Iranian researcher wins gold at Silicon Valley Int’l Invention Festival 2025

Qeshm, IRNA – An Iranian researcher has won the gold medal and first place at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival (SVIIF 2025), one of the world’s leading events for innovation and technology, held in California, the United States.

Dr. Maryam Noori Balanji received the top global honor for her invention of a novel recombinant, knowledge-based drug derived from unique sugar compounds found in Holothuria scabra, a rare species of sea cucumber native to the northern waters of Qeshm Island in southern Iran. This marks the second time she has successfully developed a drug based on this distinctive marine organism.

The newly invented drug, which can be administered either orally or by injection, is designed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells and eliminate various types of tumors.

Dr. Noori Balanji developed the drug in cooperation with a team of expert researchers from Canada.

Previously, she also earned first place and a special global gold medal at the Kaohsiung International Invention and Design Expo in Taiwan in 2023, along with an honorary full-funded award from Finland through the World Invention Intellectual Property Associations (WIPA).

The Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2025, organized by the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA), was held from August 8 to 10 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The event showcased cutting-edge inventions and innovative solutions across fields including healthcare and medicine, green energy, environmental sustainability, renewable activities, smart agriculture, and food industries.