Synthetic biologist Reza Kalhor recently received the $250,000 President's Innovation Award, which recognizes early- to mid-career faculty at Johns Hopkins University who are translating breakthrough discoveries into real-world solutions. Kalhor, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, was honored for his work developing genomic recording technologies that allow scientists to track biological events over time.
Image caption: Reza Kalhor
Kalhor's research addresses a fundamental challenge in medicine: understanding how early-life biological signals influence disease decades later. His approach converts these signals into durable DNA records, allowing researchers to trace how conditions such as cancer, aging-related diseases, and developmental disorders emerge and evolve.
"I'm really excited to bring these technologies to address important questions in aging, cancer, and birth defects," Kalhor said.
By bridging fundamental discovery with real-world application, Kalhor's work reflects the broader goal of the President's Innovation Award—to accelerate the translation of promising science into meaningful advances in human health.
The President's Innovation Award and others were presented earlier this month at the 2026 Celebration of Innovation in Medicine event, an event for faculty, students, alumni, and industry leaders co-hosted by Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Across the program, a consistent message emerged: Advancing human health requires more than discovery. It requires infrastructure, expertise, and partnerships to move ideas forward.
"To realize the ultimate potential of our institution, … we must ensure our innovations reach the people who need them," said Theodore DeWeese, dean of the medical faculty and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Other awards and honors include:
The Emmett Cunningham Distinguished Lectureship in Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship, made possible through the support of entrepreneur and Johns Hopkins alumnus Emmett Cunningham, featured Elizabeth Jaffee, an internationally recognized leader in cancer immunotherapy. Jaffee has advanced therapeutic cancer vaccines and helped reshape our understanding of pancreatic cancer—demonstrating how sustained research can lead to entirely new treatment approaches. Her lecture emphasized the collaborative nature of innovation. "One person doesn't accomplish what is really important in innovation," she said. "It's who you work with."
The Dean's Distinguished Faculty Innovator Award honored Barbara Slusher, whose career includes more than 100 patents and multiple FDA-approved therapies. As director of the Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery Program, Slusher has helped build an integrated model for advancing therapeutics from concept to clinic. "Innovation never … is the work of a single person," she said. "It really takes a village."
The Dean's Distinguished Alumni Innovator Award was presented to Saurabh Saha, SOM '04, a biotech executive who has led companies from early discovery through commercialization. Reflecting on his training at Johns Hopkins, Saha noted the importance of maintaining a clear connection between research and patient impact. "You're reminded all the time that there's a patient at the end of all this," he said. "That shapes how you think about the work."
Following the award presentation, Saha joined Christy Wyskiel, executive director of Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, for a conversation that explored the realities of translating science into successful ventures. The discussion highlighted the importance of aligning scientific discovery with market need, communicating value to investors, and making disciplined, data-driven decisions throughout the commercialization process.
