Kyriacos Athanasiou, who has contributed to the advancement of biomedical technologies in many areas, has been elected to the National Academy of Inventors. Dr. Athanasiou’s inventions have not only led to patents, but also products. He developed several patents for the prevention of diabetic foot, a potentially debilitating condition that can lead to amputations. In trauma medicine, his work on intraosseous infusion allows for life-saving drugs to be delivered to people whose veins have collapsed. In orthopaedics, his contributions include various biodegradable products for bone and cartilage. Dr. Athanasiou is constantly striving to improve upon existing therapies, and, in the area of cartilage repair, his current research seeks to regenerate cartilage and fibrocartilage without the use of scaffolds.

The National Academy of Inventors honors academic inventors who have “demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.” The induction ceremony for the new fellows is scheduled for March 20 during the academy’s fourth annual conference, being held at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.