Professor Milica Radisic (BME, ChemE) has been named a 2023 Fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors (NAI). This achievement underscores her exceptional contributions to advancing research and driving the development of real-world applications.
The NAI Fellows Program honours the achievements of outstanding academic inventors who, through interdisciplinary collaboration, dedication and innovation, have successfully translated their research into tangible commercial technologies that significantly enhance society. For many academic inventors, being selected as an NAI Fellow represents the pinnacle of professional recognition.
A Canada Research Chair in Organ-on-a-Chip Engineering, Radisic has played a pivotal role in advancing the fields of organ-on-a-chip engineering and biomaterial development. Some of her most notable contributions include leading the NSERC CREATE Program on organ-on-a-chip engineering and entrepreneurship and establishing the Centre for Research and Applications in Fluidic Technologies (CRAFT), which is dedicated to the translation of organ-on-a-chip devices into practical products.
In the past decade, Radisic and her team have made significant advances in the commercialization of their organ-on-a-chip technology with TARA Biosystems, a cardiovascular disease biotechnology company Radisic cofounded. This technology involves using miniaturized cardiac organs for testing the efficacy and safety of different pharmaceutical compounds. The Radisic lab also developed one of TARA Biosystems proprietary technologies known as Biowire, which features a microfluidic chip encapsulating compartmentalized cardiac tissue.
Boasting a prolific publication record — including an impressive h-index (a measure of research productivity and citation impact) of 65 — Radisic’s groundbreaking research has earned her numerous awards and substantial funding. She has received several honours, such as NSERC’s E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship and the Killam Research Fellowship, and she was recently inducted as a Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering. Radisic’s global influence is apparent through her active engagement on editorial boards, organizing symposiums, as well as her service as a member and scientific officer of the CIHR Biomedical Engineering Panel. A committed teacher, Radisic has mentored more than 114 researchers. Beyond academia, her diverse contributions include leadership roles in professional societies and university centres, including board positions.
“We enthusiastically congratulate Dr. Milica Radisic on her well-deserved election as a Fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors. Her exceptional contributions in organ-on-a-chip engineering, biomaterial development and commercialization efforts showcase her transformative impact on research and real-world applications,” says Professor Milos Popovic, Director of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering.
