November 18, 2025
i-Cubed Innovation Spotlight Celebrates Luminate Insights Launch
At the most recent Innovation Spotlight, i-Cubed celebrated the launch of Luminate Insights, a clinical research education and training provider founded by longtime Duke faculty Hayden Bosworth, PhD, and Steven Grambow, PhD, and supported by the Duke Clinical Research Institute.
The digital event was hosted by i-Cubed Operations Director, Donna Parker, MPH, and brought together attendees from across the Duke community for a candid, engaging look at how two career educators transformed an idea that they sketched out over coffee into a startup that delivers customized, expert-led education programs in clinical research, data science, and implementation.
The co-founders reflected on their 25-plus years of collaboration – from the hallways of the Durham VA to leading programs in population health and biostatistics. They shared how recurring challenges such as slow contracting, duplicative content creation, and fragmented workforce training sparked the idea for a new kind of learning company.
Bosworth and Grambow shared the story behind their innovation, demonstrating how Luminate Insights delivers evidence-based, customizable training for clinical researchers, bridging the gap between traditional academic education and the needs of healthcare organizations, research sponsors, and biopharma partners. “Academia moves at the speed of a glacier,” Bosworth said, “but industry needs responsive, ready-to-use solutions.”
With content designed and led by Duke experts, the startup aims to make advanced research education faster, smarter, and more adaptable to emerging technologies that have not been consistently integrated into traditional training programs. Grambow noted, “Research is constantly evolving. People begin with a solid foundation, but they need ways to keep their skills sharp and stay current. Luminate gives them that path.”
The Spotlight also explored their experience partnering with i-Cubed. From refining their value proposition to navigating contracting, project management, and operational logistics, i-Cubed provided embedded support that allowed the founders to focus on innovation rather than administrative hurdles.
Looking ahead, Luminate Insights plans to partner with Duke faculty to expand its training offerings. To learn more and explore how to get involved in upcoming educational programs and applied learning opportunities, visit the Luminate Insights website.
i-Cubed’s Innovation Spotlight series highlights innovators across Duke who are transforming ideas into real-world solutions. Each session offers the Duke research community an inside look at how new startups, tools, and technologies are accelerating clinical research.
About i-Cubed
i-Cubed™ is the center for clinical research innovation, powered by the unique expertise and resources of the Duke Clinical Research Institute. i-Cubed supports individuals, teams, and organizations in turning their ideas into tools, technologies, and processes that transform how clinical research is done — for the benefit of people everywhere.
Learn how you can work with i-Cubed to move your ideas forward – get in touch at icubedcenter@duke.edu.
