AIChE’s Regenerative Engineering Society (RES) has selected Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, University Professor at Columbia University, to receive the 2026 Cato T. Laurencin Regenerative Engineering Society Founder’s Award. The award recognizes individuals whose research and leadership have advanced convergence approaches in regenerative engineering and medicine.
A pioneer in tissue engineering, Vunjak-Novakovic is the first engineer to hold the rank of University Professor at Columbia, the institution’s highest academic distinction. Her career has been shaped not only by scientific discovery but also by collaboration and a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of researchers.
Vunjak-Novakovic will be honored at the 2026 AIChE Annual Meeting, November 8–12 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she will also deliver her award lecture on Monday, November 9.
Below, she shares what attendees can expect from her award lecture, reflects on the future of regenerative engineering, and offers advice to students and early-career researchers.
Can you give us a preview of your award lecture?
My talk, “Engineering Human Tissues for Medical Impact,” will explore the translational potential of tissue engineering through case studies spanning regenerative medicine and disease modeling.
Tissue engineering emerged more than three decades ago at the intersection of cell biology and engineering, drawing on principles of developmental biology to design environments that guide cell fate, organization, and tissue formation. Historically, the field has been driven by the need to create clinically relevant biological substitutes for tissues lost to injury or disease.
More recently, its medical impact has expanded beyond tissue replacement to patient-specific modeling of human disease and therapeutic responses through organs-on-a-chip and other engineered tissue platforms. I’ll focus on the opportunities and challenges involved in advancing these technologies toward meaningful medical applications.
What makes you excited about the future of regenerative engineering?
I have the privilege of being a faculty member at Columbia University in the City of New York, an institution that fosters talent, diversity, and collaboration. My laboratory works on repairing damaged organs and modeling human diseases in ways that lead to better therapies.
Today, the most exciting scientific advances tend to occur at the interfaces of disciplines, and it is a remarkable opportunity to work in an environment that allows us to come together and solve complex problems. For those of us passionate about discovery and its potential to improve lives, being a scientist is the best job in the world.
Of all our accomplishments, I am proudest of the more than 250 trainees, including students, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical trainees, who have passed through my laboratory. More than 150 are women. Today, they are professors, scientific leaders, members of national academies, department chairs, journal editors, innovators, and mentors around the world.
Mentoring them is a great privilege and a source of excitement. Their achievements are my most meaningful measure of purpose and success. They are the future of regenerative engineering, and this future is bright.
Do you have any advice for future regenerative engineers who are still students or just starting their careers?
Think big and prioritize ideas that can benefit science and society. Be brave enough to tackle difficult problems, seek out challenges, and embrace failure as an essential part of discovery. Surround yourself with great people who share your passion, and continue supporting your trainees throughout their careers. Give and receive help, remain open to advice from both colleagues and students, and always remember that both your science and your family matter deeply.
