Iranian researcher wins gold at Silicon Valley invention festival for cancer medicine

An Iranian researcher has won the gold medal at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival  (SVIIF) 2025 in California due to her development of an innovative medicine contributing to cancer treatment.

According to IRNA, Dr. Maryam Nouri Balanji earned the top honor at the prestigious event for developing a recombinant, knowledge-based drug derived from sugar compounds extracted from Holothuria scabra, a rare species of sea cucumber found off the northern coasts of Iran’s Qeshm Island.

The invention, designed for human medical use, can be produced in injectable or oral form and is intended to inhibit the growth of cancer cells and eliminate various types of tumors.

The project was developed by Dr. Balanji in collaboration with organizational colleagues from the Supreme Council of Free Zones and a team of specialist partners from Canada.

The invention secured the first place worldwide at SVIIF 2025, with each member of the research team receiving the gold medal.

The achievement marks the second time an Iranian researcher affiliated with the country’s free zones has attained this distinction on the global level.

Dr. Balanji had previously won first place and a gold medal at the 2023 Kaohsiung Invention and Innovation Festival in Taiwan, organized under the auspices of the World Invention Intellectual Property Associations (WIPA), where she was also awarded an honorary full scholarship from Finland.

SVIIF 2025, organized by the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA), is regarded as one of the world’s leading innovation events. The festival was held from August 8 to 10 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California, bringing together inventors and innovators from around the world.

Participants showcased a wide range of inventions and advanced technologies across fields including health and medicine, green energy, environmental protection, renewable activities, smart agriculture, and food industry.

In addition to presenting new innovations on an international stage, the festival serves as a platform for global networking and for establishing commercial and industrial partnerships among participants worldwide.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir