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For a whopping eighth year in a row, national health news site STAT has recognized University of Virginia School of Medicine discoveries as some of the prior year’s most important biomedical research breakthroughs. The public will ultimately crown 2025’s champion in an online vote.

STAT Madness is a virtual tournament, akin to the NCAA basketball tournament, that spotlights the nation’s most important and influential scientific research. Sixty-four contenders face off in rounds until there are only two finalists and, ultimately, one big winner.

Voting opened this morning, and you can vote daily in STAT’s online bracket.

UVA Health’s contenders this year:

• Harald Sontheimer, PhD, and his team discovered why Alzheimer’s patients lose their ability to recognize friends and loved ones, opening the door to new treatments. 
• Jie Sun, PhD, and colleagues identified an unknown cellular mechanism that drives long COVID. Their research also revealed an existing drug that could benefit patients. (This is the second time STAT Madness has recognized findings from Sun’s lab as being among the year’s most significant.)

STAT Madness voting continues throughout March, with the winner announced April 7. Be sure to vote for both of UVA’s contenders every day!

To keep up with the latest biomedical research news from the School of Medicine and UVA’s new Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, bookmark the Making of Medicine blog.