Awards

The Dr. Barry Bercu Biomedical University Inventor Prize honors exceptional university student inventions within the biomedical field during NAI’s Student Showcase, as part of the Annual Conference. The Prize was created by the Bercu family in memoriam of Barry B. Bercu, FNAI a pediatric endocrinologist and visionary innovator, with an aim to recognize biomedical innovations that could serve as impactful solutions and increase quality of care for patients

Applications for the Bercu Prize are currently closed. The next application cycle will open in 2026. We encourage you to check back periodically for the latest updates.

Learn more about the Student Showcase.

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Bercu Prize Recipients

Louis DeRidder

MIT & Harvard University, 2025

Purva Gupta, Ketan Dighe, and Nivetha Gunaseelan

Pennsylvania State University, 2024

Requirements and Eligibility

  • The Bercu Prize is open to individuals and teams. If applying as a team, the team lead and two additional team members may attend the Annual Conference.
  • University inventors must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral program of a NAI Member Institution. Check our Member Directory for a full list of Member Institutions.
  • University inventors will need an endorsement of support from their faculty advisor.
  • Student teams must express interest in the advancement of their innovation through patenting, licensing, or commercialization. 
  • The presented innovation must be relevant to the Annual Conference theme.