Rice University bioengineer Omid Veiseh has been elected as a National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellow, the highest professional distinction awarded to inventors. Veiseh was recognized for his “exceptional achievements as an inventor, [whose] contributions have made a significant impact on innovation, economic development and society’s welfare,” according to an award letter from the organization.
The 2024 class of fellows admitted 170 exceptional honorees representing 39 U.S. states and 12 countries with 43% identifying as underrepresented inventors. The fellows hail from 135 research universities and governmental and nonprofit research institutions across the globe and collectively hold over 5,000 issued U.S. patents.
Veiseh is a professor of bioengineering, a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Scholar and faculty director of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad, a Houston-based accelerator focused on expediting the translation of the university’s health and medical technology discoveries into cures. He also serves as managing partner for RBL LLC, a Houston-based company incubator launched this year that evolved from the Rice Biotech Launch Pad.
“It is our mission to make sure that scientific and technological advancements are translated from laboratory discoveries into life-saving cures and products that have a real and enduring impact on patients’ lives,” said Veiseh. “I am honored to be recognized by this distinguished award and would like to thank my collaborators at Rice and elsewhere for working toward this shared goal of improving lives through better, more effective treatments.”
Veiseh’s research focuses on developing next-generation treatments by combining synthetic biology, molecular engineering and advanced materials science. His lab’s innovations center on implantable biomaterials and devices that enable real-time disease monitoring, localized drug delivery and regenerative medicine. Veiseh has demonstrated leadership in biotechnology, having spearheaded a $45 million project funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to create an implantable cancer monitoring and treatment device. He is also a key collaborator on a $35 million ARPA-H-funded project to develop implantable devices for Type 2 diabetes and obesity treatment.
Veiseh’s influence extends beyond the lab as a serial entrepreneur, having co-founded several companies that have collectively attracted nearly $500 million in private and public investment. His contributions to academic research and industry innovation include over 75 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals as well as more than 40 pending or awarded patents.
Since its founding in 2012, the NAI Fellows program has grown to include 2,068 exceptional researchers and innovators, who hold over 68,000 U.S. patents and 20,000 licensed technologies. NAI Fellows are known for the societal and economic impact of their inventions, contributing to major advancements in science and consumer technologies. Their innovations have generated over $3.2 trillion in revenue and generated 1.2 million jobs.
The 2024 class of fellows will be officially honored and presented their medals by a senior official of the United States Patent and Trademark Office at the NAI 14th Annual Conference June 26, 2025, in Atlanta.