Company patents
Northeastern University
Northeastern University's patent strategy reveals a surprising dual focus on Material & Chemical Analysis and Pharmaceutical Preparations, each accounting for 12.7% of its 550 patents, indicating a strong commitment to both fundamental materials science and applied pharmaceutical research. While many categories show a decline in 2026 so far, Machine Learning & AI is emerging as a key area, with a 37.5% YoY growth in 2026, and Healthcare Informatics also shows significant growth at 100% YoY in 2026, suggesting a strategic shift towards digital health and advanced computing applications.
Patent Trend by Technology Area
Yearly patent publications since 2023
Product themes
Product-level themes inferred from filings since 2023, with category chips showing where each theme appears. Select a theme to filter the patents below.
550 US filings (since 2023) · 12 categories · 48 themes
Methods and compositions for identifying, quantifying, or characterizing specific biological molecules (e.g., nucleic acids, proteins, metabolites, antibodies) or microbial species, often for diagnostic, prognostic, or quality control applications.
Techniques and hardware architectures for optimizing the radio frequency (RF) front-end, antenna systems, and beamforming strategies in wireless networks to improve signal quality, capacity, and interference mitigation.
Design and synthesis of acyclic or carbocyclic organic compounds that selectively modulate specific biological targets or pathways for the treatment of diseases.
Development of therapeutic approaches involving the genetic modification of cells (e.g., T cells, stem cells, macrophages) or the use of viral/non-viral vectors to deliver genetic material for disease treatment.
Methods and reagents designed to improve the specificity, efficiency, or yield of nucleic acid capture, ligation, amplification, or library preparation steps, particularly for sequencing applications or quantitative analysis.
Systems and methods for non-invasive or minimally invasive collection and analysis of physiological data (e.g., blood pressure, electrolytes, genetic markers, B cell repertoire) to assess patient health status, screen for conditions, or aid in diagnosis.
Methods and systems for the efficient and scalable production, purification, and formulation of proteins and peptides, including fermentation, chromatography, and cell-based expression systems.
Delivery systems specifically engineered to administer advanced drug formulations (e.g., microparticles, biologics, extended-release systems) to achieve precise targeting, controlled release kinetics, or enhanced therapeutic efficacy within the body.
Self-contained or modular devices designed to automate and integrate multiple steps of molecular diagnostic assays, from sample preparation to result interpretation, often for point-of-care or high-throughput applications.
Therapeutic approaches involving the use of living cells, often genetically modified or ex vivo activated, to treat diseases, particularly cancer, by modulating immune responses or replacing damaged cells.
Methods and apparatus specifically tailored for the expansion, differentiation, or genetic modification of cells for therapeutic applications (e.g., CAR T cells, progenitor cells) or for the production of specific biological products (e.g., cultured fat, RNA).
Systems and methods for real-time sensing, modeling, and closed-loop control of additive manufacturing parameters to ensure part quality, consistency, and process efficiency. This includes thermal management, atmospheric regulation, and precise material deposition.
Miniaturized devices that manipulate small volumes of fluids (nanoliters to picoliters) through microchannels to perform laboratory functions like mixing, separation, reaction, and detection on a single chip.
Utilizing machine learning, particularly deep learning, to analyze medical data such as images, sensor readings, or physiological signals for disease prediction, diagnosis, or treatment assessment.
Development of novel materials, surface patterns, or structural supports designed to enhance cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, or tissue formation, including hydrogels and patterned surfaces.
Therapeutic strategies employing nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, oligonucleotides) to modulate gene expression, deliver genetic material, or interfere with disease-causing pathways. Includes gene therapy using viral vectors.
Systems and methods that use imaging technologies, computer vision, and augmented reality to provide real-time guidance, localization, and visualization during surgical procedures or for detailed anatomical assessment.
Development and use of engineered biological systems, such as organ-on-a-chip devices, dynamic hydrogels, or genetically modified cells, to mimic physiological conditions, study disease mechanisms, screen compounds, or develop cell-based therapies.
Systems and methods for monitoring, controlling, and optimizing the movement of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other aircraft, including real-time connectivity, flight planning, and route modification.
Techniques for identifying microorganisms, assessing their viability, quantifying their presence, profiling their metabolic activity, or determining their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents, often in complex biological or environmental samples.
Specialized hardware, architectural designs, and computational methods to improve the speed, efficiency, and security of artificial intelligence and machine learning model execution, particularly for inference and data processing.
Methods and kits for amplifying nucleic acids at a constant temperature, enabling faster results and point-of-care applications, often used for pathogen or contamination detection.
Development of devices and methods for non-invasive or minimally invasive collection and analysis of physiological data, often from wearable sensors, to monitor health, activity, or specific conditions.
Systems and methods for automated monitoring and dynamic adjustment of environmental parameters (e.g., pH, temperature, oxygen, nutrients) and fluid handling within bioreactors to optimize cell/tissue growth or product synthesis.
Techniques for combining and analyzing information from multiple distinct data modalities (e.g., text, image, video, audio, sensor data) to derive richer insights or improve system performance and decision-making.
Computational methods and design principles for generating optimized geometries, internal structures (e.g., lattices, minimal surfaces), or functional features that are specifically enabled or enhanced by the capabilities of additive manufacturing.
Systems that employ imaging and image processing to automatically detect defects, verify states, or ensure quality control in manufactured goods, printed materials, or industrial processes.
Techniques and apparatus for cultivating cells in three-dimensional structures, including organoids, tissue models, and scaffolds, often involving microfluidics, specialized matrices, or mechanical stimulation to mimic in vivo conditions.
Techniques for building three-dimensional metal objects layer-by-layer using metal powders, including powder bed fusion, binder jetting, and directed energy deposition. This theme encompasses process mechanics, equipment design, and operational control for AM systems.
Automated systems using image processing and artificial intelligence to identify, classify, and assess the extent of damage to structures or objects, supporting maintenance or insurance claims.
Therapeutic interventions that target immune checkpoint pathways to either enhance or suppress immune responses, often used in cancer immunotherapy or autoimmune diseases.
Design and engineering of proteins or peptides to directly modulate immune responses, including enhancing antigen presentation, suppressing inflammation, or activating specific immune cell types.
Assays leveraging CRISPR-Cas systems (e.g., Cas12, Cas13) for highly specific and sensitive detection of target nucleic acids, often involving collateral cleavage activity or reporter molecules.
Modification of protein or peptide sequences, structures, or post-translational modifications (e.g., glycosylation, lipidation) to enhance their stability, solubility, delivery, or therapeutic efficacy.
Systems that integrate digital technology, sensors, or connectivity to monitor, track, or automate aspects of medication administration, often providing data feedback, personalized recommendations, or secure logging.
Mobile applications and systems leveraging wireless communication and location data (e.g., GPS, RFID, geo-fencing) to provide context-specific services, transactions, or user interactions.
Devices and software systems designed to facilitate physical rehabilitation, track human movement, evaluate posture, or assess biomechanical parameters for injury recovery, surgical planning, or performance improvement.
Design and modification of antibodies or antibody-derived fragments for targeted therapeutic intervention, including bispecific formats, Fc region modifications, and activatable constructs.
Developing and applying machine learning algorithms that leverage quantum computing principles, such as quantum circuits or autoencoders, for tasks like simulation or data processing.
Design and application of devices that are inserted into the body or implanted to treat diseases, modulate physiological functions, or repair anatomical structures.
Digital platforms and systems that deliver tailored therapeutic interventions, guidance, or recommendations to patients based on their individual health data, biometric feedback, and computational models (e.g., AI/ML, physiological simulations).
Processes for creating or manipulating three-dimensional digital representations of objects or environments, including mesh generation, surface fitting, and depth estimation from multiple views.
Techniques for generating human-like text or other content using large pre-trained models, often involving prompt engineering, speculative decoding, or multi-modal inputs for content creation.
Methods for training machine learning models across multiple decentralized devices or servers while keeping data localized, often involving aggregation of model parameters and secure communication.
Development and application of therapeutic proteins or peptides produced through recombinant DNA technology, including fusion proteins and modified growth factors.
Systems enabling wireless communication between vehicles (V2V), vehicles and infrastructure (V2I), or vehicles and other entities (V2X) to share information for traffic management, safety, and navigation.
Methods and systems for improving the quality of video streams, generating intermediate frames, or continuously locating and following objects within a sequence of images, even under occlusion.
Systems and methods for automating the lifecycle of machine learning models, including pipeline deployment, model management, versioning, and configuring for different inference environments.
Patents
Showing 1-9 of 9
AI/ML Hardware Acceleration