Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.,

FREng Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) is an award and Scholarship, fellowship for engineers who are recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering as being the best and brightest engineers, inventors and technologists in the UK a ...

SLMH, (St. Lucia, Medal of Honor, Gold) (born January 15, 1959) is an American engineer, physician, scientist, innovator and a University Professor of the

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from H ...

(one of two at the University). He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of The Connecticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative Engineering. Dr. Laurencin is regarded as the founder of the field of Regenerative Engineering. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal ''Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine'' and Founder and president of the Regenerative Engineering Society. In engineering, medicine, science, and innovation, he is an elected member of the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of ...

, an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, and an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. He is the first surgeon in history to be elected to all four academies. He is the first person to receive both the oldest/highest awards from the

(the Simon Ramo Founder's Award) and the oldest/highest National Academy of Medicine (the Walsh McDermott Medal). In science, Dr. Laurencin received the Philip Hague Abelson Prize, the highest honor of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, for "signal contributions to the advancement of science in the United States" for his work in Regenerative Engineering. In innovation, Laurencin was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, America's highest honor for technological advancement, awarded by President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

in ceremonies at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

Background and personal life

Laurencin was born and raised in the inner city of

North Philadelphia North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is immediately north of Center City. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either ...

. He is an alumnus of Central High School. He then earned a B.S.E. in

chemical engineering Chemical engineering is an engineering field which deals with the study of operation and design of chemical plants as well as methods of improving production. Chemical engineers develop economical commercial processes to convert raw materials int ...

from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...

. He earned an M.D., magna cum laude, from the

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consi ...

, and received the Robinson Award for Surgery. Simultaneously he earned his Ph.D. in

biochemical engineering Biochemical engineering, also known as bioprocess engineering, is a field of study with roots stemming from chemical engineering and biological engineering. It mainly deals with the design, construction, and advancement of unit processes that inv ...

biotechnology Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used ...

from

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...

, where he was named a Hugh Hampton Young Fellow. Laurencin and his wife have three children.

Contributions to engineering and medicine

Laurencin is known as a world leader in biomaterials, polymeric materials science, nanotechnology, stem cell science, drug delivery systems, and a field he has pioneered, regenerative engineering. Laurencin's papers and patents have had broad impact on human health, launching the use of nanotechnology in musculoskeletal regeneration and ushering in a new era in orthopaedic therapies. He and his colleagues were the first to develop nanofiber technologies for tissue regeneration. He pioneered the development of polymer-ceramic systems for bone regeneration, and inspired technologies on the market for bone repair/regeneration and for bioceramic implants such as interference screws for musculoskeletal repair. Laurencin has worked in the development of systems for soft tissue regeneration. He invented the Laurencin-Cooper ligament (LC ligament) for ACL regeneration, and engineered grafts for shoulder rotator cuff tendon repair and regeneration. National Geographic named the LC Ligament one of its "100 Scientific Discoveries that Changed the World" in 2012. He is a highly cited researcher and has authored over 500 scientific papers and patents.

Awards and honors

Laurencin received the

National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late ...

NIH Director's Pioneer Grant Award and the

National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...

NSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Grant Award, the agencies' highest grant awards for innovation and breakthrough research. Dr. Laurencin is an Academician and Member (foreign) of the

Chinese Academy of Engineering The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE, ) is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for engineering. It was established in 1994 and is an institution of the State Council of China. The CAE and the Chinese Academy of Sciences ...

. He is a Fellow of the

African Academy of Sciences The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) is a non-aligned, non-political, not-for-profit, pan-African learned society formed in 1985. The AAS elects fellows ( FAAS) and affiliates. The AAS also awards the Obasanjo Prize for Scientific Discovery and ...

, a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the

Indian National Academy of Engineering The Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), founded in 1987, comprises India's engineers, engineer-scientists and technologists covering the entire spectrum of engineering disciplines. The Academy is registered under the Societies Reg ...

. In 2021, he was elected member of the U. S. National Academy of Sciences., entry in member directory: * 2022 - International Fellow, UK Royal Academy of Engineering * 2022 - Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences * 2022 - Fellow,

Academia Europaea The Academia Europaea is a pan-European Academy of Humanities, Letters, Law, and Sciences. The Academia was founded in 1988 as a functioning Europe-wide Academy that encompasses all fields of scholarly inquiry. It acts as co-ordinator of Europea ...

* 2022 - American Orthopaedic Association Distinguished Contributions to Orthopaedic Surgery Award * 2022 - Named to Connecticut's Top Doctors * 2022 - American Orthopaedic Association Award Hall of Fame * 2022 - Fellow, European Academy of Sciences and Techniques of Senegal, Marshall Urist Award, Orthopaedic Research Society * 2022 - Robert A. Pritzker Distinguished Lectureship Award, Biomedical Engineering Society * 2022 - Diversity Award, American Academy of Orhtopaedic Surgeons * 2022 - The Order of

St. Lucia Saint Lucia ( acf, Sent Lisi, french: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs, two Amerin ...

(St. Lucia Medal of Honor - Gold) * 2022 - Named to Top Most Influential Black Scholars in last 30 years (engineering), Academic Influence * 2022 - Fellow, National Academy of Sciences * 2021 - Recipient,

Hoover Medal The Hoover Medal is an American engineering prize. It has been given since 1930 for "outstanding extra-career services by engineers to humanity". The prize is given jointly by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Institute of Mi ...

AIChE The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is a professional organization for chemical engineers. AIChE was actually established in 1908 to distinguish chemical engineers as a profession independent of chemists and mechanical engineer ...

ASME The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...

/ ASCE / AIME /

IEEE The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a 501(c)(3) professional association for electronic engineering and electrical engineering (and associated disciplines) with its corporate office in New York City and its operat ...

* 2021 - Recipient, Spingarn Medal, NAACP * 2021 - Recipient, Kappa Delta Ann Doner Vaughn Award, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Orthopaedic Surgery." *2020 - Recipient, Herbert W. Nickens Award *2020 - Recipient, James E. Bailey Award in Biomedical Engineering, American Institute of Chemical Engineers * 2020 - Listed as CrossTalk's 100 Inspiring Black Scientists in America * 2020 - Recipient of the Acta Biomaterialia Gold Medal * 2020 - Mike Hogg Award and Lecture,

MD Anderson Cancer Center The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (colloquially MD Anderson Cancer Center) is a comprehensive cancer center in Houston, Texas. It is the largest cancer center in the U.S. and one of the original three comprehensive cancer centers ...

* 2020 - Nelson W. Taylor Lecture and Award, Pennsylvania State University * 2019 - Recipient, UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences * 2019 - Recipient, E.E. Just Lecture Award,

American Society for Cell Biology The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) is a professional society that was founded in 1960.National Academy of Medicine The National Academy of Medicine (NAM), formerly called the Institute of Medicine (IoM) until 2015, is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Medicine is a part of the National Academies of Sciences, Eng ...

* 2019 - Recipient, Simon Ramo Founders Award,

* 2019 - Recipient, Global Biomaterials Leadership Award, Chinese Association of Biomaterials * 2019 - Recipient, The American Association for the Advancement of Science Philip Hauge Abelson Prize 'for significant contributions to the advancement of science in the United States' * 2018 - Les Hsun Lecture Award,

Shenyang University Shenyang University () is a university in Shenyang, Liaoning, China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country ...

, Shenyang, China * 2017 - Distinguished Engineering Educator Award for 2017 (from Engineer's Council) * 2016 - Laureate, National Medal of Technology and Innovation * 2015 - Pioneer of Diversity Award, American Institute of Chemical Engineers * 2015 - Living Legend Award, National Medical Association * 2015 - Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., Traveling Fellow Award established by the Society for Biomaterials * 2015 - Lifetime Achievement Award, West Indian Foundation * 2015 - Plenary Speaker and Plenary Award,

American Ceramic Society The American Ceramic Society (ACerS) is a non-profit professional organization for the ceramics community, with a focus on scientific research, emerging technologies, and applications in which ceramic materials are an element. It is located in W ...

* 2014 -

NIH The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late ...

Director's Pioneer Award * 2014 - Percy Julian Medal, the highest honor of the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChe)

Works in engineering

Chemical engineering

Dr. Laurencin is a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Connecticut. In Chemical Engineering, Dr. Laurencin was named one of the 100 Engineers of the Modern Era by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers for his work in pioneering polymer-ceramic systems for musculoskeletal use. A Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, he won the William Grimes Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and serves on the board of directors of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers with a term from 2018 to 2021. He is the Founder and president of the Regenerative Engineering Society, a community within the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and is the Editor-in-Chief of ''Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine'', published by Springer/Nature. He is the recipient of the James Bailey Award of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and received the Percy Julian Medal, the highest award of the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. He is a fellow of the American Chemical Society of polymeric science and engineering and chemistry. He was the recipient of the Founders Award by the

in 2022. The AIChE created the Cato T. Laurencin Award for the American Regenerating Society.

Materials science and engineering

Dr. Laurencin is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Connecticut. In Materials Science and Engineering, he is a Fellow of the

Materials Research Society The Materials Research Society (MRS) is a non-profit, professional organization for materials researchers, scientists and engineers. Established in 1973, MRS is a member-driven organization of approximately 14,000 materials researchers from academi ...

and has been the Fred Kavli Distinguished Lecturer and Plenary Speaker for the Materials Research Society. He is a fellow and life member of the

and has delivered two of their most prestigious lectures. He has served as the Edward Orton, Jr., Memorial Lecturer and the Rustum Roy Lecturer for the American Ceramic Society. He has been named one of the most highly cited researchers in Material Science and Engineering (Scopus) and his work on engineered materials for soft tissue regeneration was highlighted by National Geographic magazine in its 100 Scientific Discoveries that Changed the World edition. He was awarded the 2020 Von Hippel Award from the

Biomedical engineering

Dr. Laurencin is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering. His work has been honored at the

, receiving the Presidential Faculty Fellow Award from President

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering. He is an International Fellow in Biomaterials Science and Engineering and a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biomedical Engineering, and a Fellow of the

Biomedical Engineering Society BMES (the Biomedical Engineering Society) is the professional society for students, faculty, researcher and industry working in the broad area of biomedical engineering. BMES is the leading biomedical engineering society in the United States and was ...

. His work was honored by

Scientific American ''Scientific American'', informally abbreviated ''SciAm'' or sometimes ''SA'', is an American popular science magazine. Many famous scientists, including Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, have contributed articles to it. In print since 1845, it ...

magazine as one of the "50 Greatest Achievements in Science" in 2007. In 2011, Dr. Laurencin was elected a member of the

for biomaterial science, drug delivery, and tissue engineering involving musculoskeletal systems, and for academic leadership. Dr. Laurencin was named the 2009 winner of the Pierre Galletti Award, medical and biological engineering's highest honor. Dr. Laurencin is active in technology development. In 2012, his work in musculoskeletal tissue regeneration was featured in National Geographic magazine's "100 Discoveries that Changed Our World" edition. In addition, he received the Technology, Innovation and Development Award from the Society for Biomaterials in 2013 for key scientific and technical innovation and leadership in translational research. In

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...

, he was named Academic Entrepreneur of the Year by Connecticut Cure. He received the Connecticut Medal of Technology from the

Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering is a non-profit institution patterned after the National Academy of Sciences to identify and study issues and technological advancements that are or should be of concern to the state of Connecticut ...

. Dr. Laurencin was named the winner of the

Work in medicine

Dr. Laurencin is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Connecticut. He completed residency training at the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Surgery Program, where he was Chief Resident in Orthopaedic Surgery at the Beth Israel Hospital,

. He served as Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Connecticut. Previous to that, he served as the Lillian T. Pratt Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgeon-In-Chief at the

University of Virginia Health System The University of Virginia Health System is an academic health care center associated with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The health system includes a medical center (with main hospital, children's hospital, and clinic network), ...

. A board certified shoulder and knee surgeon, Dr. Laurencin has been named to "America's Leading Physicians" by

Black Enterprise ''Black Enterprise'' is a black-owned multimedia company. Since the 1970s, its flagship product ''Black Enterprise'' magazine has covered African-American businesses with a readership of 3.7 million. The company was founded in 1970 by Earl ...

magazine. He has served as a ringside boxing physician and has been a physician for the

USA Boxing USA Boxing is the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing. It is overseen by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Boxing Association (AIBA), which sets its rules. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, USA Boxing i ...

men's elite team. He has been a member of the USA Boxing National Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Laurencin also serves as the Commissioner of Boxing for the state of Connecticut. Dr. Laurencin is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a Fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the American's Leading Doctors edition. He received the Nicolas Andry Award, the highest honor of the

Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons ''Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research'' is a peer-reviewed medical journal. It was established in 1953 as ''Clinical Orthopaedics'' by the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons as an alternative to the ''Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery ...

. He is currently the only living orthopaedic surgeon elected to the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, a ...

. He received an honorary degree from the

Mount Sinai School of Medicine The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS or Mount Sinai), formerly the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, is a private medical school in New York City. It is the academic teaching arm of the Mount Sinai Health System, which manages eig ...

in 2018. Dr. Laurencin received the 2021 Kappa Delta Ann Doner Vaughn Award from the American Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is the creator of the IDEAL path for achieving justice and equity.

Work in equity and justice

Dr. Laurencin is active in mentoring, especially underrepresented minority students. In 2020, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) announced Dr. Laurencin as the recipient of the Herbert W. Nickens Award. The award was bestowed upon Dr. Laurencin for his groundbreaking work in social justice, equity and fairness. He received the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mentor Award, the Beckman Award for Mentoring, and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math and Engineering Mentoring in ceremonies at the

. The Society for Biomaterials established The Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., Travel Fellowship in his honor, given to underrepresented minority students pursuing research. He received an honorary degree from Lincoln University, one of the oldest historically Black colleges in the country. Dr. Laurencin is an expert in public health, especially as it pertains to ethnic minority health and health disparities. Academically, he completed the Program in African-American Studies at Princeton University. He is a core faculty member of the Africana Studies Institute at the

, and is Editor-in-Chief of the ''Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities'', published by Springer/Nature, a leading journal in the field. He has written landmark papers, including the first paper in the referred literature showing high levels of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Blacks. He has served as the Chair of the National Academy of Sciences Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Dr. Laurencin co-founded the W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute, dedicated to addressing racial health disparities, and served as its first Chair of the Board. He served on the board of trustees of the National Medical Association for over a decade and was Speaker of the House of Delegates of the National Medical Association. The W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute created the Cato T. Laurencin Lifetime Achievement Award in his honor. It is bestowed at the opening ceremonies of the annual meeting of the National Medical Association.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laurencin, Cato T 1959 births Central High School (Philadelphia) alumni Princeton University alumni Harvard Medical School alumni American chief executives University of Virginia School of Medicine faculty University of Connecticut faculty American orthopedic surgeons Living people Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering African-American physicians American healthcare managers African-American scientists Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering Foreign members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Academics from Pennsylvania 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American people Members of the National Academy of Medicine Fellows of the African Academy of Sciences Associate Fellows of the African Academy of Sciences