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December 1, 2025 | Jon D'Arpino

Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin Visits Renowned Indian Chemist Professor C.N.R. Rao.

Laurencin attended the ACS Global Scientific Conference in Mumbai, India, held November 7-11, 2025, at which he served as the Plenary Speaker.

Warm embrace of Dr. Cato T. Laurencin with Professor C.N.R. Rao in Bangalore, India office.

Dr. Cato T. Laurencin with Professor C.N.R. Rao (Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao) at JNCASR (Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research) in Bangalore, India.

During his trip to India, Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., had the honor of reconnecting with Professor C.N.R. Rao (Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao) at JNCASR (Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research) in Bangalore.

Professor Rao, one of the world’s foremost solid- state and materials chemists, has significantly influenced Laurencin’s career and remains a source of inspiration.

Professor Rao, one of India’s most renowned scientists, has significantly advanced the understanding of electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of materials through his work in solid state and materials chemistry. His research has significantly advanced the understanding of electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of materials. Professor Rao has held prestigious positions at institutes such as Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru and he was the founding president of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research. He holds the Bharat Ratna award, which is India’s highest civilian honor, awarded for exceptional service in the fields such as arts, literature, science, and public service. Rao was also one of the few Indian scientists elected to the Royal Society of London for individuals who have made significant contributions to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathematics, engineering, and medical science. In his lifetime Professor Rao has published over 1,600 research papers and authored or edited more than fifty books.

Laurencin is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, where Prof. Rao has been a long-standing member and influential figure. Both have made significant contributions to materials chemistry and engineering, though from different disciplinary angles. Both have received their countries’ highest civilian honors. Professor C. N. R. Rao received the Bharat Ratna (India) and Laurencin received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation (USA). Their work intersects in materials science, particularly in nanostructures and biomaterials. “His presence reminded me of the early days in my career as he shared his wisdom so generously,” said Laurencin.

Laurencin is the founder of the field of Regenerative Engineering, recognized as its father for his groundbreaking work and leadership in the convergence of materials science, stem cell biology, and clinical translation for the regeneration of tissues and organ systems. He is an expert in biomaterials science, stem cell technology, and nanotechnology and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Foundation created the Cato T. Laurencin Founder’s Award in Regenerative Engineering in his honor.

He received the Priestley Medal, the highest award of the American Chemical Society, and in the Fall of 2025, he delivered the Kavli Endowed Distinguished Lecture for the American Chemical Society Meeting. He has received the highest award for the following: Founder’s Award from the Society for Biomaterials, the Founder’s Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Von Hippel Award from the Materials Research Society, and the James Bailey Award from the Society for Biological Engineering. He received the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, NIH’s highest and most prestigious research award, for his field of Regenerative Engineering and the National Science Foundation’s Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Grant Award. Laurencin is the Editor-in-Chief of Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine, published by Springer Nature, and is the founder of the Regenerative Engineering Society.

Laurencin is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences India, the Indian Academy of Sciences, and the Indian National Academy of Engineering. He is the University Professor at UConn and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UConn School of Medicine, a professor of Chemical Engineering and Biomolecular Engineering, a professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He is the CEO of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university institute created and named in his honor at the University of Connecticut.

Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin was bestowed Knight Commander of the Order of St. Lucia, conferred under the auspices of King Charles III through the Governor General of St. Lucia.