Sir Cato T. Laurencin, a 2006 TWAS Fellow and a professor of chemical engineering, materials science and engineering, and biomedical engineering at the University of Connecticut (UConn) has been awarded the Blaise Pascal Medal in Materials Science from the European Academy of Sciences (EAS).
In announcing the award, Rodrigo Martins, president of the European Academy of Sciences, stated that Laurencin has “made transformative contributions to biomaterials and regenerative engineering.”
This honour adds to a series of other recognitions Laurencin has recently received, including the 2025 Bioactive Materials Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2025 Terasaki Innovation Award, and the title of Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia.
Laurencin, who earned his PhD in biochemical engineering and biotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, serves as the chief executive officer of the Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university institute established and named in his honour at the University of Connecticut. At UConn, he serves as a university professor and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor at the school.
He is the founder and pioneer of the field of regenerative engineering. He is internationally recognized for his pioneering contributions to orthopaedic surgery and for advancing the fields of musculoskeletal repair and regeneration. He is also internationally renowned for his expertise in biomaterials science, stem cell technology, biophysics, and nanotechnology, and ranks among the most highly cited researchers in materials science and engineering.
Laurencin is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Medicine, and is also an elected fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. On the international stage, he is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Academy of Engineering, the African Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Cristina Serra