Jessica Zègre-Hemsey, PhD, RN, FAHA, Associate Professor in the UNC School of Nursing and former NC TraCS KL2 Scholar, has received the 2026 Jane Norbeck Distinguished Service Award. Zègre-Hemsey was recognized for the impact of her research on emergency cardiac care, which focuses on improving outcomes for individuals with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and other time-sensitive cardiovascular conditions.

This year's Translating Innovative Ideas for the Public Good (TIIP) award recipients include Wayne Rosamond, PhD, for his work on using drones to deliver automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to people experiencing cardiac arrest—a project previously supported in part by an NC TraCS Pilot grant. The goal of the TIIP Awards is to help move UNC innovation beyond research papers and labs and into communities.

Vibhor Krishna, MD, an associate professor of neurosurgery at the UNC School of Medicine, is at the forefront of focused ultrasound research—making UNC the only medical institution in the world using high frequency sound waves to inactivate brain tissue that causes epilepsy. To get the project launched, Krishna reached out to TraCS' Research Coordination & Management Unit (RCMU) to function as his sole research team.

Translational science works to make biomedical research—from basic research on genetics and cell biology to clinical trials and public health outreach—more efficient and more aligned with patient needs. In this new interactive StoryMap, we chart how NC TraCS supports scientists at every stage of this process, fueling impactful research and powering the future of next-generation medicine in North Carolina.