University of Toronto Professor Paul Santerre elected fellow of the National Academy of Inventors

Professor Paul Santerre has been elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors. This honour recognizes individuals whose patented innovations have made a significant and lasting impact on quality of life, economic development, and the advancement of society. 

Professor Santerre is a faculty member at U of T’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering and an internationally recognized leader in biomaterials science and health technology commercialization. His research focuses on polymeric biomaterials and their interaction with biological environments, with applications in medical implants, tissue scaffolds, and drug-device combinations. He holds more than 59 patents and has co-founded several health technology ventures, including Interface Biologics Inc., a company specializing in advanced catheter and drug-polymer coating technologies. 

Santerre’s contributions have been widely acknowledged through numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Innovation Award, the Professional Engineers of Ontario Entrepreneurship Award, and the US Society for Biomaterials Clemson Award. He was recently appointed Baxter Chair for Health Technology & Commercialization and is a Fellow of multiple international scientific organizations, including the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. 

In addition to his research achievements, Professor Santerre has played a key role in fostering health innovation and entrepreneurship. As co-founder and director of the Health Innovation Hub (H2i) at U of T, he has supported more than 750 health-focused start-ups, which have collectively raised over $520 million in investment. He also serves as Chair of the Health Entrepreneurship Pillar for the African Higher Education Health Collaborative, helping to strengthen innovation ecosystems globally. 

The official induction of the 2025 NAI Fellows will take place during the 15th Annual NAI Conference, June 1–4, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.