UConn Health

October 27, 2022 | Jini Davis, CT Convergence Institute

UConn Professor Cato T. Laurencin Delivers the Robert A. Pritzker Distinguished Lecture Award Address at the Biomedical Engineering Society

On October 15 Dr. Cato T. Laurencin was awarded the Biomedical Engineering Society’s highest honor.

On Oct. 15 UConn's Dr. Cato T. Laurencin received the Biomedical Engineering Society’s highest honor, the BMES Robert A. Pritzker Distinguished Lecture Award.

Dr. Cato T. Laurencin onstage delivering his BMES Robert A. Pritzker Distinguished Lecture at the Biomedical Engineering Society’s Annual Meeting in Texas on Oct. 15.

Dr. Cato T. Laurencin was awarded the Biomedical Engineering Society’s highest honor, the BMES Robert A. Pritzker Distinguished Lecture Award which is given for impactful research and leadership in biomedical engineering science and practice.

He was awarded at the BMES annual meeting on October 15 in Texas.

Laurencin is the Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor and the University Professor at the University of Connecticut.

BMES is the professional Society for students, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals in biomedical engineering.

“It is such an honor to receive this award. As the founder of the field of regenerative engineering, my goals are to answer grand challenges in tissue regeneration and beyond,” says Laurencin.

“Great Pritzker Lecture by Cato Laurencin. Reminding the younger generation what the true definition of “Amazing” is,” applauded Professor Nicholas A. Peppas of the University of Texas on Twitter.

Laurencin has produced seminal and singular accomplishments in tissue regeneration, biomaterials science, nanotechnology, and regenerative engineering, a field he founded. His breakthrough achievements have resulted in transformative advances in improving human life. His fundamental contributions to materials science and engineering include the introduction of nanomaterials technology into the biomaterials field for regeneration.

Laurencin has received singular honors in engineering, medicine, science, and technology for his work. He is the first individual in history to receive both the oldest/highest award of the National Academy of Engineering (the Simon Ramo Founder’s Award) and one of the oldest/highest awards of the National Academy of Medicine (the Walsh McDermott Medal). The American Association for the Advancement of Science awarded Laurencin the Philip Hauge Abelson Prize given ‘for signal contributions to the advancement of science in the United States.  He is also the recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, America’s highest honor for technological achievement in ceremonies at the White House.

In addition, in recognition of his breakthrough achievements in Regenerative Engineering worldwide, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers created the Cato T. Laurencin Regenerative Engineering Founder’s Award.