Associate professor Fadi Matar created a 3-D printed heart that replicates the functions of a human heart.
Photo by Tampa General Hospital
By Jenna Nicastro
For the 12th consecutive year, the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has awarded the University of South Florida its place as 16th among all U.S. public universities for new patents. This will allow many innovators the ability to further their research and improve the field of medicine.
Some of USF’s most innovative patents in 2024 were:
- Subhra Mohapatra, an associate professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, received a patent for her groundbreaking “tumor on a disc” creation. This creation allows doctors to grow tumors on a petri dish and be able to test different drugs to effectively get rid of the tumor, allowing doctors to find cures for the stem cells that remain even after chemotherapy treatments.
- Bill Baker, a chemistry professor, found an improved form of treatment for tuberculosis from fungi extracted from mangroves.
- Fadi Matar, an associate professor in the cardiovascular sciences department, has created a realistic 3D model of a human heart that is able to mirror the symptoms of contractions and cardiac strokes. This will allow physicians and researchers to visualize and practice methods to solve medical issues without needing a patient.
The NAI has also announced USF to be 26th among all U.S. universities, public and private and 38th among all universities worldwide, based on its 82 new patents received in 2024.
The NAI is a member organization comprised of various universities and research institutions who award patents to recognize innovators and advance technology.
USF Research & Innovation Vice President Sylvia Wilson Thomas spoke with assistant director of communications and marketing, Ann Comer-Woods, and noted the reflection of the dedication that it took USF faculty, students and staff to get the university to where it is today, one of the nation’s leading research facilities.
USF President Rhea Law also spoke with Woods and expressed how proud she is of USF for being a worldclass facility that is able to produce groundbreaking innovators and technology that will help future generations to come.
