December 17, 2014

Three UC Davis scientists have been elected as 2014 fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, for work ranging from engineering new tissues to mass-producing superior surgical blades. They are: Kyriacos A. Athanasiou, distinguished professor and chair of biomedical engineering; Bruce Hammock, distinguished professor of entomology; and Saif Islam, professor of electrical and computer engineering.

The three professors are UC Davis newest additions to the relatively new National Academy of Inventors. UC Davis has two other members: Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi, elected in the academys inaugural class of fellows, 2012; and Jerry Woodall, distinguished professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, elected in 2013.

The academy announced its 2014 class Dec. 16, bringing the total number of fellows to 414. All are academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.

More about UC Davis newest fellows:

Kyriacos A. Athanasiou Department chair and distinguished professor of biomedical engineering, and the Child Family Professor of Engineering, who also has an appointment in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He studies the healing processes of cartilage, and works to augment them via the application of tissue engineering principles. Our approach entails the use of biodegradable scaffolds designed to incorporate suitable bioactive agents and signals to regenerate cartilage, his website states. Hes the recipient of the Marshal Urist Award for Excellence in Tissue Regeneration Research, the Thomas A. Edison Patent Award and a number of innovation awards.

Bruce D. Hammock Distinguished professor of entomology who also has an appointment at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. Most recently, his laboratory found potent enzyme inhibitors that dramatically reduce inflammation, inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain. Compounds are now being tested in two ways: in clinical trials for companion animals, and in the Food and Drug Administrations Pre-Investigational New Drug Application Consultation Program, for the treatment of neuropathic pain in people with diabetes. Hes a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the Entomological Society of America.

M. Saif Islam Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and co-director of the Center for Nano and Micro Manufacturing, or CNM2. His research focuses on ultrafast optoelectric devices, molecular electronics, and the integration of semiconductor nanostructures in devices for imaging, sensing, computing and energy conversion. He holds 37 U.S. patents. Hes the co-founder of Atocera, a startup that plans to bring its silicon surgical and razor blades to market as a less expensive alternative to ceramic and diamond blades. Atocera is housed in the College of Engineerings incubator officially known as the Engineering Translational Technology Center.

The induction ceremony for the new fellows is scheduled for March 20 during the academys fourth annual conference, to be held at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

UC Davis is a global community of individuals united to better humanity and our natural world while seeking solutions to some of our most pressing challenges. Located near the California state capital, UC Davis has more than 34,000 students, and the full-time equivalent of 4,100 faculty and other academics and 17,400 staff. The campus has an annual research budget of over $750 million, a comprehensive health system and about two dozen specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and 99 undergraduate majors in four colleges and six professional schools.

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Three elected to National Academy of Inventors