SOA Professor’s innovation gets US patent

Bhubaneswar: The invention of an automated oral biopsy device developed by a professor of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University here which is expected to revolutionize oral biopsy procedures has received a United States patent.

The user friendly automated pen like device which has simplified the process of biopsy and eliminated the need for extensive instrumentation along with features of tele-screening and fiber-optic light, has been formulated by Prof. (Dr.) Neeta Mohanty, presently designated as SOA’s Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Collaboration).

“Biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis and unskilled biopsy often leads to erroneous and delayed diagnosis resulting in life threatening conditions,” Prof. (Dr.) Mohanty said.

Prof. (Dr.) Mohanty, who earlier was Dean of Institute of Dental Sciences, SOA’s faculty of dental sciences, said she had filed for two Indian patents for the same product in 2018 which were granted in 2023 and 2024 respectively and she got a design patent in 2019. “I filed for the U.S. patent towards the end of 2019 which was published in 2020 and the patent was granted a few days ago,” she said.

This innovation had won the Global Outreach Dental Innovation Award in 2021. It was selected by the Science and Technology Department of the Odisha government for showcasing at the Global Bio India 2024 held at New Delhi. “I thank the robust Intellectual Property Rights Cell of SOA Deemed to be University headed by Prof. Sushant Kamilla which helped my work. I also thank SOA Founder President Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak and Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman, SOA Advisory Board, for encouraging me to file for the US patent,” she said.

Her research was funded by the Department of Science and Technology for prototype development and approval was received from Start-up Odisha for need based assistance.

The useful invention will benefit the patients immensely with early diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases without compromising on the expert opinion and reducing the burden of oral diseases, specially oral cancer, Prof. (Dr.) Mohanty said.