Mario Romero-Ortega joins elite ranks of inventors as a 2026 NAI Senior Member

The National Academy of Inventors named Mario Romero-Ortega, biomedical engineering professor and department head, a Senior Member of its 2026 class. 

“This recognition is a testament to your remarkable achievements as an academic inventor and a rising leader in your field,” NAI President Paul R. Sanberg wrote in the announcement letter.

NAI will induct Romero-Ortega at its annual conference in Los Angeles on June 4. 

Senior Member status honors active members with an exceptional record of patents and discoveries that improve society’s welfare. Romero-Ortega joins more than 50 U of A faculty named NAI Senior Members and Fellows.

“It's a true honor to be included in such a distinguished group of peers, people who are innovators and who work towards creating solutions for problems that truly matter,” Romero-Ortega said. 

Rewiring the body’s circuits

Romero-Ortega currently holds seven patents, with six more pending. His inventions use electrical stimulation to repair nerve damage, connect prosthetics to the nervous system, and treat a range of illnesses. 

One patent covers a tube-like device that reconnects severed nerve ends across gaps up to four centimeters. The device acts as a scaffold, guiding nerve growth while delivering biological compounds Romero-Ortega developed. 

“The usual way to repair a nerve gap is to remove a healthy nerve from the foot, and the medical community has been looking for years for an off-the-shelf device that would offer an alternative to bridge long nerve gaps,” he said. “We identified a cocktail of biologicals that enhances nerve regeneration and the recovery of function.”

A second patent outlines an implant that treats stress urinary incontinence.  

“SUI can occur from childbirth and worsen with age,” Romero-Ortega said. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, SUI is common in women but not always reported to physicians, and up to 75% of women over 65 have trouble controlling their bladder. 

Romero-Ortega’s small implantable device, called a NeuroClip, attaches directly to a pelvic nerve and sends electrical pulses to activate the muscles responsible for bladder control. 

“This therapy is called Selective Pelvic Floor Neuromodulation,” he said. “The stimulation from the pulses overcomes the injury to the nerves and muscles from stretching, working as restorative therapy.” 

The National Institutes of Health funded the initial development of both devices. Juniper Biomedical, a startup Romero-Ortega co-founded, is commercializing the NeuroClip therapy device. The company won second place and $1.6 million in the NIH Neuromod Prize competition.     

“This technology, which is moving on to clinical trials next, could help millions of people,” Romero-Ortega said. “It’s another example of how vital research funding is in helping improve lives.”