Purdue Innovates, in partnership with four Purdue University colleges, has announced the 2026 Commercialization Fellowship recipients: four early‑career researchers turning breakthrough ideas into real‑world solutions. The fellowship supports recent Ph.D. graduates and postdoctoral researchers as they help move Purdue‑developed technologies out of the lab and toward licensing or startup formation.
Working alongside faculty inventors, the fellows will advance innovations already disclosed to the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization, which operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S.
Learn more about the fellows turning research into real-world impact in 2026:
Faculty Advisor: David Thompson
Saloni Darji
Darji is conducting research about layer-by-layer elastin-like polypeptide nucleic acid nanoparticle (LENN), providing an alternative to current lipid nanoparticle delivery systems which must be stored as liquids below minus 45 degrees Celsius. The primary goal of this technology is targeted delivery of genetic material to cancer cells, with current work on bladder cancer. The platform is designed to achieve high specificity, unintended side effects.
Related story: Purdue mRNA therapy delivery system proves to be shelf-stable, storable
I’ve always been driven by the idea that research should extend beyond the lab and into the real world. I’m motivated to create tangible outcomes by working on technologies that can be patented and ultimately built into startups.
Saloni Darji
Purdue University College of Science
Faculty Advisor: Da Chen
Sunandita Ghosh
Ghosh is developing clear, high-protein beverages. Most protein drinks are thick and unpleasant because proteins are sensitive to the high heat used during pasteurization, which is required for shelf‑life stability. This Purdue technology addresses problem at the molecular level by modifying the proteins themselves, an environmentally friendly process which doesn’t rely on adding stabilizers or other ingredients, resulting in a cleaner formulation.
I’m a food scientist, so I always kept in mind that my research will have a potential application, so I’m excited to join this program and learn more about what it really requires to bring a technology out of the lab and convert it into a real-world product.
Sunandita Ghosh
Purdue University College of Agriculture
Faculty Advisor: Casey Krusemark
Teodora Kljaic
Kljaic is developing a fast screening technology that helps identify the most promising drug candidates early in discovery. By addressing this common bottleneck in research, pharmaceutical companies can test billions of candidates and narrow the field to a small number of high‑value hits that can be advanced for further development.
Related story: In Print: ‘DNA-encoded Library Technology for Drug Discovery’
My motivation to pursue higher education has not been academia focused, but more driven towards translational science. I have always loved the idea of making an impact with whatever knowledge I acquire and to do the work that within my lifetime could truly help people.
Teodora Kljaic
Purdue University College of Pharmacy
Faculty Advisors: Arezoo Ardekani and Steve Wereley
Pranshul Sardana
Sardana’s technology accelerates data annotation, making it easier to prepare large, complex image and video datasets for machine‑learning models to enable higher accuracy predictions. The technology will primarily target medical and pharmaceutical AI applications, where freeing up the domain expert’s time could help develop new therapies more quickly and efficiently.
Machine learning technology is changing so rapidly, coming up with an academic solution doesn’t guarantee it addresses large scale industrial challenges. I look forward to learning how a startup can work closely with clients to speed up their development with the right technology.
Pranshul Sardana
Purdue University College of Engineering
To learn more about the fellowship and previous cohorts, visit the Purdue Innovates website.
About Purdue Innovates
Purdue Innovates is a unified network at Purdue Research Foundation to assist Purdue faculty, staff, students and alumni in either IP commercialization or startup creation. As a conduit to technology commercialization, intellectual property protection and licensing, startup creation and funding, Purdue Innovates serves as the front door to translate new ideas into world-changing impact.
For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. For more information about involvement and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact Purdue Innovates at purdueinnovates@prf.org.
Media contact: Polly Barks, phbarks@prf.org
