Georgetown Inventors Honored

Closeup of a table with blue tablecloth on which are arranged glass awards etched with names
The Office of Technology Commercialization's 2025 Research and Innovation Showcase honored the outstanding inventors within the university community.

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(April 2, 2025) — Georgetown’s Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) honored the outstanding inventors within the university community during a ceremony on April 1 to acknowledge the individual and collective achievements in discovery and innovation, research translation, technology transfer, and commercialization.

The event, convened in the Fisher Colloquium, recognized those who secured United States patents issued in fiscal year 2024.

A conference room full of round tables at which event attendees are seated listening to a speaker at a podium

Honorees

Innovator of the Year Award

The Innovator of the Year Award recognizes an individual or a group of individuals whose innovation has made or is poised to make a remarkable impact on society, industry or academia. This innovation should involve some sort of Georgetown intellectual property protected through either patent, copyright or trademark.

Four individuals stand together, two holding an award
From l: Alex Kroemer, MD, Anton Wellstein, MD, PhD, Georgetown Sr. Vice President for Research Spiros Dimolitsas, PhD, and Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, PhD, vice president, Office of Technology Commercialization

Anton Wellstein, MD, PhD
Professor of Oncology & Pharmacology, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center

Alexander Kroemer, MD
Professor of Surgery, Georgetown School of Medicine
Director, Transplant Research, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

Wellstein and Kroemer are working to revolutionize the field of liver transplant through the development of a new diagnostic for tissue injury. This diagnostic has the potential to specifically detect tissue damage through the monitoring of cell-free DNA obtained from a blood draw. Through their efforts in the lab, the clinic, and the impending founding of a company around this innovation, they are poised to save lives and improve the success rate of liver transplants.

Partnership Award

The Partnership Award recognizes researchers or industry partners and promising partnerships between university researchers and industry partners around patented inventions with strong commercialization prospects.

Three individuals stand together, one holding an award
From l: Marc Lippman, MD, Spiros Dimolitsas, PhD, and Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, PhD

Marc Lippman, MD
Professor of Oncology and Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center

Lippman was recognized for his dedication to fostering successful industry collaboration. His efforts were instrumental in executing an exclusive license agreement for a potential treatment targeting chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment. The treatment involves a compound that blocks the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE inhibitor). As a result, Cantex is now evaluating the impact of a RAGE inhibitor on chemotherapy-related cognitive decline in women with early stage breast cancer.

Student Innovator Award

The Student Innovator Award is designed to encourage and recognize students who have contributed to patented technologies, promoting innovation within the student body.

Four individuals standing together, one holding an award
From l: Eric Glasgow, PhD, Alexandria Sorensen (C’25), Spiros Dimolitsas, PhD, and Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, PhD

Alexandria Sorensen (C’25)
Neurobiology, College of Arts and Sciences

Sorensen, a senior undergraduate student at Georgetown, has worked in Dr. Eric Glasgow’s lab for four years. During her research, she contributed to the conception and development of a novel CRISPR-based genotoxicity model in zebrafish, which is now the subject of a patent application.

Entrepreneur Award

The Entrepreneur Award recognizes individuals who have launched a spinout based on Georgetown research or technology or played a key role in launching a company based on patented technologies from the university.

Four individuals stand together, two holding an award
From l: Chris Hoyt, Fernando L. Pagan, MD, Spiros Dimolitsas, PhD, and Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, PhD

Charbel Moussa, MBBS, PhD
Professor of Neurology, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Director, Translational Neurotherapeutics Program, GUMC
Laboratory for Dementia and Parkinsonism, GUMC

Fernando L. Pagan, MD
Professor and Vice Chairman of Neurology, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Director of Movement Disorders Program, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

Chris Hoyt
CEO, KeifeRx

Moussa, Pagan and Hoyt were awarded the Entrepreneur Award for their instrumental roles in launching KeifeRx. Founded in 2019, KeifeRx is a company focused on developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Their work demonstrates the impact of academic research in driving innovation and advancing new therapeutic options.

OTC Recognition Award

The OTC Recognition Award is granted to individuals who have made substantial and sustained contributions to the university’s patent portfolio and technology commercialization efforts over their careers

Three individuals stand together, one holding an award
From l: Makarand Paranjape, PhD, Spiros Dimolitsas, PhD, and Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, PhD

Makarand Paranjape, PhD
Associate Professor of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences
Director, GnuLab

Paranjape is recognized for his outstanding contributions to OTC through his dedication to innovation. His numerous invention disclosures and active participation in office-sponsored events have significantly advanced the university’s mission of translating research into real-world impact. His commitment to commercialization and collaboration exemplifies the spirit of innovation and excellence.