On March 9, 2026, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and UNC School of Medicine found themselves at the center of national attention, not just for their academic achievements, but for the profound impact their faculty and research are having on science, technology, and patient lives. The day brought with it two major stories: five UNC Charlotte faculty members were named Senior Members of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), while a groundbreaking clinical trial at UNC School of Medicine, led by Dr. Saira Sheikh, was featured on national television for its transformative effect on a lupus patient’s life.
Recognition from the National Academy of Inventors doesn’t come lightly, and for UNC Charlotte, the 2026 class was a milestone. The NAI, which honors academic inventors whose work has made a measurable impact through patents, commercialization, and mentorship, selected five faculty members spanning disciplines from engineering to architecture to biological sciences. According to Inside UNC Charlotte, the honorees are Sukumar Kamalasadan and Babak Parkhideh from electrical and computer engineering, Kyoung Hee Kim from architecture, and Pinku Mukherjee and Matthew W. Parrow from biological sciences.
Laura Peter, executive director of intellectual property and technology transfer at UNC Charlotte, didn’t mince words about the significance. “The induction of five faculty members from UNC Charlotte as Senior Members of the NAI is an extraordinary achievement and a powerful recognition of the University’s growing influence in innovation and technology commercialization,” she said. “Their work demonstrates how academic inventors drive breakthrough discoveries, secure intellectual property and translate research into technologies that strengthen our economy and improve lives.”
Each honoree’s story is a testament to the university’s research momentum and its commitment to translating complex science into real-world solutions. Take Sukumar Kamalasadan, for instance. As the Duke Energy Distinguished Professor of Electric Power Engineering, he’s a national leader in intelligent power and energy systems. Kamalasadan’s research, which focuses on renewable energy integration, smart grids, and advanced control systems, has attracted more than $13 million in competitive funding. His patented innovations in grid optimization and battery energy storage aren’t just theoretical—they’ve been deployed with utility partners to improve reliability and support clean energy adoption. He’s also the founder of the Duke Energy Smart Grid Laboratory, a testbed that bridges academic research and field applications. Over his career, Kamalasadan has mentored more than 130 students across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels, helping shape the next generation of energy innovators.
Babak Parkhideh, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, is another standout. With 11 U.S. patents, over $13 million in sponsored research, and more than 20 invention disclosures, Parkhideh’s work in power electronics and nonintrusive sensing has advanced grid integration and wideband contactless current sensing. According to Inside UNC Charlotte, he’s also a serial entrepreneur, having co-founded and advised companies such as SineWatts, Tell-iPowerSensAI, and Atom Power. Parkhideh’s mentorship extends to more than 30 graduate students annually, underscoring his commitment to fostering innovation both inside and outside the classroom.
Innovation at UNC Charlotte isn’t limited to engineering. Kyoung Hee Kim, professor of architecture and director of the Integrated Design Research Lab, is reimagining sustainable building technologies. Kim holds a U.S. patent for a sustainable curtain wall and leads research on microalgae-driven, nature-based technologies that position buildings as active environmental contributors. Her biochromic window technology, developed through the university spinout EcoClosure, is being scaled for commercial use. With more than $2 million in funding from the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency, Kim’s work is changing the way we think about the built environment.
In the realm of life sciences, Pinku Mukherjee, Irwin Belk Distinguished Professor of Cancer Research, has made significant strides in translational oncology. Mukherjee is the sole inventor of the OncoTAb antibody, which led to early-detection blood tests for breast cancer and the founding of OncoTAb, Inc. Her contributions have not gone unnoticed—she’s the recipient of the O. Max Gardner Award, the highest faculty honor from the UNC Board of Governors.
Matthew Parrow, professor of biological sciences and associate dean in the Klein College of Science, is also making waves. Parrow is co-inventor on a U.S. patent for lignocellulosic treatments that support sustainable biomass use and has collaborated with Kim on a microalgae-based biochromic window system, which earned a 2021 Architect Magazine R+D Award and is already installed in test form on campus. Parrow has also served on the University’s Faculty Patent Committee for more than five years, ensuring that the university’s intellectual property is managed wisely and strategically.
The 2026 NAI Senior Members class is the largest in program history, with 230 inventors from 82 institutions worldwide. “These innovators come from a variety of fields and disciplines, translating their technologies into tangible impact,” said NAI President Paul R. Sanberg. With seven faculty named NAI Senior Members in 2025 and five more in 2026, UNC Charlotte has celebrated 12 honorees in just two years—a clear sign that its research enterprise is on the rise. The new Senior Members will be officially inducted at the NAI’s 15th Annual Conference, set for June 1–4, 2026, in Los Angeles.
While UNC Charlotte was celebrating its faculty’s achievements, UNC School of Medicine was making headlines of its own. A clinical trial led by Dr. Saira Sheikh was featured on national television by Investigative TV +, shining a spotlight on the transformative power of CAR-T cell therapy for patients with autoimmune diseases like lupus.
The story centered on Rachel Dib, a North Carolina mother of three whose life was upended by lupus. Diagnosed as a college sophomore, Dib endured years of debilitating symptoms—joint pain, breathing difficulties, and even memory gaps so severe she couldn’t recall entire periods of her life. By 2012, she was bedridden, relying on a walker or cane and her husband’s constant care. “It got so bad, I had gaps in my memory,” Dib recalled in the Investigative TV + feature. “My husband just said the other day that I was bedridden in 2012. He said he would come home from work and help me eat, and do everything, because I could not care for myself, but I have no memory of it.”
After her family moved to North Carolina around 2021 due to a military transfer, Dib sought out Dr. Saira Sheikh at UNC Health, drawn by her expertise in treating women with lupus. “The first time I met Dr. Sheikh, she mentioned she did clinical studies,” Dib said. “I was open to trying something new, since through the years, I had tried just about everything else.”
In August 2024, Dib became one of the few patients worldwide to receive CAR-T cell therapy for lupus, a treatment pioneered at UNC for cancer and now being explored for autoimmune diseases. The results were nothing short of life-changing. Dib’s brain fog and breathing issues vanished, and she regained the ability to care for her children and enjoy family vacations. “You can get your life back with this,” she said. “We just went on vacation, I could go-go-go. We took the kid to four different parks. With my lupus, I could not have done that.”
Dr. Sheikh, recognized as one of only a handful of physicians globally using CAR-T cell therapy for autoimmune conditions, is optimistic about the future. The national spotlight on Dib’s story has brought hope to countless others living with lupus and similar diseases, highlighting the potential of cutting-edge research to change lives.
From the halls of academia to the front lines of patient care, UNC’s faculty are proving that innovation, mentorship, and a relentless pursuit of discovery can deliver real impact—not just for North Carolina, but for the world.