André Bachmann named MSU Innovator of the Year
April 21, 2025
André Bachmann, PhD, a professor and associate chair for research in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, was honored at the Michigan State University Innovation Celebration held earlier this month. Bachmann received the Innovator of the Year award for advancing treatment of rare genetic disorders and pediatric cancer through repurposed therapeutics like DFMO.
When a chance meeting at a seminar connected Dr. Bachmann with a physician treating a mysterious case, it led to a breakthrough: Bachmann-Bupp Syndrome (BABS), a newly identified genetic disorder linked to the ODC1 gene. Thanks to Bachmann’s 30 years of research and a repurposed FDA-approved drug—DFMO—patients with BABS are now seeing real, transformative results.
Backed by patents co-owned with Corewell Health and licensed to Orbus Therapeutics, DFMO is not only helping children with BABS but also showing promise in treating neuroblastoma, a deadly pediatric cancer. His work has led to the creation of the International Center for Polyamine Disorders, the first of its kind in the world.
Learn how one scientist’s persistence, passion, and a bit of serendipity are changing lives—and why collaboration is the key to unlocking the next medical breakthrough.