Five exceptional Vanderbilt faculty members have been named 2025 Master Innovators for their extraordinary contributions听to听translating research into commercial applications听that have听significant societal impact.听
The 2025 honorees听represent听diverse fields from infectious disease therapeutics to neuroscience drug discovery听and听biomedical engineering.听
鈥淲e are honored to induct these Master Innovators into Vanderbilt鈥檚 Innovators鈥� Hall of Fame,鈥澨齭aid听Bob Webster, senior associate provost for commercialization and technology transfer.听鈥淭hey are renowned worldwide for not only spectacular singular successes, but also for sustained long-term impact in turning Vanderbilt research into products that prevent injuries and improve lives. These scholar-innovators听inspire all of us at Vanderbilt to pursue our innovative research all the way from听initial听insight to world-changing outcomes.鈥�听
These are the members of this year鈥檚 class of听Vanderbilt听Master Innovators:听
- :听Antibodies for听infectious听diseases听
Associate Director, Vanderbilt听Center for Antibody Therapeutics;听Professor of听Pediatrics听and Radiology听
Carnahan听is a translational scientist and antibody engineer听who听specializes听in rapid therapeutic development for emerging infectious diseases. As听associate听director of the听Vanderbilt Center for Antibody Therapeutics,听he has led pivotal efforts to advance antibody candidates for Zika, Marburg,听hantavirus听and SARS-CoV-2 in collaboration with partners including the听Department of Defense and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.听
His work with James Crowe (recognized as Vanderbilt Master Innovator in 2022)听achieved remarkable commercial success through a licensing deal with AstraZeneca that led to听EvusheldTM, an听antibody combination that protects against COVID-19 in听immunocompromised听individuals,听generating听more than $100M听in revenue. Carnahan鈥檚 innovation portfolio includes 17 invention disclosures,听seven听issued patents, and 21 licensing听transactions.听He also served听as a听CTTC Innovation Ambassador.听
- :听Drugs to treat central nervous system disorders听
Research Assistant Professor;听Senior Director of Medicinal Chemistry, Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery听听
Engers听is an outstanding听innovator in听central nervous system听drug discovery听who serves听as group leader for multiple programs听within the Warren Center,听including听M1听PAM, M4听PAM听and various ion channels.听His leadership has directly contributed to major licensing transactions听and clinical trials听with pharmaceutical companies including听,听听and听听听
As听senior听director of听medicinal听chemistry and a Warren Director Fellow, Engers supervises and mentors听more than听30 medicinal chemists while听maintaining听an impressive innovation portfolio: 91 invention disclosures, 42 issued patents, 23 licensing听transactions听and听tens of millions听in revenue听to date.听
- :听Assistive technology for workplace safety听听
Associate Professor of Mechanical听Engineering,听Biomedical听Engineering, and听Physical Medicine听and听Rehabilitation听听
Zelik鈥檚 groundbreaking work in biomechanics and wearable assistive technology has revolutionized workplace safety through the development of听back-assist exosuits.听After joining Vanderbilt in 2014, he helped found the听听and spent years developing pioneering technology that led to the听听Apex exosuit.听
Since听the听commercial launch in 2020听of听HeroWear, the startup听Zelik co-founded,听the company听has achieved remarkable market penetration,听with exosuits now deployed in听more than听30 countries to reduce workplace injuries. Zelik鈥檚 innovation听portfolio听includes听34 invention disclosures,听four听issued听patents听and听seven听licensing transactions.听
- :听Systems biology听breakthroughs听
University Distinguished Professor of Physics, Biomedical Engineering, and Molecular Physiology听and听Biophysics; A.B. Learned Professor of Living State Physics; Founding Director, Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education听
A distinguished inventor,听Wikswo鈥檚听innovation portfolio consists of 76 invention disclosures and 47 issued patents, with licenses to companies including听听and听,听a biotechnology company based in the听U.K.听He has received two R&D 100 Awards: in 1984 (then the IR-100 Award) for the Neuromagnetic听Current Probe听and in 2017 for the听MultiWell听MicroFormulator.鈥�听
Wikswo听is听in the process of founding听a new startup,听,听to license and commercialize a portfolio of technologies directed to creating automated microfluidic perfusion systems听to听optimize听biomanufacturing or infer the dynamics of signaling and metabolism of living systems.听
In addition,听Wikswo听established the听听in 2001 to foster interdisciplinary research across biophysical sciences, bioengineering听and medicine.听VIIBRE has听mentored听more than听350 undergraduate researchers.听听听
- :听Central nervous system therapeutics听听
Senior听Drug Discovery Scientist, Assistant Director of Medicinal Chemistry, Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery听听
Temple joined Vanderbilt鈥檚 drug discovery team in 2016 after completing postdoctoral training under听Craig Lindsley. Her research focuses on medicinal chemistry and drug听discovery for听central听nervous听system听disorders, particularly allosteric modulators for muscarinic acetylcholine receptors听and metabotropic glutamate receptors.听
Temple鈥檚 innovation portfolio includes 35 invention disclosures, 11 issued听patents听and 11 licensing听transactions that听have generated听more than听$10听million in revenue听to date. Her work exemplifies the breakthrough science driving Vanderbilt鈥檚 leadership in听central nervous system听therapeutics.听
鈥淢aster Innovators are recognized for their many years of engagement听in innovation and entrepreneurship听at Vanderbilt,鈥澨齭aid Alan Bentley, associate vice chancellor for technology transfer.听鈥淎n episodic commercial outcome is great, but Master Innovators听have听produced听outcomes听from multiple听projects over a prolonged听period of time.鈥澨�听
Congratulations to these exceptional researchers whose innovations have generated significant intellectual property and commercial impact.听听
About the Program听
Established in 2023, the听听honors Vanderbilt faculty who have听demonstrated听exceptional commercialization success through patenting, licensing, and collaboration with industry partners.听听
听about this annual recognition program and view听previous听honorees.听
