UI Science and Innovation Prize awarded for new technology that will accelerate cancer drug development

The ProDiGY project, which is developing new technology that provides a systematic, rapid and cost-effective way to accelerate development of drugs to fight serious diseases such as cancer, has won the 2025 UI Science and Innovation Prize. The results of the competition were announced in the Ceremonial Hall in the UI Main Building today. Prizes were also awarded to three other projects: one about blood tests to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, one promoting education and inclusion for pupils of foreign origin in Iceland, and one developing an app capable of analysing finger prints to diagnose rare genetic diseases.

The UI Science and Innovation Prizes were today awarded for the 27th time, although the competition has undergone several name changes over the years. The competition is intended to highlight practical ideas from students and staff at all UI schools which could deliver commercial and societal benefits. It is vital to support innovation because the entrepreneurial sector brings enormous value to the Icelandic economy. 

This year, there were 36 entries from across all UI schools. The selection committee looked in particular for novelty and originality, implementation, societal impact (e.g. in terms of the UN Sustainable Development Goals), and projects that were consistent with the University's strategy and supported its mission.Prizes were awarded for the best ideas in four categories: Health, Technology and Progress, Society, and the Motivational Prize. An overall competition winner was also selected from among the prize recipients in the four categories.

The winner of the Health category, awarded a prize of ISK 1.5 million, was the project “A blood test to diagnose Parkinson’s disease”. Behind the project are Jón Jóhannes Jónsson, professor at the Faculty of Medicine and senior physician, Freyr Jóhannsson, adjunct lecturer in biochemistry and specialist in clinical biochemistry at Landspítali University Hospital, Bridget Cassata, Fullbright scholar, Lina Dahbi, Erasmus scholar, and Bjarki Guðmundsson, molecular biologist. 

Parkinson’s is a common neurodegenerative disease and damage to mitochondrial genetic material is central to its pathogenesis. The research team has developed a process for isolating mitochondrial genetic material from blood platelets and plasma. Various structural defects in the genetic material are then detected using a process called Northern Lights analysis.

The selection committee believes that this project has enormous practical value and is genuinely innovative. “It applies technology in a ground-breaking way to strengthen the healthcare system as a whole and deliver significant benefits to our society. The project promotes improved services and increases the potential for more targeted preventative measures within the healthcare system. It also has the potential to develop solutions that could be applied globally.”

The winner of the Technology and Progress category, awarded a prize of ISK 1.5 million, was the project “ProDiGY – Proximity-driven Discovery of Molecular Glue Targets using Synthetic Human-Yeast Protein Interactions”. This project was also the overall winner of the competition, awarded an additional ISK 1 million. Behind the project are Guðjón Ólafsson, assistant professor at the School of Health Sciences, and Eiríkur Steingrímsson, professor at the Faculty of Medicine.

ProDiGy is new technology based on synthetic biology, using yeast and forced protein interactions to find targets for molecular glues, a new class of drugs that help cells get rid of or deactivate disease-causing proteins. The method provides a systematic, rapid, and cost-effective way to accelerate development of drugs to fight serious diseases such as cancer. This creates new opportunities to develop treatments where few or no solutions exist today.

“The selection committee believes that this is a ground-breaking project that will deliver significant societal benefits. It creates potential for exciting technological advances and combines diverse research methods in an effective way. The project responds to a clear demand for innovative solutions in an area where traditional approaches have not been successful. By bridging the gap between research and application, the project could have a wide-reaching impact on the development of new drugs.”

The winner of the Society category, awarded a prize of ISK 1.5 million, was the project “INTECHGRATION”. Behind the project are David Reimer, professor at the School of Education and the School of Social Sciences, Heiður Jónsdóttir, project manager at the Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, Markus Kohlmeier, postdoctoral researcher at the School of Social Sciences, and Jón Örn Guðbjartsson, director of the UI Division of Marketing and Public Relations.

The project is aimed at promoting education and inclusion for pupils of foreign origin in Iceland by using visual and audio technology to transform learning materials into the pupils’ first languages. The project is focused on compulsory school pupils in secondary grades, in particular pupils from Polish backgrounds, and aims to improve their academic performance and wellbeing. The project will evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention in terms of improved mental health, academic goals, and ability to go on to study at the upper secondary school level.

The selection committee believes that this is a particularly interesting project and an excellent example of successful interdisciplinary collaboration. “It involves an innovative approach to effective technology, allowing the public to access diverse solutions and learning materials. The project promotes increased societal engagement and has a positive impact on inclusion by making knowledge and solutions accessible to a broad group of people.”

The Motivational Prize of ISK 500,000 was awarded to the project “Diagnosis of rare genetic diseases using finger prints and smartphones.” Behind the project are Lotta María Ellingsen, professor at the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Hans Tómas Björnsson, professor at the Faculty of Medicine, and Viktor Ingi Águstsson, medical student.

The project is about developing a smartphone app that uses image analysis of finger prints to diagnose rare genetic diseases such as Kabuki syndrome. The team have demonstrated that both so-called binary regression analysis and deep neural networks can distinguish fingerprints of individuals with Kabuki syndrome from healthy individuals. The long-term goal is to create a simple diagnostic tool that allows early diagnosis of genetic diseases, which would be particularly useful where there is limited expertise or access to genetic testing.

The selection committee says that the project is based on interesting research at UI and has the potential for further development. “The technology on which this project is based could open up exciting and even unforeseen possibilities that could have a far-reaching impact in the field. The project aligns with UI strategy, supports its mission and creates a wide range of opportunities for collaboration with industry partners.”

The competition for the UI Science and Innovation Prizes is run as a collaboration between the University of Iceland, Árnason|Faktor and the Technology Transfer Office Iceland. The prize-giving ceremony was part of Iceland Innovation Week 2025, which began today.