Dr. Kilgore Elected to National Academy of Inventors

Kevin Kilgore, PhD, Staff Scientist in the Departments of Orthopedics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and the MetroHealth Center for Rehabilitation Research, has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Inventors (NAI). For its 2023 class, the NAI welcomed 95 of the world’s foremost emerging academic inventors identified from NAI’s member institutions.

NAI Senior Members are active faculty, scientists, and administrators from NAI member institutions who have demonstrated innovation-producing technologies that have brought or aspire to bring a tangible impact on the welfare of society. They also have growing success in patents, licensing, and commercialization, while educating and mentoring the next generation of inventors.

This year eight of the 95 elected members are Case Western Reserve University’s (CWRU) faculty. Dr. Kilgore is a Professor of Orthopedics and PM&R at the CWRU School of Medicine.

Dr. Kilgore has 45 patents, many related to two of his significant inventions and discoveries. The first is electrical nerve block, which involves using unique electrical waveforms to block signal transmission on nerves. This has applications for pain relief, spasticity control, and autonomic nervous system control. These patents have been licensed to medical device companies, primarily for pain relief.

The second is the networked neuroprosthesis, a modular system of implantable devices for human use. This system has applications for providing movement for individuals with paralysis and can also be used as a platform technology for further advancements. National Institutes of Health funding will make this technology the world’s first open-source active implantable device for human use.