photo by: University of Kansas

Steven Soper

A University of Kansas professor has become just the eighth in the university’s history to be named a fellow in the National Academy of Inventors.

Steven Soper, who is a distinguished professor in both the departments of chemistry and mechanical engineering, was named as a fellow this week for his work creating tools to screen for medical conditions like cancer, stroke and infectious diseases.

While Soper is just the eighth KU professor to be inducted into the academy, he continues a recent streak. KU has had a professor inducted each of the last three years.

Soper’s research creates new tools — often called “lab on chip technology” to analyze DNA and other biological markers for disease. Soper has been an inventor on more than 20 patents and has founded three start-up companies.

Soper, who earned his doctorate in bioanalytical chemistry from KU in 1989, ha been on KU’s faculty since 2016, after having previously served at the University of North Carolina and Louisiana State University.

Other KU faculty members that have been inducted in the academy are: Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, aerospace engineering; Brian McClendon, electrical engineering and computer science; Mark Shiflett, chemical and petroleum engineering; Cory Berkland, pharmaceutical chemistry and chemical and petroleum engineering; Raghunath Chaudhari, chemical and petroleum engineering; Val Stella, pharmaceutical chemistry and Bala Subramaniam, chemical and petroleum engineering.