TLDR: Dr. Nidhal C. Bouaynaya of Rowan University, alongside co-inventor Dr. Hassan Fathallah-Shaykh, has been awarded the 2025 Edison Patent Award for their AI-powered method to rapidly detect and measure glioblastoma brain tumors. This innovation, jointly patented by Rowan University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, was recognized in the ‘Medical Diagnostics’ category, highlighting its significant impact on healthcare.
A groundbreaking artificial intelligence innovation in medical diagnostics has earned Dr. Nidhal C. Bouaynaya, a distinguished innovator in AI and machine learning at Rowan University, and her co-inventor, Dr. Hassan Fathallah-Shaykh of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the esteemed 2025 Edison Patent Award. The Research & Development Council of New Jersey announced the recognition for their invention, titled ‘Method for Detecting Radiological Progression in Cancer Surveillance,’ identified as U.S. Patent 12,198,334 B2.
This award-winning technology is a cloud-based, artificial intelligence-powered medical solution designed to significantly accelerate the mapping and measurement of glioblastoma brain tumors. The patent for this vital diagnostic method is jointly held by Rowan University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, underscoring a collaborative effort in advancing medical science.
Dr. Bouaynaya, who also serves as the associate vice president for artificial intelligence at Rowan University, and Dr. Fathallah-Shaykh’s invention is one of only twelve patents to receive New Jersey’s highest honor for invention and innovation this year. The 46th annual Edison Patent Awards Ceremony and Reception is scheduled for Thursday, November 20, 2025, at Bell Works in Holmdel, New Jersey. This event is New Jersey’s largest celebration dedicated to honoring inventors, shining a spotlight on pioneering discoveries across various sectors including medicine, technology, energy, and defense.
The theme for this year’s Edison Patent Awards, ‘Powering the Future Through Invention,’ emphasizes the profound impact of New Jersey inventors on shaping tomorrow’s world. Virginie Maillard, chair of the Research & Development Council of New Jersey and head of Global Research in Simulation and Digital Twin and head of Research in U.S. for Siemens Foundational Technologies, highlighted the significance of the awards. ‘The Edison Patent Awards is the largest statewide celebration recognizing research organizations and inventors whose breakthroughs power New Jersey’s innovation economy,’ Maillard stated. ‘Each year, we’re reminded that invention is at the heart of progress, and that the work being done right here in New Jersey has global impact.’
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Beyond this specific patent, the 2025 Edison Awards also recognized other significant AI contributions, including NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang receiving the Edison Achievement Award for his revolutionary work in computing and AI, Viz.ai for its AI-powered disease detection software, and ITRI for its AI-driven cybersecurity gatekeeper, among others. This collective recognition underscores the growing influence and critical importance of artificial intelligence in driving innovation across diverse industries.
