National Academy of Inventors – The Top 100

Sep 19, 2022 | CRI

Once again, Northeastern University has secured its place as a center for innovation and entrepreneurship. Since 2010, the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) publishes a list of the Top 100 Universities in the world that have been granted U.S. utility patents. Northeastern makes its seventh consecutive appearance on the list, cementing it as a world leader in academia and research.

Northeastern’s placement on this list sets it alongside its elite peers in the academic world, including local universities like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Massachusetts as well as institutions around the country, like Stanford University and the University of California System.

The continuous appearance from Northeastern on this list are a testament to the heights of excellence that the university strives for. Its commitment to a unique and challenging academic curriculum for students that is partnered with its nationally recognized experiential learning program has earned it the well-regarded reputation it maintains. Northeastern believes in supporting its community, both student and scientist, through the entire research process.

The Center for Research Innovation (CRI) continues to be a hub for the Northeastern community to find complete support for their innovative research; from start to finish, CRI offers Northeastern researchers a chance to focus on bringing their greatest ideas to life.

For Northeastern University, it is a privilege to once again see its dedication to its community pay dividends through the NAI Top 100 list. Northeastern will continue to strive for the best by setting up its researchers for success through support from CRI and beyond. As exciting as this award may be, Northeastern University is ready to take its excellence to an even higher level.

Northeastern 2021 U.S. Utility Patents by College & Inventor

College of Engineering

2 Patents

Tommaso Melodia – 1. Software-defined implantable ultrasonic device for use in the internet of medical things 2. Ultrasonic network for wearable devices

Jeffrey Ruberti – 1. Collagenous tissue repair device 2. Mechanochemical collagen assembly

Thomas Webster – 1. Nanostructured bacteria-resistant polymer materials 2. Heparin-binding cationic peptide self-assembling peptide amphiphiles useful against drug-resistant bacteria

1 Patent

Ali AburTechniques for processing power system network information

Parisa Andalib & Vincent Harris –Magnetic materials with ultrahigh resistivity intergrain nanoparticles

Nasim AnnabiBiocompatible and conductive hydrogels with tunable physical and electrical properties

Ahmed BusnainaDamascene template for nanoelement printing fabricated without chemomechanical planarization

Randall ErbDirect write three-dimensional printing of aligned composite materials

2 Patents

Tania Konry – 1. Microfluidic device and method for analysis of tumor cell microenvironments 2. Live single-cell bioassay in microdroplets

1 Patent

Raymond Booth – Serotonin receptor-targeting compounds and methods

Jonghan KimNanoprobe-metal chelator complexes

College of Science

3 Patents

Meni Wanunu – 1. Low noise ultrathin freestanding membranes composed of atomically-thin 2D materials 2. Nanoscale etching of light absorbing materials using light and an electron donor solvent 3. Apparatus and method for optothermal heating of nanoscale environments

2 Patents

Neel JoshiMethods of making gels and films using curli nanofibers 2. Scalable production of genetically engineered nanofibrous macroscopic materials via filtration

Srinivas Sridhar – 1. Sensor system and process for measuring electric activity of the brain, including electric field encephalography 2. Electric field encephalography: electric field based brain signal detection and monitoring

1 Patent

Aleksei AksimentievNucleic acid nanoparticles for analyte detection

Raymond Booth – Serotonin receptor-targeting compounds and methods

Alexandros Makriyannis – Cannabinergic nitrate esters and related analogs

Seward RutkoveElectrical impedance myography

Ke ZhangBrush polymer-assisted compaction of oligonucleotides

Zhaohui ZhouChemo-enzymatic site-specific modification of peptides and proteins to form cleavable conjugates


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Written by Corey Ortiz