Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, PhD
- Mikati Foundation Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Medical Sciences (in Medicine)
Overview
A leading expert in the engineering of human tissues for regenerative medicine and disease modeling, Dr. Vunjak-Novakovic is one of the most highly cited researchers across all disciplines, with over 36,000 citations and an h-index of 109. Along with her students, she has founded four biotech companies, all based in New York City. She has published over 460 peer-reviewed articles and holds 99 patents. Among her many distinctions, she is a member of the Academia Europaea, National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Inventors, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her honors include the European Patent Office Inventor Award (2021), the Pierre Galletti Award of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2021), and Serbia’s Order of Karadjordje (2020).
Academic Appointments
- Mikati Foundation Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Medical Sciences (in Medicine)
Administrative Titles
- University Professor
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- PhD, Chemical Engineering, University of Belgrade,Yugoslavia
- Fellowship: 1987 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Honors & Awards
2017: Robert A. Pritzker Award for 2017, Biomedical Engineering Society
2017: NIBIB National Advisory Council speaker, NIH, January 24, 2017.
2017: Doctorate in Science Honoris Causa, University of Novi Sad, Serbia
2015-2020: Bioengineering Peer Committee, National Academy of Engineering
2016-2017: Chair, College of Fellows, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIBME)
2016: Board of Directors, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIBME)
2016: Award of the Materials Research Society for Lasting and Outstanding Contribution to Material Science and Engineering
2014: National Academy of Inventors
2014: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2014: National Academy of Medicine
2014: Foreign Policy’s 100 Leading Global Thinkers of 2014
2013-2019: National Academy of Engineering, Executive Committee, Section for Bioengineering
2013-2016: National Academy of Engineering, Fritz J and Dolores H Russ Prize Committee
2013: Founding Class, International Fellows of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
2012: National Academy of Engineering
2012: Academia Europea, Cell and Development Biology section
2012: Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
2012: Serbian National Academy of Engineering
2012: Fellow, Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)
2010: Clemson award of the Society of Biomaterials “for significant contributions to the literature on the science or technology of biomaterials”
2009-2019: New York Academy of Sciences
2008: Hall of Fame, Women in Technology International (one of 5 leaders in science and technology in 2008)
2008-2019: US Section Head, Musculoskeletal Repair & Regeneration Section, Faculty 1000 of Medicine
2007: Director’s lecture, NIH, October 17, 2007; the first woman engineer to receive this distinction
2006: NASA Award for a patent “BMP-2, BMP-12, and BMP-13 Modulate in Vitro Development of Engineered Cartilage”
2005: The Association of Orthopedic Research, Switzerland; team award “for the best science in orthopaedics” (with Meinel, Ziechner. Fajardo, and Kaplan)
2004: Outstanding Performance Medal, World Congress of in vitro Biology.
2004: Space Act Award, NASA, for patent describing bioengineering of anterior cruciate ligaments (US patent 6,287,340, issued September 11, 2001)
2004-2019: Faculty of 1000 Medicine, Regenerative Medicine Section
2004: Space Act Award, NASA, for patent describing gene transfer of a growth factor to enhance tissue engineering of cartilage
2000-2019: American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), Fellow
1997: Medal of recognition, Centennial of the Serbian Chemical Society, Belgrade YU
1996 – 1997: Space study of cartilage tissue engineering aboard “Mir”, in collaboration with NASA Johnson Space Center (co-lead of the 13-member team, with LE Freed); the longest cell experiment ever conducted in space; study reported in PNAS)
1987: Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Biomass Committee
1980: City of Belgrade award for the best PhD thesis in engineering
1975: Belgrade Chamber of Commerce award for the best MS thesis in engineering
Research
Grants
UG3 EB025765 (Vunjak-Novakovic) 9/1/17-6/30/22
Multi-tissue platform for modeling systemic pathologies
2R01 DE016525 (Vunjak-Novakovic) 4/1/13 – 3/31/18
Craniofacial Tissue Engineering
2R01 HL076485-07 (Vunjak-Novakovic) 4/17/13 – 4/01/18
Vascularized cardiac muscle
Selected Publications
With over 36,000 citations and h=109, Dr Vunjak-Novakovic is one of the most cited individuals of all tims, in all disciplines.
The complete list of publiacations is avaliable on the link pasted below.
For a complete list of publications, please visit PubMed.gov(link is external and opens in a new window)