The National Academy of Inventors named Exact Sciences' David Ahlquist, MD, a fellow for his contributions over a lifetime.
What you should know:
1. Dr. Ahlquist has 42 patents in the area of colorectal cancer screening and neoplasm detection.
2. The academy recognizes inventors whose inventions have improved the quality of life, economic development and welfare of society.
3. The class of 2019 fellows together hold more than 3,500-issued U.S. patents.
Exact Chairman and CEO Kevin Conroy said: "From our first meeting 10 years ago, Dr. Ahlquist and the Mayo Clinic team focused on the power of cancer screening and early detection. Dr. Ahlquist's vision led the way in achieving what many people thought was impossible — creating a noninvasive, highly-sensitive, and patient-friendly colon cancer screening test."