It’s National Women Inventors Month, and the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP), is spotlighting the remarkable achievements of Katja Michael, a trailblazing researcher. Dr. Michael has made history as the first female researcher from UTEP to be elected a prestigious National Academy of Inventors (NAI) member.
An associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, she is now part of the 2025 class of Senior Members, joining 162 innovative academic inventors.
Michael’s research is nothing short of groundbreaking. She is working tirelessly to tackle neglected tropical diseases through synthesizing and applying glycoconjugates—compounds that impact underserved communities in tropical and subtropical regions.
Her contributions have been vital in developing a diagnostic tool and a vaccine for Chagas disease. If untreated, this condition poses serious health risks to rural areas of Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Moreover, she has guided undergraduate and graduate students throughout her career, fostering collaboration that has led to joint publications and even patent contributions.
Her intellectual property portfolio boasts multiple U.S. patents and over 40 peer-reviewed publications—a testament to her dedication and innovation!
Michael is also a member of the American Chemical Society and the German Chemical Society.
The 2025 class of NAI Senior Members represents the largest group yet, showcasing inventors from nationwide institutions. Collectively, this group can claim more than 1,200 U.S. patents.
A special celebration during the Senior Member Induction Ceremony will occur at NAI’s 14th Annual Conference from June 23-26, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia.
84% of UTEP’s 25,000 students are Hispanic, and more than half are the first in their families to pursue a college education. UTEP offers 171 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs and thrives as America’s only open-access, top-tier research university.
The National Academy of Inventors comprises over 4,600 individual inventor members and fellows from more than 260 institutions. The NAI was founded in 2010 to uplift and recognize inventors who hold patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The organization highlights academic technology and innovation, fosters intellectual property sharing, educates innovative students, and translates members’ inventions into tools for societal good.
With a close partnership with the USPTO, the NAI is one of three honorific organizations, alongside the National Medals and the National Inventors Hall of Fame, dedicated to promoting discovery and innovation. The NAI also publishes the esteemed journal “Technology and Innovation.”
Huge congratulations to Katja Michael, PhD, the first female UTEP researcher to be named to the National @AcadofInventors! 👩🔬 🔬 She has helped develop diagnostic tools and vaccines to fight Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, two parasitic diseases that primarily affect… pic.twitter.com/erPECwNdfc
— UTEP (@UTEP) February 20, 2025
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