Good morning, Chicago.

At the Black Wall Street festival in West Woodlawn, young entrepreneurs showcased creative products and shared their ideas after a high-energy parade kicked off the event on September 13th.

The festival featured more than 65 vendors offering crafts, food, music, and fashion—sparking local business enthusiasm.

Hyde Park hosts a variety of events this week, including a DuSummer outdoor music series on Thursday, a public art trolley tour along the Washington Park corridor on Friday, and a Fun4Everyone conference running through Sunday—additional programs feature yoga for older adults, a dance workshop on migration, and a meet and greet with the new Seminary Co-op executive director on Saturday. These events provide free and low-cost opportunities for residents to experience music, art, and community discussions across the neighborhood.

The University of Illinois System has announced a call for proposals for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem/U of I System Joint Research and Innovation Seed Grant program — proposals will be due November 14 — and researchers will focus on quantum science and AI for scientific applications.

UIC researchers discovered that the small protein IL-10 helps prevent lung inflammation that can lead to illnesses like pulmonary fibrosis—its absence allowed certain bacteria to trigger harmful reactions.

Their study points to a key role for IL-10 in keeping lungs balanced for future treatments.

Dr. Robert M. Califf, a former FDA commissioner and leader in clinical research, will speak at Chair Chats on Oct.

28 at 2 p.m. at Retzky College of Pharmacy Auditorium on 833 S. Wood St—registration must be completed by Oct. 24 since unregistered guests will not be admitted and a free reception will follow from 3:15 to 4 p.m.

Mary Dawn Koenig of UIC College of Nursing will lead a five-year study with a nearly $3.5M NIH grant to test if the probiotic LP299V can boost iron absorption in pregnant women with low hemoglobin.

The study will enroll about 200 patients who will take either the probiotic with a prenatal supplement or a placebo—aiming to lower rates of maternal iron deficiency and to check for improvements in babies’ neurocognitive development.