By Sarah Sommer
Each year, Vanderbilt’s Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization (CTTC) recognizes excellence in innovation through its Master Innovator Recognition Program.
The yearly recognition program acknowledges Vanderbilt’s top innovators and entrepreneurs for their contributions to the creation, development and commercialization of intellectual property. Awardees have demonstrated excellence in a select number of key commercialization categories, including new inventions disclosed, patent applications filed and issues, new companies formed, technology licenses executed, commercialization revenue generated, and products on the market — all based on the candidate’s innovations created at Vanderbilt. Awardees are memorialized as a member of the CTTC Innovators’ Hall of Fame.
Those being recognized this year are Richard Caprioli, PhD, C. David Weaver, PhD, Susan Eagle, MD, and Franz Baudenbacher, PhD, as Master Innovators at Vanderbilt.
- Caprioli, professor of Biochemistry and director of the Mass Spectrometry Research Center, has paved the way for advancements in personalized medicine, drug discovery, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer by developing innovative imaging techniques in the field of mass spectrometry. In his spare time apart from creating, funding and managing the nationally recognized Vanderbilt Mass Spectrometry Research Center, he is an inventor on 40 U.S. patents and applications, leading to 10 licenses of his technology to the public sector.
- Weaver, associate professor of Pharmacology, has been exceptionally productive in research in the field of pharmacology. His groundbreaking work has significantly advanced our understanding of drug discovery and development, particularly in the area of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Weaver’s research activities have led to 41 U.S. patents and applications, resulting in 20 licenses, including to several startup companies.
- Eagle, professor of Anesthesiology, possesses a wealth of clinical knowledge and practical experience, which she applies to the development of innovative medical technologies. She has co-founded several companies, and has been named on 22 U.S. patents and applications, leading to 10 technology licenses. Eagle has shared her innovation and entrepreneurship journey with the Vanderbilt community in our From Concepts to Commercialization lecture series (co-sponsored with the Brock Center and VBS).
- Baudenbacher, associate professor of Biomedical Engineering, has made significant contributions to health care technology through his research in the field of biomedical engineering and physics. Part of his work focuses on developing innovative solutions to advance the field of cardiac electrophysiology, microfluidic, biosensors and instrumentation. This has led to the launch of several companies he co-founded with Eagle, including InvisionHeart LLC. Dr. Baudenbacher’s research activities have led to 42 U.S. patents and applications, resulting in 12 technology licenses.