SDSU Kyoto Prize Symposium honors Robert Langer, Sc.D., whose work has impacted an estimated two billion lives.
SAN DIEGO (Monday, March 16, 2015) — A teacher, engineer, inventor, entrepreneur and pioneer — just some of the words that describe Robert Langer, Sc.D., the founder of the field of tissue engineering used in medicine for the regeneration of tissues and organs, and the creator of the revolutionary drug delivery system (DDS) technologies.
It is estimated his work has impacted at least two billion lives.
Langer is the Kyoto Prize Laureate in advanced technology for this year’s Kyoto Prize Symposium at San Diego State University on Wednesday, March 18. He will be honored and will lecture on “Biomaterials and Biotechnology: From the discovery of the first angiogenesis inhibitors to the development of controlled drug delivery systems and the foundation of tissue engineering.”
“I am thrilled personally for myself, and I also am thrilled that my field, bioengineering, is being recognized,” Langer said.
Sponsored by the Inamori Foundation, the Kyoto Prize Symposium features lectures by esteemed scholars in three fields, including basic sciences, advanced technology and the arts and philosophy. One of SDSU’s signature events, the annual symposium honors these laureates who have had outstanding lifetime achievement.
“I think if you really believe in yourself, if you are persistent and work hard, there is very little that is truly impossible.”
Langer, who said he was inspired to create and invent because of his desire to do good and use science and engineering to accomplish that, founded tissue engineering which is indispensable for the implementation of regenerative medicine. His technique applies biodegradable polymer technologies to construct “scaffolds” for cell growth, contributing to the regeneration of tissues and organs. His development of DDS technologies allows for the controlled release of proteins, nucleic acids and other macromolecular drugs.
Though his contributions to his field are monumental, Langer said he is most proud of the young minds he has trained in his lab — 800 is the latest count. Many have gone on to successful careers and more than 270 are now professors.
“If I had any advice, any words of wisdom for young people it would be to dream big dreams about how you can do things to help people and to improve the world,” Langer said. “And there may be many times when you try to do something, when you try to develop a new product, or create a new engineering principle or whatever your dream is, that people tell you that it’s impossible, that it will never work. But I think that is very rarely true. I think if you really believe in yourself, if you are persistent and work hard, there is very little that is truly impossible.”
The most cited engineer in history
At 43, Langer was the youngest person in history to be elected to all three American science academies: the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine. He is the most cited engineer in history; his research has been cited more than 170,000 times and his laboratory at MIT is the largest biomedical engineering lab in the world. He has written more than 1,300 articles and has more than 1,000 patents worldwide.
Langer has received more than 200 major awards and is one of four living individuals to have received both the United States National Medal of Science and the United States National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
He received his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in 1970 and his Sc.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1974, both in chemical engineering. He has received more than 24 honorary doctorates from universities including Harvard, Yale, Northwestern and Boston.
Aspiring students
Each year, as part of the events, SDSU graduate students who have an SDSU faculty adviser are invited to compete for an Inamori Fellowship. Applicants must have at least two semesters remaining in their program and are reviewed on work completed and planned; academic background; scholarly accomplishments; training environment including time used to focus on research; and a faculty mentor recommendation. Each Inamori Fellow receives a $5,000 scholarship.
This year’s Inamori Fellows are:
- Fallon Hughes, women’s studies
- Breana Campbell, anthropology
- Karen Lafferty, education
- Erin Conners, public health-global health
- Jazmyne Sutton, communication
- Maria del Carmen Olimon, ceramics
- Yan Wei Lim, biology
- Julia Hammet, psychology
- Rong Zablocki, computational sciences
- Sarah Mills, psychology
Kyoto Symposium event details
The symposium will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18, in Montezuma Hall at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. Register online.
About San Diego State University
San Diego State University is a major public research institution offering bachelor’s degrees in 89 areas, master’s degrees in 78 areas and doctorates in 21 areas. The university provides transformative experiences, both inside and outside of the classroom, for its 34,000 students. Students participate in research, international experiences, sustainability and entrepreneurship initiatives, and a broad range of student life and leadership opportunities. The university’s rich campus life features opportunities for students to participate in, and engage with, the creative and performing arts, a Division I athletics program and the vibrant cultural life of the San Diego region. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu.
