Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, moved up 16 spots from the previous year in the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents rankings, appearing at 52nd in the world and 33rd among U.S. institutions in the 2025 list.
Released annually by the NAI, the Worldwide Universities List ranks the top 100 universities holding U.S. utility patents from the prior calendar year to showcase the crucial role patents play in moving university innovation from bench to market, as well as the important role academic institutions play in the innovation ecosystem at large. Through translating their technologies, these institutions are shaping critical societal progress and bolstering the national and global economy.
The collaboration between Rutgers researchers and the Office for Research (OfR) resulted in 69 U.S. patents in 2025, the most in a single year since achieving the same amount in 2022. The university has been a mainstay in the NAI Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted Utility Patents, appearing in all 13 rankings since its inception in 2013.
Michael E. Zwick, Ph.D., Senior Vice President for Research at Rutgers University
Rutgers
“These rankings highlight Rutgers’ continued role as a central hub for research and innovation in New Jersey, America, and the world,” said Michael E. Zwick, PhD, senior vice president of the Rutgers Office for Research. “Rutgers researchers work diligently to solve the challenges of today and tomorrow, and our office supports their efforts to bring their innovations from idea to impact.”
Headshot of Office for Research executive director of Technology Transfer Deborah Perez Fernandez
“Our continued placement in the NAI Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents rankings shows the dedication of both the researchers who come up with the ideas, and the OfR team members who support their work through patenting and protecting their intellectual property,” said Deb Perez Fernandez, PhD, MBA, executive director of the Technology Transfer unit within the Office for Research. “I am incredibly proud of the relationship we have built with the faculty here at Rutgers.”
Among those 69 patents from 2025 are:
A method of casting (a way to create shapes through a manufacturing process where molten material is poured into a mold, allowed to solidify, and then removed) that is cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and more reliable than current methods, invented by Rutgers School of Engineering Distinguished Professor Richard Riman, PhD and his then student Kevin Blinn, PhD;
Venibot, a handheld device designed to quickly, safely, and efficiently access the veins through ultrasound imaging and miniaturized robotics, providing the ability to accurately and autonomously introduce a cannula (a small tube that can be used to draw blood or deliver medication) into targeted blood vessels, developed by Paul & Mary Monroe Chair & Distinguished Professor of biomedical engineering Martin Yarmush, MD, PhD, along with his team of Alvin Chen, PhD, Max Balter, PhD, and Josh Leipheimer, PhD;
An RNA-Aptamer-Mediated Base Editing system for editing genetic code at the individual base level in a cell or an organism, designed by Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School professor Victor Jin, PhD, and his then postdoctoral research fellow Juan-Carlos Collantes, PhD;
Methods and compositions for treating allergic diseases, bacterial infections, fungal infections, viral infections, mastocytosis, mast cell-mediated inflammation, and parasite infections using carbonic anhydrase (Car) enzyme inhibitors, developed by Rutgers New Jersey Medical School associate professor Mark Siracusa, PhD.
All of these patents went through Rutgers’ technology transfer process, which starts with an invention disclosure submitted through Rutgers’ Innovator Portal. The Rutgers Office for Research Technology Transfer unit assesses numerous factors regarding the submission, including the technology and distinguishing features, market applications, stage of development, patentability, and market potential, to recommend whether a US provisional patent application should be filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
These assessments continue throughout the patent application process, and the Technology Transfer team works closely with the inventor(s) and outside counsel to secure the appropriate patent protection. After a patent application is filed, marketing and outreach efforts begin. The Rutgers Technology Transfer team seeks to license the technology to a large corporate entity, small business, or start-up with the interest and ability to develop further and commercialize the technology for the benefit of the public. To learn more about the process, click here.
“University research has long been and continues to provide the spark of breathtaking innovation and the NAI’s report makes clear they understand the paramount importance of protecting their intellectual property. University patents ensure that their nascent technologies find real-world application and generate a real-world impact,” said John A. Squires, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO.
Collectively, the universities on the 2025 Top 100 Worldwide list hold over 9,300 patents with NAI Member Institutions comprising 56% of the ranking, holding over 5,600 patents. Through obtaining U.S. patents, these institutions have the ability to translate their technologies in the competitive global market and make tangible impacts in the daily lives of consumers.
The Top 100 Worldwide Universities List is one of three annual rankings which are published by the National Academy of Inventors. These rankings are based on calendar-year data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office and aim to provide a comprehensive view of intellectual property protection in the innovation ecosystem. The Top 100 U.S. Universities and Top 60 Non-Profit Research Institutions and Government Agencies rankings will be released this spring leading up to NAI’s 15th Annual Conference held in Los Angeles, California.
To read the complete NAI Top 100 Worldwide Universities List, click here.
