Young Hahn, PhD, Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, has been awarded a $95,028 Small Business Innovation Research award by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Hahn will partner with Luna Labs, a Charlottesville-based contract research organization, to develop a long-term antiviral treatment for hepatitis C using implantable hydrogels loaded with medicinal compounds. The hydrogel, a water-based polymer network, will slowly release the drug and provide long-lasting protection against hepatitis C, not unlike birth control implants that slowly release hormones to prevent pregnancy. The Hahn lab will determine the optimal dosage of the medication and study whether it behaves differently than orally administered drugs in mice. Additional collaborations between the Hahn team and Luna Labs are expected in the future.