Pioneering the next generation of medical technologies

“We are not experts in patentability,” Handa said. “But Gateway has the right specialists who help us navigate the process and ensure everything progresses seamlessly.”

Gateway provided Handa with grant-writing advice, nominated him for awards, and connected him with potential funding sources. In the past two years, his work has received $5 million in federal funding to accelerate commercialization. As director of the Biointerface Translation & Engineering Center (BTEC), Handa and his colleagues help foster interdisciplinary collaboration on research projects for next-generation medical technologies.

Handa’s success demonstrates that entrepreneurial activities can complement academic research. UGA has become a national leader in encouraging faculty and students to pursue technology transfer and commercialization alongside traditional academic research, with Innovation Gateway playing a crucial supporting role.

In the past, Handa noted, some faculty viewed patents and technology transfer as outside the scope of a professor’s responsibilities. With thoughtful planning, however, it can contribute to professional growth. Colleges and departments, he added, are increasingly open to embracing this concept.

Handa’s laboratory has published more than 120 papers, received $15 million in federal research grant funding, and graduated 15 Ph.D. students. His graduate students participate in patent filings and gain practical experience in translational research.

“My graduate students are gaining experience not only in fundamental research but also in industry-specific tasks that align with the careers they may pursue after graduation,” Handa said.

Named UGA Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021, Handa is a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), serving on UGA’s NAI chapter executive board, and participates in industry events including the Georgia Life Sciences Summit. Handa is also a receipient of UGA’s early career Fred C. Davison Award in 2019 and mid-career Creative Research Medal in 2024.

Handa is training students in entrepreneurial thinking while improving Georgia’s biomedical employment sector.

“Multiple people are already working for our company,” he said. “We are creating jobs in Georgia and that helps the state’s economy.”