Rena Bizios, Ph.D., Peter T. Flawn Professor, department of biomedical engineering, University of Texas, San Antonio is among the newly elected regular members of the National Academy of Medicine.

The National Academy of Medicine, formerly the Institute of Medicine, announced the election of 70 regular members and 10 international members during its annual meeting. Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. This is the inaugural annual meeting as the National Academy of Medicine and the 45th year since the establishment of the Institute of Medicine.

“Our newly elected members represent the brightest, most influential, and passionate people in health, science, and medicine in our nation and internationally,” said NAM President Victor J. Dzau. “They are at the top of their fields and are committed to service. The expertise they bring to the organization will help us respond to today’s most pressing health-related challenges and inform the future of health, science, and medicine. It is my privilege to welcome these distinguished individuals to the National Academy of Medicine.”

New members are elected by current active members through a selective process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. A diversity of talent among NAM’s membership is assured by its Articles of Organization, which stipulate that at least one-quarter of the membership is selected from fields outside the health professions — for example, from such fields as law, engineering, social sciences, and the humanities. The newly elected members raise NAM’s total active membership to 1,826 and the number of international members to 137.

Who is Rena Bizios

Rena  is  a  Peter  T.  Flawn  Professor  in  the  Department  of  Biomedical Engineering  at  the  University  of  Texas  at  San  Antonio.  She  earned  her  B.S.  (CumLaude)  degree  in  Chemical  Engineering  from  the  University  of  Massachusetts (Amherst), M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology, and  Ph.D.  in  Biomedical  Engineering  from  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of Technology.

Her research interests include cellular and  tissue engineering,  tissue  regeneration, biomaterials (including nanostructured  ones)  and  biocompatibility.  She  has  co‐authored  a  textbook,  co‐edited  a  book,  and  authored/co‐authored  over  104 scientific publications and book chapters. She has given numerous presentations at
scientific  conferences  and  invited  seminars/lectures  in  academic  institutions  and industry.  She  has  also  organized  and/or  co‐chaired  numerous  symposia  and sessions  at  national/international  conferences.

She  is  a  member  of  many professional  societies.  She  has  been  an  active  participant  (including elected positions) in  the  Society  for  Biomaterials,  the  Biomedical  Engineering society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the American Institute of Medical and Biological  Engineers.  She  is  member  of  the  Editorial  Boards  of  the  Journal of Biomedical Materials Research (Part A and Part B), Technology, and of the Journal of Nano Research.  She  has  participated  and  chaired  NIH  Study  Sections  and  also participated  in  NSF  Review  Panels  and  similar  national/international  review committees.