2026 Edison Patent Awards
2026 Individual Award Nomination Materials
Science & Technology Medal Nominees
Eliav Barr, M.D., Senior Vice President, Head of Global Clinical Development and Chief Medical Officer, Merck & Co.
Barr is senior vice president, head of global clinical development and chief medical officer at Merck & Co.’s Merck Research Laboratories (MRL). He leads all late-stage clinical development for Merck’s Human Health portfolio and pipeline. He has contributed to the development and advancement of several of Merck’s most impactful products, including leading the clinical development of the Gardasil and Gardasil 9 vaccines, as well as playing a key leadership role across infectious disease and oncology programs, including therapies for HIV, hepatitis C, and the continued expansion of Keytruda.
Prior to his current role, Barr led MRL’s global medical and scientific affairs organization, expanding Merck’s scientific engagement and implementation efforts in oncology, vaccines, and infectious diseases.
Since joining Merck in 1995, Barr has held positions of increasing responsibility, including leadership roles in oncology and infectious diseases clinical development. Previously, he served as the therapeutic area head for infectious diseases and managed product development teams across oncology and infectious diseases. Prior to joining Merck, he held a faculty position at the University of Chicago.
Barr is a cardiologist by training. He received his undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University and his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University. He completed his internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University and subsequently pursued post-doctoral training at the University of Michigan.
In 2019, he received a Penn State Alumni Fellow Award for his dedication to the development of medicines and vaccines that treat and prevent infectious diseases. Recognized as a leader giving voice and visibility to the LGBTQ+ community in science, Barr was named to Endpoints News’ 2023 LGBTQ+ biopharma leaders list. He also serves as the executive sponsor of Merck’s 3,400-member Rainbow Alliance employee business resource group.
Stephen Burley, Director, Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine & RCSB Protein Data Bank, Rutgers
Stephen Burley currently serves as Henry Rutgers Chair and University Professor, Founding Director of the Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, and Director of the RCSB Protein Data Bank at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He is also a member of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, where he co-leads the Cancer Pharmacology Research Program. Burley is an expert in structural biology, proteomics, bioinformatics, structure- and fragment-based drug discovery, and clinical medicine/oncology.
From 2008 to 2012, Burley was a Distinguished Lilly Research Scholar in Lilly Research Laboratories. Prior to joining Lilly, he served as Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President of SGX Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company acquired by Lilly in 2008. Until 2002, Burley was the Richard M. and Isabel P. Furlaud Professor at The Rockefeller University and an Investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
He has authored or coauthored more than 280 scholarly scientific articles. Following undergraduate training in applied mathematics and physics, Burley received an M.D. from Harvard Medical School through the joint Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program and, as a Rhodes Scholar, earned a D.Phil. in Structural Biology from Oxford University. He trained in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and conducted postdoctoral research with Gregory A. Petsko at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Nobel Laureate William N. Lipscomb, Jr. at Harvard University. With William J. Rutter and others at the University of California, San Francisco and Rockefeller University, Burley co-founded Prospect Genomics, Inc., which was acquired by SGX in 2001. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the New York Academy of Sciences and a recipient of a Doctor of Science (Honoris causa) from his alma mater, the University of Western Ontario.
Rutgers’ People Page
Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine
RCSB Protein Data Bank
Mike Intrator, Brian Venturo, Brannin McBee, and Peter Salanki, Co-Founders, CoreWeave
Mike Intrator, Brian Venturo, Brannin McBee, and Peter Salanki, co-founders of CoreWeave, have built one of the leading GPU-accelerated cloud platforms supporting the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. Their infrastructure enables advanced computing across industries including healthcare, finance, and scientific research, positioning CoreWeave as a key player in the global AI ecosystem.
The company’s impact is particularly significant in New Jersey. Headquartered in Livingston, CoreWeave has committed billions of dollars to develop large-scale AI infrastructure in the state, including the transformation of a former pharmaceutical R&D campus in Kenilworth into a high-performance data center. This investment is creating high-skilled jobs, attracting additional capital, and strengthening New Jersey’s position in advanced computing.
CoreWeave is also contributing to the state’s broader innovation ecosystem through partnerships that support emerging AI companies and technologies.
Through rapid growth, large-scale infrastructure investment, and a clear focus on enabling next-generation innovation, CoreWeave’s co-founders have delivered a commercially successful platform with measurable impact both globally and within New Jersey.
Mike Intrator Bio
Brian Venturo Bio
Brannin McBee Bio
Peter Salanki Bio
CoreWeave Website
Jordan Schecter, Multiple Myeloma DAS Leader and Inventor, Carvykti, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Dr. Schecter, Multiple Myeloma Disease Area Stronghold Leader and inventor of Carvykti at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, has played a central role in advancing CAR-T cell therapy for multiple myeloma.
Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel) is a personalized therapy that engineers a patient’s own immune cells to target cancer, delivering strong clinical outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory disease. Dr. Schecter’s leadership helped move this complex science from clinical development to an approved and commercially available treatment.
New Jersey is central to this impact. Carvykti is manufactured at scale in Raritan, where approximately $500 million has been invested to expand one of the largest cell therapy manufacturing facilities in the United States, with capacity to treat up to 10,000 patients annually. Additional manufacturing in Morris Plains further supports growing demand.
Through the development and large-scale production of Carvykti, Dr. Schecter has helped advance a new class of cancer treatment while strengthening New Jersey’s position as a leader in cell and gene therapy innovation.
Visionary Award Nominees
Bob Carrigan, CEO, Audible
Bob Carrigan, CEO of Audible, has demonstrated transformational leadership in expanding the role of a technology company as a driver of New Jersey’s innovation economy.
Under his leadership, Audible has deepened its commitment to Newark while positioning the city as a model for inclusive, innovation-driven growth across the state. The company generates an estimated $2 billion in annual economic impact in Newark and continues to invest in initiatives that support entrepreneurship, workforce development, and small business growth.
Carrigan has strengthened partnerships across government, academia, and industry, working closely with city and state leaders to align corporate investment with economic development priorities. He also supports programs that connect local students and emerging talent to careers in technology and media, helping to build a pipeline between New Jersey’s educational institutions and its growing innovation sectors.
By scaling a model that integrates corporate leadership with public and academic partners, Carrigan is helping to redefine how companies contribute to a research- and innovation-driven economy, reinforcing New Jersey’s role as a center for next-generation industries.
Ralph LaRossa, Chairman, President & CEO, PSEG
Ralph LaRossa, Chairman, President, and CEO of Public Service Enterprise Group, has demonstrated transformational leadership in advancing the infrastructure that underpins New Jersey’s research-based economy.
Under his leadership, PSEG is executing a $15–18 billion capital investment strategy focused on grid modernization, resiliency, and clean energy. Central to this is PSEG’s nuclear fleet, which provides nearly half of New Jersey’s electricity and approximately 85–90% of its carbon-free power, delivering the reliable, low-emissions energy required to support advanced research, manufacturing, and emerging technologies.
LaRossa has also strengthened collaboration across industry, academia, and government, aligning energy strategy with the state’s broader innovation and economic development goals. These efforts ensure that New Jersey’s energy infrastructure can meet the growing demands of sectors such as AI, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.
By pairing large-scale infrastructure investment with cross-sector partnership, LaRossa is helping to create the conditions necessary for sustained innovation, reinforcing New Jersey’s position as a leader in building a resilient, research-driven economy.
Amy Mansue, CEO, Inspira Health
Amy Mansue, CEO of Inspira Health, has demonstrated transformational leadership in positioning South Jersey as a critical contributor to New Jersey’s research and innovation economy.
Under her leadership, Inspira has expanded its role as a clinical research hub, strengthening its Clinical Research Office and advancing participation in FDA-guided clinical trials across areas such as oncology, infectious disease, and chronic care. Through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and national research organizations, Mansue has brought together industry, academia, and public health stakeholders to expand access to clinical research and accelerate the development of new treatments.
Mansue has also prioritized workforce development, with Inspira supporting more than 280 medical residents and fellows in programs that integrate clinical training with research and evidence-based care. These efforts are building a pipeline of skilled healthcare professionals equipped to support the state’s growing life sciences sector.
By aligning healthcare delivery with research, education, and industry collaboration, Mansue is expanding access to innovation beyond traditional academic centers and ensuring that all regions of the state play a role in New Jersey’s research-driven economy.
Educator of the Year Nominees
Aaron Fichtner, President, New Jersey Council of Community Colleges
The Council brings together the state’s community colleges to build a world-class, flexible higher education and workforce development system that responds to the needs of local communities and employers while maintaining statewide reach and impact.
The Council promotes innovation and policy changes to support community colleges in advancing academic, social, and economic mobility for all residents. Its New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development builds statewide partnerships across industry, education, and labor to align education and training with the needs of a changing economy.
Lamont O. Repollet, President, Kean University
Dr. Lamont O. Repollet is a nationally recognized leader in education, policy, and institutional transformation, with over 30 years of experience spanning public and private pre-K to post-secondary education. Renowned for his expertise in reimagining education, he has spearheaded initiatives that enhance student success, improve institutional culture, and elevate academic outcomes. His leadership is defined by a commitment to innovation and access, positioning him as a leading voice in shaping the future of education.
As President of Kean University, a distinguished R2 university and New Jersey’s Urban Research University, Dr. Repollet leads a diverse, majority-minority institution with more than 18,500 students, a global presence in Wenzhou, China, and an annual operating budget of $250 million. He is the first Black president in the university’s history, joining a small group of Black college and university presidents nationwide.
Dena K. Seidel, Ph.D., Co-Instructor & Research Analyst, Rutgers
Dena Seidel is an award-winning science filmmaker, science communicator, and cultural anthropologist. Her Science-in-Action storytelling model provides Immersive STEM Learning and a sense of belonging through the Co-Creation of professional, impactful films designed to increase public trust in science. Her website is here: https://www.denaseidel.com/
The American Association of Universities (AAU) referenced and shared footage from Dena Seidel’s original science-in-action film Fields of Devotion featuring university scientists developing climate resilient and mildew-resistant basil to meet public stakeholder demand, demonstrates the impact of her science communication and education methodologies to advance academic research programs. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoYWvD6tAHw
Please also review the following links with programs and film projects based on her science-in-action video storytelling pedagogical model:
• https://storytellinglab.rutgers.edu/
• https://mysteriesof9north.marine.rutgers.edu/
• https://beyondtheice.rutgers.edu/
• https://fieldsofdevotion.rutgers.edu/
• https://sites.rutgers.edu/fame/
• https://ifnh.rutgers.edu/centers/agricultural-food-ecosystems/fame-science-storytelling-pilot.html
• https://ifnh.rutgers.edu/generation-at-risk/
The Science-in-Action Video Storytelling Model: Origins and Innovation
At the heart of Dena K. Seidel’s work is the conviction that the most powerful way to build public trust in federally funded science is to let audiences vicariously experience the scientific process as authentic journeys of discovery led by relatable people. Over nearly two decades at Rutgers University, she developed and continuously refined an original Science-in-Action Video Storytelling Model built on trusting, long-term partnerships among video storytellers, students, and university scientists, designed from the outset to engage and benefit multiple stakeholders simultaneously. Students gain immersive learning through direct access to real-world science and scientists. Scientists gain a rigorous, human-centered method for communicating their research to broad audiences. The public gains the opportunity to witness the scientific process as it actually unfolds; curious, uncertain, collaborative, and deeply human, building the kind of relational trust that no press release or journal abstract can achieve. And funding agencies receive demonstrable public return on their investment in research.
The model was developed from Seidel’s first days at Rutgers and is theoretically grounded in cognitive neuroscience, including narrative transportation theory, Default Mode Network activation, and inter-subject correlation research. In partnership with STEM learning researchers, Seidel’s methods have repeatedly demonstrated that character-driven, cinema vérité style video storytelling increases audience understanding, emotional engagement, and trust in scientists in ways that traditional science communication formats cannot replicate. Her model’s five integrated steps are: (1) developing trusting partnerships with university scientists; (2) embedding video storytellers, including students, as genuine members of active science teams; (3) inviting students to shape original science video data into narratives told in the scientists’ own voices; (4) ensuring scientific accuracy through researcher review and approval; and (5) designing distribution strategies with funding agencies and conducting IRB-approved surveys to assess STEM learning outcomes for both participants and public viewers.
A defining strength of the model is its transferability across scientific disciplines. Seidel has applied her methodology to communicate science from marine biology, climate science, and deep-sea ecology to sustainable agriculture, food security, public health, medicine, and engineering. Films include Antarctic Edge: 70° South (NSF-funded Antarctic climate research), Mysteries of 9° North (deep-sea hydrothermal vent biology), Fields of Devotion (USDA-funded sustainable agriculture), Biting Back (natural-based insect repellent development to prevent insect-spread disease), and Thailand Untapped: Engineers Without Borders (community engineering and clean water access in rural Thailand) together demonstrate that her science-in-action video storytelling model can illuminate any scientific endeavor where human curiosity, process, and purpose are visible. Across more than a dozen high-visibility, high-quality productions reaching a combined potential audience of over 180 million through PBS, Netflix, Amazon, Kanopy, and international film festivals, the model’s positive impact on multiple stakeholders has been proven again and again.
The Immersive Learning Through Science Storytelling Research Lab
Co-founded by Seidel in 2023, the Rutgers Immersive Learning Through Science Storytelling Research Lab institutionalizes her original Science-in-Action Video Storytelling model and serves as the home for ongoing peer-reviewed research on the model’s STEM learning potential. The Lab’s work simultaneously generates measurable benefits for four distinct stakeholder communities:
• Students (high school, undergraduate, graduate): Learners become trusted co-creators of authentic science narratives alongside university researchers, often their first access to scientists and working laboratories. Published data (Seidel et al., Frontiers in Communication, 2023; Journal of Extension, 2025) document statistically significant gains in science communication confidence, science identity, and STEM knowledge. Critically, 100% of FAME program participants expressed a desire to learn more about the science they explored, evidence of authentic curiosity, not compliance.
• Scientists: The model provides a rigorous, human-centered pathway for communicating research processes to broad audiences, extending their work well beyond academic journals while ensuring accuracy through structured researcher review. Films produced through the Lab have been selected by the Association of American Universities (AAU) for national research advocacy, demonstrating that science-in-action video stories can speak with authority at the highest levels of science policy.
• Public Audiences: Science-in-action films invite viewers to witness researchers at work in real time on authentic human journeys of discovery across disciplines, not polished talking heads. Independent evaluation of Antarctic Edge: 70° South documented audience understanding of climate science rising from 71% to 91% post-screening. FAME student testimonials consistently describe scientists as ‘regular people,’ ‘approachable,’ and ‘inspiring’, precisely the relational shift the science communication literature identifies as foundational to public trust.
• Funding Agencies: The model generates multiple simultaneous returns on investment: public engagement with federally funded research, STEM workforce development, replicable peer-reviewed methodology, and nationally recognized science film products. The AAU’s selection of Fields of Devotion as a flagship research-benefiting-the-public example, and the 2025 NJ State Senate joint legislative resolution honoring the Storytelling Lab for ‘increasing public trust in science’ and ‘establishing a model worthy of emulation,’ represent extraordinary external validation.
Evidence of Impact and Recognition
The Lab’s contributions and Seidel’s model have been recognized at all levels, national and international:
• 2025 New Jersey State Senate and General Assembly Joint Legislative Resolution honoring the Lab for increasing public trust in science and establishing a model worthy of emulation
• 2025 Garden State Film Festival Broader Vision Award for use of filmmaking for the greater good
• New York, Chicago, Los Angeles theatrical release of Antarctic Edge:70 South, Smithsonian Exhibit includes Atlantic Crossing, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Hollywood Reporter film reviews, Netflix, Kanopy, and iTunes streaming of original science-in-action film story products
• AAU Research Beneficiary Campaign selection (Fields of Devotion) as a flagship example of university research benefiting the public
• NSF Antarctica Service Medal; 2 Chicago Film Festival Awards; UN Film Festival Best Cinematography; Princeton Environmental Film Festival Best in Festival; Ekotopfilm Grand Prize.
• Contributing to more than $10 million in competitive grant funding from NSF, USDA NIFA, NOAA, Green Climate Fund, and others, directly underwriting student participation in science-in-action research while helping to fulfill federal funding agencies’ mandate to communicate science to public audiences.
• Contributes to the original and participatory research methodology employed by Rutgers food systems research team in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) where Seidel uses documentary filmmaking as a qualitative data tool capturing the voices of local stakeholders. Seidel is an Honorary Ambassador at Large for Research and Academic Partnerships for Pohnpei and Yap states in FSM.
Seidel has mentored hundreds of students across diverse disciplines: marine biology, agriculture, engineering, public health, English, journalism, ecology, philosophy and the arts, who have gone on to careers in science communication, medicine, research, and environmental policy. In a post-program follow-up, 8/10 former undergraduate collaborators reported that the opportunity to make science-in-action films in trusting partnership with university researcher was foundational to their careers.
A Replicable, Scalable Model for Science Education
What distinguishes Seidel’s work is not simply its scope, but its integrative architecture: every film is simultaneously a public communication vehicle, a student training opportunity, a research instrument, and a demonstration of science’s human dimension. The model is peer-reviewed, IRB-approved, externally evaluated, and formally recognized by the state legislature, making it among the most thoroughly validated experiential science education models in the field.
As Science Storytelling Lab supporters and Rutgers alumni Penny and Don Pray are quoted in a recent article, Seidel’s model is ‘a win, win, win, win, win for everyone: scientists, students, the university, the public, and the agencies that fund Rutgers research.’ That summation captures what nearly two decades of sustained innovative education have built: a living argument that the deepest science learning and the most durable public trust emerge when students and audiences alike are invited not merely to receive science but to witness and co-create science as a dynamic, human journey of investigation and discovery.
Catalyst Award Nominee
Atam P Dhawan, Chief Strategic Innovation Officer & SVP-Research, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Nomination 1: Dr. Dhawan has developed and implemented a strategic vision of building innovation ecosystems at NJIT with external stakeholder groups including academia, industry, government and community sectors to address critical market needs towards societal benefits and economic impact.
In 2023, he founded the Center for Translational Research (CTR) which is now funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program from the NSF Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) directorate with about $7 million funding. He established the CTR external advisory board and translational research seed grant programs and networking and partnership events to build innovation ecosystems from ideation to impact. Through CTR, he created and administered several translational research and market validation partnership programs including Technology Innovation Translation Acceleration (TITA) and Collaborative Early Research Translation (CERT) seed grants with workshops and networking events that have led to launching of more than 4 start-up companies and 18 industry-university partnership projects.
With the success of developing CTR driven collaborative partnerships based synergies and TITA and CERT programs, NSF invited Dr. Dhawan to develop a national NSF ART Network Portal with CTR as the coordinating center for all NSF ART program funded 17 institutional centers and projects at leading research universities in the nation. In 2025, Dr. Dhawan launched the ART Network Portal https://artportal.us/.
With three years of TITA and CERT seed grant program competitions and more than $2 million awarded to 26 TITA and CERT collaborative translational projects, the following companies and collaborative industry-university projects were funded through CTR:
a. PFASolve Inc. A new startup was founded as a spinout from NJIT faculty IP. The CEO is Charmi Chande, and the founders are several NJIT faculty members: Scientific lead: Arjun Venkatesan; Business lead: Michael Ehrlich.
b. Neat Biosciences, Inc was founded this year by Som Mitra with TITA partner – animal studies with external partner are in progress with TITA project.
c. PureTrace Co has been created through NJII – Venture Studio created on TITA supported PFAS detection project led by Hao Chen.
d. OppyAI, Inc has been created by Hai Phan with his TITA Seed Grant on Private and Secure AI Router technology.
Since 2023, Dr. Dhawan has organized and hosted more than 15 workshops and networking engaging more than 2500 experts from NJ universities including Princeton, Rutgers, Stevens, Rowan, and Montclair, and leaders and stakeholders from industry, government and community sectors. Some of the recent CTR workshops and educational events include:
e. CTR Workshop on Generative AI and Digital Twins that brought more than 150 participants from NJ leading universities, industry like Siemens, Dell Technologies and government entities including PA-AC and CSIT.
f. CTR Badge 2-days workshop on translational Research IP and Tech Transfer for Value Creation with external distinguished speakers from DoD DHA, MTEC, NSF TIP directorate, NJII and industry including MTF Biologics, PhaseChange Solution and Trickywater Inc. The faculty and students were presented translational research badge certificates and trophy of competition.
g. CTR 2025 Workshop on Innovative Translational Technologies for PFAS Decontamination and Management with more than 35 local, national and global stakeholder groups from academia, industry, government and community including Veolia, AECOM, Langan, Battelle, American Water, NJ DEP, Jersey Water Works, NJ EDA-CSIT and Princeton, Rowan, Rutgers, Montclair universities and Stevens Institute of Technology. The workshop with an industry-university-community showcase was attended by more than 220 industry leaders, faculty and student researchers, state officials and NJIT trustees.
h. Following the CTR 2025 PFAS Workshop and NJDEP 2025 PFAS Summit, I created three Strategic Technology Research and Innovation Partnership (STRIP) PFAS Focus groups with more than 55 leaders and stakeholders from NJ universities (Princeton, Rutgers, Stevens and NJIT) and major industry, government agencies, utilities and community organizations.
i. In partnership with NJ DEP, hosted the 2025 PFAS Summit that was attended by more than 410 industry leaders, faculty and student researchers, state officials and utilities and community representatives.
j. CTR 2026 Workshop on PFAS Challenges with industry, academic, government and community leaders and partners will be held on April 24, 2026 at the NJIT campus. About 300 attendees with 35 exhibitors at the industry-university-community showcase are expected.
More recently, Dr. Dhawan has developed the NJ PFAS PIC (website https://njpfaspic.org/) with more than 15 academic, industry, utility, government and community organizations including Princeton, Rutgers, Stevens, Battelle, Veolia, Langan, T&M Associates, NJ DEP, NJ CSIT, Jersey Water Works and Ridgewood Water. The NJ PFAS Innovation Ecosystem will be formally launched at the CTR 2026 Workshop on PFAS Challenges on April 24, 2026.
In 2012, he founded NJIT’s Undergraduate Research and Innovation (URI) program which has funded, mentored and provided access to laboratories to over 3,000 undergraduates. Of these, 50 URI projects received an additional $10,000-$50,000 per project from NSF I-Corps seed grant programs.
Nomination 2: Atam has played an important leadership role in advancing the innovation eco-system around translating academic R&D. He is Senior VP-Research, Distinguished Professor and Executive Director of Undergraduate Research and Innovation. Dr. Dhawan is a Fellow of National Academy of Inventors, Fellow of IEEE, Fellow of American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, and Fellow of International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering.
Dr. Dhawan serves as the Chair, NIH Point-of-Care Research Network (POCTRN) Independent Expert Board of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is PI on an NSF Grant for advancing translational research – ART and is responsible for managing the nationwide ART website. He has established a statewide consortium to address PFAS bringing together industry, multiple academic institutions and government.
Emerging Tech Award Nominees
Kathryn Carpenter, President, Cecilia Energy
2025 was our most action-packed year yet. We shifted our focus from proving science in the lab to running pilot production and building a robust commercial pipeline. Some highlights include:
Technical
Scaled our pilot reactor system into steady operations (10× prototype and 100× lab-scale system)
Completed characterization and validation pilot with Rice University
Expanded in-house materials development and post-processing capabilities
Kicked off engineering and site selection for Commercial Demonstration Unit (another 10x scale-up)
Commercial
Secured first carbon customer sales order with NASA
Built strong BD pipeline with 10+ customers on sample waitlist
Added full-time Materials Scientist and Chief of Staff to our team
Featured on CBS’ The Visioneers, bringing Cecilia’s story to households worldwide
Joined Advanced Carbons Council and spoke at The Advanced Materials Show
Launched two commercial pilots with Oak Ridge National Lab and Mississippi Polymer Institute
Fundraising
Closed $1.5M of capital in 2025, including $530K non-dilutive, bringing our total capital raised to date to $4.7M
Won the Ocean Exchange Neptune Award, recognizing Cecilia among global blue economy solutions
Won NASA’s LunaRecycle Centennial Challenge (Phase I), further validating the value of our technology for interstellar applications
Awarded New Jersey Clean Tech Seed Grant, our fifth non-dilutive award from the state
Rik Mehta, PharmD, JD and Viraj Mane, Ph.D., Co-founders, Lactiga
Our platform is centered on secretory IgA (sIgA), the predominant antibody at mucosal surfaces, which plays an essential role in immune defense, barrier protection, and tissue homeostasis. By enhancing sIgA function, we aim to address conditions characterized by mucosal immune dysregulation, including chronic respiratory diseases and other inflammatory disorders affecting mucosal tissues.
Driven by scientific rigor and a commitment to patient well-being, Lactiga is advancing innovative therapies to improve quality of life for individuals living with immune-related and mucosal conditions.
Lactiga
Yongfeng Zhang, Associate Professor, Rutgers University
Dr. Yongfeng Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rutgers University. His research interests are in AI Agents, Agent Infrastructure, and AI for Social Good. The products of his research are presented in leading computer science conferences and published in renowned journals such as NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, ACL, AAAI, SIGIR, KDD, and WWW. His career in research, education, and public service is distinguished by a series of awards and fellowships, such as the Siebel Scholar, NSF CAREER Award, ACM SIGIR Test of Time Award, Distinguished Editor for ACM Transactions on Information Systems (TOIS), Rutgers Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence, and the AIRS Best Paper Award.
His invention, the AI Agent Operating System (AIOS), is the world’s first operating system designed specifically for LLM-based AI agents. AIOS represents a monumental paradigm shift in computer science, marking the historic transition from traditional application-based software to a dynamic, autonomous AIOS-Agent ecosystem. Recognized as the world’s first operating system engineered specifically around the unique nature of Large Language Models (LLMs), AIOS embeds the LLM directly into the system kernel to function as the cognitive “brain” of the computing architecture. This revolutionary infrastructure elegantly solves the impending “Billion Agent Problem”—a critical computational bottleneck where millions of autonomous agents will simultaneously compete for hardware resources—by providing deterministic scheduling, context-interrupt mechanisms, and unified resource allocation.
The impact of this architecture is immense and highly measurable: in rigorous testing, AIOS delivered up to a 2.1x speed-up in execution times, and a 100%+ reduction in agent request latency under heavy multi-agent workloads. Beyond raw computational speed, AIOS empowers a flourishing digital economy, evidenced by its massive open-source adoption, which already boasts over 8,000 GitHub stars, more than 1,000 active developer community members, and 50+ successfully launched AI agent applications. By enabling large-scale agent deployment and prioritizing data privacy through local edge computing, AIOS radically simplifies the orchestration of next-generation agentic software—positioning itself at the center of a projected $150 billion global total addressable market for edge AI orchestration by 2030. Garnering widespread industry recognition and media coverage from prominent tech outlets such as IEEE Spectrum, VentureBeat, Lifeboat, and InfoSpace, AIOS ultimately provides the indispensable, scalable, and secure foundation required to safely realize the full potential of global artificial intelligence across consumer, enterprise, and telecommunications sectors.