second quarter of 2026. The ultimate goal is clear: deliver an effective cachexia therapy that can be seamlessly integrated into oncology care.
Stewart Han, President of the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, expressed enthusiastic support, underscoring that Dr. O’Raw’s achievement aligns with TIBI’s core mission of translating cutting-edge biomedical research into practical clinical solutions. The institute prioritizes projects that offer clear translational potential and patient-centric benefits, as evidenced by OnVagus’ innovative mechanism and therapeutic promise. Han remarked that the ACS program will provide crucial infrastructure and resources enabling investigators like Dr. O’Raw to surmount commercialization challenges that frequently inhibit medical breakthroughs.
The ACS BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program itself represents a vital mechanism for nurturing early-stage companies developing cancer-related technologies. These companies often face high barriers, including regulatory complexities, funding gaps, and operational challenges related to studying intricate biological systems such as cancer cachexia. By offering a structured program culminating in a closed pitch event before a network of investors, ACS promotes scalable innovation with real-world impact potential, catalyzing solutions that might otherwise languish in preclinical or early clinical development stages.
OnVagus’ approach uniquely targets the gut-brain axis, which has garnered increasing interest in recent years for its role in systemic diseases. This bi-directional communication system allows the central nervous system to modulate inflammation, appetite, and energy metabolism—pathways profoundly disrupted in cachexia. By employing a wearable or portable device that non-invasively stimulates the vagus nerve, OnVagus taps into this neurophysiological circuit to recalibrate systemic responses, effectively combating wasting and improving patient anabolic states.
Preclinical models have demonstrated that this vagus nerve stimulation can substantially reverse cachexia’s hallmarks, such as muscle degradation, anorexia, and heightened inflammatory markers. These results provide pivotal proof-of-concept evidence supporting clinical trial advancement. Furthermore, the non-invasive nature of the therapy offers significant advantages over invasive neuromodulation approaches, which typically require implanted devices with associated surgical risks.
From a biomedical engineering perspective, developing such a neurostimulation device involves overcoming challenges including precise targeting of the vagus nerve, ensuring consistent stimulation parameters, and integrating user-friendly interfaces suitable for cancer patients whose health statuses are compromised. OnVagus’ team combines expertise in bioengineering, neurobiology, and clinical oncology, fostering a multidisciplinary environment conducive to innovation and rapid problem-solving.
The upcoming clinical trial phase represents a critical milestone, as OnVagus will evaluate safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy in human subjects. Success in clinical trials would pave the way for broader adoption, potentially establishing a new standard of care for cachexia management. By providing patients with a treatment option that alleviates one of cancer’s deadliest complications, OnVagus aims to extend survival curves and enhance the overall therapeutic experience.
Dr. O’Raw’s involvement in the ACS BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program also exemplifies the increasing trend of researchers embracing entrepreneurship to propel healthcare innovations. Bridging the gap between academic research and commercial application is crucial in translating scientific discoveries into tangible patient benefits. Programs like BrightEdge empower investigators with the training, network, and capital required to navigate this complex journey successfully.
In conclusion, Dr. Aliesha O’Raw’s selection for this esteemed program marks a pivotal step forward in cancer cachexia research and treatment development. Through OnVagus’ groundbreaking approach harnessing vagus nerve stimulation, there is renewed hope for millions of cancer patients battling cachexia worldwide. The collaboration between the ACS, Terasaki Institute, and entrepreneurial innovators like Dr. O’Raw underlines the essential synergy between science, engineering, and business needed to conquer cancer’s multifaceted challenges.
Subject of Research: Cancer-associated cachexia and neurostimulation-based therapeutic interventions
Article Title: Terasaki Institute’s Dr. Aliesha O’Raw Selected for ACS BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program to Transform Cancer Cachexia Treatment
News Publication Date: March 17, 2026
Web References: https://mediasvc.eurekalert.org/Api/v1/Multimedia/9449d286-4f4e-4396-b4f6-4f36a1d2bddc/Rendition/low-res/Content/Public
Image Credits: Terasaki Institute
Keywords: Cancer research, Oncology, Biomedical engineering, Biotechnology, Cancer-associated cachexia, Neurostimulation, Vagus nerve, Bioelectronic medicine, Cancer therapeutics, Translational research
