Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic
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| Гордана Вуњак Новаковић | |
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| Alma mater | University of Belgrade |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Columbia University University of Belgrade University of Novi Sad Tufts University |
Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic is a brilliant Serbian American scientist and university professor. She is a University Professor at Columbia University, which is a very high honor. She also leads a special lab there called the Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering lab.
Her main work is about creating human tissues in the lab. This helps with something called regenerative medicine, which aims to repair or replace damaged body parts. She also studies stem cells and how diseases work. Dr. Vunjak-Novakovic and her team have written many scientific papers and books. She has also given many talks around the world. She has invented many things and helped start four biotech companies. These companies use science to create new products, often for health. She also advises the government on tissue engineering.
About Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic
Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic was born in Belgrade, Serbia. She studied chemical engineering at the University of Belgrade. She earned her bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. degrees there. After studying in Germany, she returned to teach at the University of Belgrade.
She later became a Fulbright Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This is a special program that lets people study and teach in other countries. She also worked as a research scientist at MIT. She was also a professor at Tufts University. In 1998, she became a full-time researcher at MIT. There, she worked with another famous engineer, Robert S. Langer. In 2005, she joined Columbia University as a full professor.
What is Tissue Engineering?
Dr. Vunjak-Novakovic's research has greatly changed the field of biomedical engineering. This field uses engineering to solve problems in medicine and biology. Her work focuses on building working human tissues. She does this by using stem cells, special materials called biomaterial scaffolds, and bioreactors. Bioreactors are like special containers that help tissues grow.
Her team has found new ways to create these biomaterials. They also design scaffolds that help tissues grow in the right shape. For example, her early work on bioreactors helped grow cartilage tissue. Cartilage is the flexible tissue found in your nose and ears. Her research has helped control how human tissues grow and work. This has earned her a lot of praise from other scientists. Now, she is working to use these discoveries to help patients.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Vunjak-Novakovic has received many important awards. In 2007, she was the first woman engineer to give a special lecture at the National Institute of Health. In 2008, she was added to the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame. She was also elected to the New York Academy of Sciences in 2009.
She received the Clemson Award in 2010 for her work on biomaterials. She is also a member of many important scientific groups. These include the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. She is also a fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society. In 2014, she was named one of the "100 leading global thinkers" by Foreign Policy magazine.
In 2012, she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. This was a huge honor. She was the first woman at Columbia University to receive this award. She was recognized for her work on bioreactor systems. Later, she was also elected to the National Academy of Medicine. In 2019, she joined the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In 2017, Columbia University gave her its highest academic honor. She was named a University Professor. This title is given to only a few professors. It recognizes those who have made the most important contributions to their field.
In 2021, she received the Sretenje order from the Republic of Serbia. She also won the Popular Prize at the European Inventor Award. Her work has been featured in famous publications. These include The New York Times and Scientific American. She also appeared in the 2018 documentary film Tesla Nation.
