Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin is awarded the highest award in TERMIS Global – the Jensen Tissue Engineering Award – for his seminal work on polymer nanofiber technology, bioinductive implants and polymer-ceramics technologies, all of which are being used in numerous products in the field of Regenerative Engineering, which he pioneered.
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Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., K.C.S.L., S.L.M.H.(G), F.R.Eng., is the University Professor at the University of Connecticut (one of only two currently at the school). He is Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is the Chief Executive Officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering at the University of Connecticut, a cross-university Institute created and named in his honor.
Sir Cato T. Laurencin earned a B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, an M.D., Magna Cum Laude, from the Harvard Medical School, and a Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology from MIT.
Dr. Laurencin is the founder and pioneer of the field of Regenerative Engineering. He is an expert in biomaterials science, chemistry, stem cell technology, biophysics, and nanotechnology and has worked in the Convergence of these areas. In receiving the Spingarn Medal, he was named as the world’s foremost engineer-physician-scientist. In recognition of his breakthrough achievements in Regenerative Engineering worldwide, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Foundation created the Cato T. Laurencin Regenerative Engineering Founder’s Award. He is the first surgeon in history elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Inventors, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the first individual in history to receive the Walsh McDermott Medal from the National Academy of Medicine, and the Simon Ramo Founders Award from the National Academy of Engineering.
Dr. Laurencin and his colleagues produced the seminal work in patents and papers on polymeric nanofiber technology for tissue regeneration. His work heralded the field, inspiring a host of products. Dr. Laurencin produced the seminal work on bioinductive implants for musculoskeletal regeneration. His Laurencin-Cooper ligament (designed to promote the body’s natural healing of tissue) was highlighted by National Geographic Magazine in its “100 Scientific Discoveries That Changed the World” edition. This has inspired products used in millions of patients including the Biobrace.
In hard tissue, Dr. Laurencin pioneered the combination of polymers and ceramics for use in musculoskeletal repair and regeneration. For that work alone, he was named one of the 100 Engineers of the Modern Era by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. His seminal papers and patents have been the basis for an entire industry that utilizes polymer-ceramics for technologies such as interference screws, and for bone repair and regeneration. He has pioneered work combining polymeric materials chemistry with human allograft tissues with products such as Magnifuse by Medtronic on the market. Dr. Laurencin co-developed polyphosphazene polymers for musculoskeletal purposes heralding a new era in bone regenerative engineering. He has had breakthrough discoveries in the areas of materials chemistry and engineering, pioneering the concept of inductive materials regenerative engineering, where materials directly regenerate tissues without the use of morphogenetic factors.
For his transformational technologies and inventions, he received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, America’s highest honor for technological achievement, awarded in ceremonies at the White House, and he received the Kathryn C. Hach Award for Entrepreneurial Success from the American Chemical Society. Internationally, he was named Inventor of the Year by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation.
Renowned worldwide, he is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Academy of Engineering, and he is an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He is President of the St. Lucia Academy of Science, Technology, and the Arts. He received Knighthood under the auspices of King Charles III of England through the Governor-General of St. Lucia.
Dr. Laurencin is a mentor. He received the Presidential Award for Excellence is Science, Math and Engineering Mentoring from the White House, the Beckman Award for Mentoring, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mentor Award.
