Klein College of Science Research Wins Invention of the Year
A Klein College of Science research team was awarded the Invention of the Year Excellence Award at a ceremony held April 7 at the Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City.
Kirill Afonin, professor of chemistry, and Yasmine Radwan, a doctoral student in the chemistry and nanoscale science program, were awarded the top honor from the UNC Charlotte Division of Research.
The research in the Afonin lab is creating biomedical treatments with the potential to treat a wide-range of diseases and illnesses, all customized to the patient’s genome.
Their invention “RNA-DNA Fusomers with Tunable Physicochemical, Mechanical and Biological Properties for Diverse Biomedical Applications,” has the potential to revolutionize how diseases are treated. The advancement personalizes medicine for an individual’s immune system, targeting treatments at the nanoscale in order to minimize adverse side effects.
Patent Awards
Deborah S.K. Thomas, associate vice chancellor for research, led the celebration of this year’s patent award winners, all from the Klein College of Science:
- Ishwar Aggarwal, research professor in physics and optical science, was honored as the University’s first National Academy of Inventors Fellow.
- Naz Fathma Tumpa, graduate student in chemistry and nanoscale science; and Aiden Hawkins, undergraduate student in chemistry, worked with advisors Michael Walter and Tyler Adams to place as the top five finalists in the National Collegiate Inventors Competition.
- Susan Trammell, professor of physics and optical science, earned third place in the PMU-NAI International Patent Award competition.
Additional awards recognized research and inventions in the categories of:
- clean energy and power systems
- information and data science
- life sciences and health
- physical and material sciences
UNC Charlotte’s first class of National Academy of Inventors senior members were also recognized, honoring seven faculty for their outstanding contributions to innovation and research:
- Kirill Afonin, professor of chemistry
- James Amburgey, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering
- Glenn Boreman, professor and chair of the department of physics and optical science
- Olya Keen, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering
- Jordan Poler, professor of chemistry
- Susan Trammell, professor of physics and optical science
- Michael Walter, professor of chemistry