Tami Lasseter Clare, left, with students in her conservation science lab. She was named a Senior Member by the National Academy of Inventors. (Credit: Jeremy Chun Sajqui)
Three Portland State professors are being recognized by the National Academy of Inventors for their contributions to advancements in science and consumer technologies.
David Peyton, a professor emeritus of chemistry, is being honored as an NAI Fellow for 2023. NAI Fellow status is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to academic inventors. Tami Lasseter Clare, an associate professor of chemistry, and Jun Jiao, a professor of mechanical and materials engineering, are being honored as NAI Senior Members, which recognizes emerging academic inventors.
All three will be honored during the NAI’s annual conference in June in Raleigh, N.C.
“The recognition of our colleagues by the National Academy of Inventors is a testament to the pioneering spirit and the relentless pursuit of innovation that defines Portland State University,” said Rick Tankersley, vice president for Research and Graduate Studies. “This honor highlights the impact of our faculty's research and our dedication to an environment where inventiveness thrives. We're immensely proud of their achievements and PSU's role in advancing science and technology.”
David Peyton
Peyton is a leading expert in the application of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to problems relating to public health. A major research program in his lab has been drug development leading to overcoming the effects of drug resistance, particularly in malaria.
In 2008, he co-founded DesignMedix to develop small-molecule drugs to overcome drug resistance in treating infectious diseases. Though the PSU spin-out eventually closed after an unsuccessful clinical trial, Peyton's research and partnerships have resulted in advances that paved the way for five unique patent filings related to candidate malaria drug compounds and mechanisms of reducing the drug resistance that makes malaria so difficult to treat.
“His scholarship, industry collaborations and entrepreneurism have fostered an ethos in his lab and PSU which continues to develop technologies that are sought after by industry,” said Travis Woodland, director of Innovation & Intellectual Property at PSU. “His mentorship of graduate students and new professors is admirable, many of which are continuing to take on society’s biggest problems in health — we have every reason to believe his work will continue to impact medical research for decades.”
Tami Lasseter Clare
Clare’s research efforts center on developing new materials and diagnostic tools to prevent and understand the degradation of material cultural heritage. Her lab has not only invented novel methods for preserving art from environmental damage, but also new techniques and instrumentation for scientific analysis of art for historians and museum curators to better understand the materials and methods used to create the objects.
Clare is currently on a Fulbright scholarship in Greece and Spain studying sustainable coatings to protect metalwork against corrosion, and was recently awarded sustainable funds from the Mellon Foundation for the Pacific Northwest Conservation Science Consortium, which since 2017 has partnered with five museums to protect and preserve culturally significant art and historical artifacts.
Woodland said there has been significant interest from major suppliers to the oil and gas industry for Clare’s electrochemical sensing and nano-clay coating additives technologies.
“Tami’s entrepreneurial mindset has resulted in additional advances in the electrochemical sensing technology, which has increased the readiness level of the technology while also improving the work of Tami’s team and the consortium to ensure irreplaceable works of art are preserved and carefully studied,” Woodland said.
Jun Jiao
Jiao’s research interests are focused on the synthesis and characterization of nanoscale materials and devices toward their technological applications. Her research in high-quality graphene growth, spintronics, photocatalytic water purification techniques and the development of novel adjuvants and delivery systems for vaccines has resulted in five patents.
“At PSU, Jun’s most enduring accomplishments have derived from her ability to see upcoming industrial needs and propose fundamental research with the long-term potential benefit of her research and the experience of her students,” Woodland said.
Jiao was foundational in supporting a startup company, Diatomix, that began from research from her students, and was instrumental in the formation of PSU’s Center for Microscopy and Nanofabrication, a facility that provides microscopy services to local semiconductor and other companies while giving students a chance to interact with industry and learn how to characterize materials through microscopy.
“This recognition reaffirms my commitment to driving innovation and translating research into concrete outcomes for the betterment of society,” Jiao said. “I am grateful for the dedication of my research team over the years, composed of talented students and postdoctoral researchers, who have been instrumental in bringing innovative ideas to fruition.”