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Nine researchers and physicians from VCU Massey Cancer Center were among 22 individuals from the university — spanning a range of disciplines — who were inducted last week into the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). The organization founded in 2010 includes more than 4,600 members worldwide and recognizes inventors who hold U.S. patents.

Massey researchers and clinicians who were inducted into the new NAI chapter include:

• William Broaddus, M.D., Ph.D., neurosurgeon at Massey and Hord Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the VCU School of Medicine

• M. Imad Damaj, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at Massey and professor in the Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology at the VCU School of Medicine

• Paul Dent, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Biology research program at Massey and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the VCU School of Medicine

• Steven Grant, M.D., associate director for translational research at Massey and professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the VCU School of Medicine

• Siyong Kim, Ph.D., director of clinical medical physics in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Massey and the VCU School of Medicine

• Rakesh Kukreja, Ph.D., member of the Developmental Therapeutics research program at Massey and professor of the Department of Internal Medicine at the VCU School of Medicine

• Masoud Manjili, Ph.D., D.V.M., member of the Cancer Biology research program at Massey and professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the VCU School of Medicine

• Youngman Oh, Ph.D., member of the Developmental Therapeutics research program at Massey and professor in the Department of Pathology at the VCU School of Medicine

• Sarah Spiegel, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Biology research program at Massey and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the VCU School of Medicine

In remarks during a ceremony hosted by VCU TechTransfer and Ventures and held at Maymont, speakers highlighted VCU’s recent ranking by the National Science Foundation as a top 50 public research university and crossing the $400 million barrier in sponsored research in 2022.

“It speaks volumes of what the institution is doing to have so many people inducted into [NAI] membership,” P. Srirama Rao, Ph.D., vice president for research and innovation, said during the April 25 event. “Over the last few years, VCU has proven to be a research powerhouse. The unstoppable knowledge creation and the transformative innovation being carried out here is felt locally, nationally and globally.”

Bob Stolle, chief executive and president of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp. and a former Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade, noted that Central Virginia is taking a particular lead in drug research and pharmaceutical manufacturing, driven in large part by the VCU’s Medicines for All Institute. The institute was established in 2017 with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is improving access to high-quality medications across the globe by driving down production costs.

“It is changing the way that the U.S. gets their drugs,” Stolle said. “We're not going to be in the same situation as we were at the beginning of COVID [with challenges around drug production and supply chains]. And a lot of it is due to VCU.”

“VCU has a large cadre of drugs, medical devices and biologics targeting various disease indications that are in stages of development — ranging from those in early stages to others that are close to human clinical trials and some that have just entered or are already clinical trials,” Rao said.

“The impact of all this is going to be quite transformational,” he added. “Imagine if just five or 10% of those drugs become successful — the significant impact that can have on the economy in terms of the new startups, licensing and tech transfer opportunities, and importantly the health and well-being of patients who will benefit the most.”

While VCU’s affiliation to VCU Health helps to guide creation of life-saving drugs and devices, Rao noted that VCU’s research in that area spans beyond the School of Medicine, including the School of Pharmacy, the College of Engineering, the College of Humanities and Sciences and others. This provides the necessary depth required for drug discovery and development, he said.

“Solving today's societal problems needs more of a transdisciplinary approach. This is critical now more than ever before,” he said.

His office has outlined four key research priorities focused on an overall goal of “improving the human condition,” which include: enriching the human experience, establishing a just and equitable society, optimizing health and supporting sustainable energy and environments. Transdisciplinary research “is one of the key strategies that we have adopted at VCU so as to break down silos and allow people to come together to address the most important societal needs or grand challenges in a collaborative, inclusive and ethical way.”

Elizabeth Dougherty, eastern regional outreach director for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, was the keynote speaker at the event and noted three critical indicators from intellectual property-intensive industries:

• They support 45.5 million jobs, nearly one-third of all U.S. employment.
• The share of total U.S. GDP attributable to IP-intensive industries is 40%.
• Workers in IP-intensive industries earn wages on average 50% higher than non-IP intensive industries.

“IP isn't just vital to the growth of our economy. It also provides for the growth of an inventive mindset in our children,” Dougherty said. “And this is invaluable, because those who go on to invent have the power to change the world.”

Written by: Jeff Kelley