NJIT, Leader at Stryker and NJIT Recognized for Innovation in Medical Technology
Written by: Andrew McMains and Tracey Regan
Published: Tuesday, August 5, 2025
The Research & Development Council of New Jersey is recognizing medical technology developed at New Jersey Institute of Technology and Stryker executive Robert C. Cohen’s leadership in surgical device and robotics innovation.
Cohen, who holds three degrees from NJIT and chairs its Board of Trustees, is president of digital robotics and enabling technologies at Stryker. He and NJIT will be honored at the council’s annual Edison Patent Awards ceremony in November.
Printing biomaterials
The NJIT recognition, for Technology Transfer, will be accepted by a team of inventors that forged a novel technology that allows manufacturers for the first time to 3D print a class of biomaterials used in bone and tissue repair.
One potential application is cell-friendly, degradable tissue scaffolds that would help repair torn tendons. Currently, the parts used in these procedures must be injected into molds, cured, treated and machined.
The patented innovation enables someone to take a digital image and directly print and treat it in a single process. It also allows for the shaping of materials into complex, patient-specific devices that are now difficult to create in molds.
The patent has been licensed to Acuitive Technologies, which uses it to 3D print specialized thermally curable polymer composites for orthopedic applications, including rotator cuff repair.
The inventors are Associate Professor Murat Guvendiren, Chya-Yan Liaw and Andrew House. Liaw and House worked as researchers in Guvendiren’s lab and now are an assistant professor at National Chung Hsing University and an applied research scientist at Acuitive, respectively. House also earned two degrees at NJIT: a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and a bachelor’s in bioengineering and biomedical engineering.
“We pursued this technology to solve a longstanding challenge in additive manufacturing — how to 3D print thermoset polymers with precision and consistency,” said Guvendiren, director of the Materials Engineering Program at NJIT’s Newark College of Engineering. “Our goal was to develop a platform that enables high-performance, biocompatible materials to be printed directly into complex, functional structures, especially for medical applications where accuracy and material integrity are critical.”
Device and robotics innovation
The Cohen recognition, a Science & Technology Medal, celebrates an impactful career that includes two medical technology startups in New Jersey and contributions in technology leadership roles at large, multinational medtech companies — all with a focus on innovation for the betterment of health care.
In a letter about the award, council Executive Director Kim Case said that Cohen has “led the successful translation of cutting-edge research into widely adopted, market-ready solutions,” adding, “These technologies are not only enhancing surgical precision, but also reducing recovery times and improving outcomes for patients around the world. Your trailblazing work is a shining example of how New Jersey-based innovation is making a global impact.”
“That an organization of its stature and mission thinks I am worthy of this recognition, it is very humbling. I am sincerely grateful,” said Cohen, who has welcomed students from NJIT’s Center for Pre-College Programs to tour Stryker’s medical technology and manufacturing facility and heighten their interest in STEM careers. “The council's championing of collaboration between New Jersey academia and industry can only accelerate research that benefits society. Also, consistent with a passion of mine, the advancement of STEM education and increasing the number of graduates allows small and large companies to solve more challenges and invent.”
The statewide award follows Cohen’s election into the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Inventors — among the highest professional distinctions in engineering. Through his innovative work, Cohen, who holds 29 design and method patents, has significantly advanced the field of orthopedic joint replacement surgery, improving patient quality of life and implant survivorship longevity.
Cohen became chair of NJIT’s Board of Trustees in 2020. He also serves on the Board of Directors of NJIT’s New Jersey Innovation Institute, which fuels efforts to commercialize research, and, for the past 17 years, the Board of Visitors of its Newark College of Engineering. At NJIT, Cohen earned both a bachelor’s and master’s in mechanical engineering and a master’s in engineering management.
“I did coursework, projects and a thesis on total joint replacement, including hip, knee and shoulder replacement. The thesis work and education in orthopedics, design, biomechanics, materials and biology made me very desirable for employment in numerous companies in the Northeast that specialized in orthopedic joint replacement,” Cohen said. “To this day, I remain truly thankful for the opportunity I had to be taught and mentored by some amazing NJIT professors. I can honestly say that I would not be at this juncture in my career if it wasn't for this university.”