Virginia Holsinger was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for dairy product innovation.

Holsinger made healthier dairy products accessible worldwide. Her research on enzymes and digestion advanced the dairy industry, improved nutrition in American schools and international food donation programs, and created the foundation for Lactaid brand products, making milk digestible by those with lactose intolerance.

Overall, 17 innovation pioneers whose inventions range from cancer treatments to satellite-based imaging will be honored in the 2025 class of National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees. In partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the Hall of Fame will honor these Inductees on May 8 at one of the innovation industry’s most highly anticipated events: “The Greatest Celebration of American Innovation.” 

"It is an honor for the USPTO to recognize the 2025 class of the National Inventors Hall of Fame," said Derrick Brent, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Acting Director of the USPTO. “These amazing visionaries have not only changed the world through their inventions, but they also are paving the way for future generations of STEM innovators.”