Creative Research Medal 2025

Elizabeth Brisbois, associate professor and Distinguished Faculty Fellow in the College of Engineering, is recognized for her pioneering work on light-based nitric oxide (NO) release technology for medical devices. Her research team developed a wearable fiber optic device that uses photoactive NO donor chemistry to deliver controlled antimicrobial NO therapy. This breakthrough has significant potential to prevent infections in catheters and wound dressings, addressing a major clinical challenge in healthcare by reducing complications and improving patient outcomes. Her findings, featured on the cover of the Journal of Controlled Release, led to a $2 million NIH R01 grant to develop and advance to preclinical testing. Brisbois has secured over $12 million in research funding, has more than 20 issued or pending patents, and co-founded Nytricx Inc. to commercialize biomedical technologies. A Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, she has also received multiple national awards recognizing her impact on biomaterials research and translational medicine.