Koyal Garg, an Indian American researcher at Saint Louis University, has been named to the 2025 Class of Senior Members of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). She is among 164 emerging inventors from across 64 NAI member institutions.
NAI Senior Members are active faculty, scientists, and administrators from NAI Member Institutions who have demonstrated remarkable innovation producing technologies that have brought, or aspire to bring, real impact on the welfare of society. They also have growing success in patents, licensing, and commercialization, while educating and mentoring the next generation of inventors.
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Garg is recognized for the discovery and development of regenerative and rehabilitative solutions to the problems of bone, muscle, and soft tissue injury and loss, according to a university press release.
Her research interests include stem/progenitor cells, extracellular matrix-based biomaterials, immunomodulation, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation.
The primary objective of Garg’s lab is to develop innovative strategies for the regeneration and rehabilitation of functional muscle tissue in cases of traumatic injuries.
It develops bio-inspired materials to serve as templates and delivery vehicles for stem cells, cellular products, biomolecules, and pharmaceuticals to treat volumetric muscle loss.
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This technology is licensed to GenAssist, which is developing MyoMatrix, product designed to replace lost muscle tissue following severe injuries. Founding partner Gabe Haas was an undergraduate researcher working at Garg’s lab, under a CURE grant. GenAssist was part of the first cohort for Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship’s New Venture Accelerator in 2024.
She has secured over $2.5 million in external research funding, published more than 50 papers and book chapters, and has two patent applications.
Garg has a Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University, an M.S. Biomedical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University and a B.E. in Biomedical Instrumentation Engineering, Avinashilingam Deemed University, Coimbatore, India