GW Research Magazine 2025 features how clinician-inventors in emergency medicine translate frontline challenges into real-world medical technologies with help from the Technology Commercialization Office (TCO). GW’s innovation ecosystem supports the journey from concept to commercialization - providing patent protection, licensing guidance, and translational funding to advance discoveries that improve patient care. Among the innovations featured are several supported by the TCO, including SonoStik, a precision guidewire device that simplifies IV placement, and NasaClip, a home-ready tool for treating nosebleeds safely and effectively. Both were co-developed by Dr. Neal Sikka, Professor of Emergency Medicine and our 2025 Inventor of the Year, whose work exemplifies how clinical insight can lead to life-saving solutions.
“The TCO has been an incredible resource - they help with education, patent protection, mentorship, and even licensing,” said Dr. Sikka. “It’s not just about my work; it reflects a culture of mentorship and innovation we’ve built here.”
The article also highlights Dr. Andrew Meltzer, another SMHS emergency physician whose team developed GuideGuard, a safety device that prevents guidewire retention during central line placement, a rare but potentially fatal complication. With early support from the TCO, Dr. Meltzer’s team secured patent protection and a Technology Maturation Award that helped them move from prototype to validation.
By connecting researchers with industry partners, funding opportunities, and commercialization expertise, TCO ensures promising ideas from laboratories and hospital settings become technologies that advance care, safety, and access for patients worldwide.
📖 Read the full feature “From Crisis to Creation” in GW Research 2025: smhs.gwu.edu/news/crisis-creation
Explore the complete issue at researchmagazine.gwu.edu.