VCU news

By Madeline Reinsel

Two Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have been named senior members of the National Academy of Inventors for their work advancing the fields of cancer pathology and DNA analysis. Youngman Oh, Ph.D., and Jason Reed, Ph.D., are part of a class of 162 academic inventors honored across 64 member institutions, including universities, government agencies and nonprofits.

The senior member class was announced Feb. 20 by the National Academy of Inventors, which has over 4,600 members and is affiliated with more than 260 institutions worldwide. Senior members are selected by the academy for their success licensing, patenting and commercializing new inventions that benefit society, as well as their commitment to mentoring the world’s next generation of inventors.

"VCU's spirit of innovation continues to push our university forward, making us one of the commonwealth leaders in royalty revenues and startups among universities," said P. Srirama Rao, VCU vice president for research and innovation and an NAI Fellow. "Dr. Reed's work in DNA analysis has the potential to propel scientific breakthroughs and improve patient outcomes while Dr. Oh's efforts in translational research for endocrine-related cancers and metabolic diseases will impact many for years to come. Being named as a Senior Member of NAI this year is a well-deserved honor for both Drs. Oh and Reed and continues VCU's proud tradition of NAI recognition of its most innovative faculty members."

Oh, a professor in the VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Pathology and director of the Cancer and Metabolic Disorder Lab, studies how insulin-like growth factor binding proteins affect cancer and metabolic diseases. His research has applications for targeted immunotherapy for a number of human cancers.

Oh has filed 15 patents for the treatment of cancer and metabolic disorders, with six patents granted, and is an author on over 150 publications in peer-reviewed research journals. His 30 years of research experience recently led to the establishment of a Richmond-based preclinical-stage pharmaceutical company.

“Being named a senior member recognizes my achievements as an academic inventor and a leader in my field,” Oh said. “I am thrilled to be one of 715 senior members affiliated with National Academy of Inventors member institutions worldwide.”

Reed, a professor in the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences’ Department of Physics and a member of the Cancer Biology Research Program at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, develops high-speed DNA-reading technology. He is also the holder of 12 domestic and eight international patents.

Reed’s research into novel drug screening technology is licensed by a California biotechnology company. More recently, Reed’s research has led to the creation of Richmond-based Evizia Inc., which is focused on commercializing his work measuring and analyzing DNA molecules.

“Being named a National Academy of Inventors senior member is very meaningful to me,” Reed said. “I see myself as a technology creator, and I organize my research activities around that central idea. Creating tangible intellectual property is a critical part of that process in my view. I thank VCU and the other institutions that have supported my work and allowed me the freedom to create in this way.”

The National Science Foundation classifies VCU as one of the country’s Top 50 research universities. VCU surpassed $500 million in sponsored research funding for the first time in 2024, representing a 9% increase from 2023, and the university’s research funding has grown by 86% since 2018.

This year’s class of National Academy of Inventors senior members is the largest to date and hails from 64 member institutions across the nation. Collectively, they are named inventors on over 1,200 U.S. patents. 

“To see this program grow year over year is a testament to the dedication our member institutions have to fostering innovation on their campuses and supporting their inventive staff and faculty,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the National Academy of Inventors. “This year’s class comes from a multitude of impressive fields and research backgrounds from across the world. We applaud their pursuit of commercialization to ensure their groundbreaking technologies can make a difference by tackling the world’s most pressing issues, improving quality of life across society and advancing the economy.”

The 2025 class of senior members will be celebrated during an induction ceremony at the National Academy of Inventor’s 14th annual conference on June 23-26 in Atlanta.