The inaugural Celebration of Innovation of Medicine on March 25, 2025, highlighted the transformative impact of inventorship at Johns Hopkins University, both by faculty and alumni, whose commitment to technology commercialization has improved human health. The event specifically recognized the collaborative efforts between Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) and the School of Medicine, celebrating the commercialization infrastructure available to researchers and the cultural shift on campus towards entrepreneurialism and translational research.
Theodore DeWeese, MD, Dean of the Medical Faculty and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine, underscored the centrality of translation to the mission of Johns Hopkins and encouraged researchers to pursue the translation of their discovery. School of Medicine inventors are responsible for two-thirds of total Johns Hopkins inventions each year, and some of the highest impact products in Johns Hopkins history herald from the medical campus, including Pylarify, Vorasidenib, and Thrive Earlier Detection.
Emmett Cunningham Distinguished Lectureship in Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Drew Pardoll, MD, PhD
, a distinguished alumnus and the Abeloff Professor in Oncology, delivered the Emmett Cunningham Distinguished Lectureship. Pardoll, a member of the National Academy of Inventors and the National Academy of Medicine, has founded 10 companies and holds over 80 patents. He shared his journey and accomplishments in cancer immunology, emphasizing the importance of translating research into improving human health. Pardoll argued that academic researchers should embrace entrepreneurialism to efficiently translate their discoveries into impactful innovations.
President’s Innovation Award
Gregory Newby, PhD
, an Assistant Professor in the McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine and the Department of Biomedical Engineering, was honored with the President’s Innovation Award. Newby’s research focuses on developing efficient genome editing tools to correct genetic disease mutations and studying the regulatory landscape of the genome to better understand and control gene expression. In his acceptance speech, Newby expressed gratitude to President Daniels for creating the award and to DeWeese for sharing the vision that drives innovation at Johns Hopkins.
Presentation of the Inaugural Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Innovator Award
The Ludwig Center
was honored with the inaugural Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Innovator Award for its pioneering work in cancer genetics. Bert Vogelstein, MD, and Kenneth Kinzler, PhD, accepted the award on behalf of the Ludwig Center team. Vogelstein highlighted the contributions of expert technicians, students, postdocs, and young faculty, acknowledging their often undervalued and underappreciated efforts. The Ludwig Center’s focus on decoding cancer genomes and developing pre-cancer DNA diagnostics was celebrated as a model of impactful scientific innovation.
Fireside Chat with John Leonard, MD
Leonard, recipient of the inaugural Dean’s Distinguished Alumni Innovator Award, engaged in a fireside chat with Myra Norton, senior director of JHTV’s FastForward program. Leonard shared that his career journey was dedicated to advancing human health through innovation. He recounted his early experiences during the AIDS epidemic, which sparked his interest in the origins of medicine and led him to a career in pharmaceutical research and development. Leonard emphasized the importance of collaboration between industry and academia, highlighting successful examples and the need for efficient translation of research to serve patients better.
Also recognized were the 30 Johns Hopkins faculty members who are fellows or senior members of the National Academy of Inventors.
Dean DeWeese concluded with the announcement of the new Graduate Fellowship for Entrepreneurship in Medicine, a two-year, cohort-based experience designed to equip PhD and MD/PhD students with the skills, network, and mentorship needed to drive impact through scientific commercialization, innovation, and translation.
The Celebration of Innovation in Medicine was a testament to the extraordinary achievements and collaborative spirit of the institution, reinforcing its leadership in medical innovation and entrepreneurship through the excellence of its faculty, alums, and students.
JHTV team attending the Celebration of Innovation in Medicine