Universities of Wisconsin Interim President Renée Wachter joined University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Chancellor Edwin Martini to announce a budget proposal focused on advancing life-saving discoveries in cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other devastating diseases Aug. 10 at the 900 District in Eau Claire.

HeartWorks CEO and co-founder Dr. Tim Nelson, a UW-Eau Claire alumnus, and UW-River Falls biology department chair and professor Dr. Cheng-chen Huang joined Wachter and Martini for the announcement of the “Cures for Tomorrow” initiative. Details about the UWs’ 2026-27 budget request proposal are being shared as the Board of Regents prepare to review the proposal at its August meeting.

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“The Universities of Wisconsin have long served Wisconsin, and our budget proposal is focused on helping meet some of our state’s toughest challenges,” Wachter says. “Today we offer a commitment to advancing research and discoveries for some of our most pressing health issues.”

“Cures for Tomorrow” seeks a $25 million state investment to advance cures and treatment for cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other devastating diseases.

“Every family knows what it means to hope for more time, better treatment, earlier diagnosis and a breakthrough that changes someone’s future,” Wachter says. “This proposal helps Wisconsin do more: support promising research, strengthen partnerships, involve students and move discoveries closer to helping people.”

The “Cures for Tomorrow” proposal is a new initiative from the UWs’ 2026-27 budget request proposal.

“‘Cures for Tomorrow’ funding would help, among other things, to establish the Blugold Brain Health Initiative, building on UW-Eau Claire’s areas of strength to advance new treatments, innovative care models and community-based solutions for individuals living with neurological conditions across the region,” Martini says. “This targeted investment is aligned with community needs and UW-Eau Claire’s expertise across numerous disciplines.”

Nelson says he is excited about the UWs’ plans to invest in healthcare research and plans to push research forward across the state.

“We’ve had a long-standing partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the university system and we are super proud to take the next big, bold leap here at 900 District to inspire and partner with the university and the medical world to do what we’ve never been able to do before,” Nelson says.